Podcasts about startups

Guy Kawasaki learned sales the hard way in the jewelry business, where every deal felt like hand-to-hand combat. With no technical background, he later joined Apple and turned those street-level selling skills into world-class software evangelism. He went on to become Chief Evangelist at Canva, shaping how the world thinks about selling ideas. In this episode, Guy breaks down why selling is the most critical skill for entrepreneurs, the sales strategies that helped him win pitches, and how to identify products or ideas that sell. In this episode, Hala and Guy will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (01:29) From Sales Rookie to Apple Evangelist (07:35) How to Get Your Big Break (11:49) Leadership Lessons From Apple and Beyond (17:51) The Art of Knowing When to Quit (24:53) How Big Career Risks Shape Success (33:22) Mastering the Sales and Pitch Strategy (42:07) Evangelism Strategy: Pitch Everyone, Always (47:43) Building Likability, Trust, and Competence Guy Kawasaki is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and the Chief Evangelist of Canva. He previously served as the Chief Evangelist at Apple, where he popularized the concept of secular evangelism and helped make the Macintosh a household name. Guy is also the creator and host of the Remarkable People podcast, featuring world-class entrepreneurs and innovators. Sponsored By: Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING  Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.  Spectrum Business - Visit Spectrum.com/FreeForLife to learn how you can get Business Internet Free Forever. Northwest Registered Agent - Build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes at northwestregisteredagent.com/paidyap Framer - Publish beautiful and production-ready websites. Go to Framer.com/profiting and get 30% off their Framer Pro annual plan. Intuit QuickBooks - Start the new year strong and take control of your cash flow at QuickBooks.com/money  Quo - Run your business communications the smart way. Try Quo for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/profiting   Working Genius - Take the Working Genius assessment and discover your natural gifts and thrive at work. Go to workinggenius.com and get 20% off with code PROFITING Resources Mentioned: Guy's Website: remarkablepeople.com    Guy's Book, Wise Guy: bit.ly/-WiseGuy  Guy's Book, Enchantment: bit.ly/-Enchantment  Guy's Podcast, Remarkable People: bit.ly/RP-apple  Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals  Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter  LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new  Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Online Selling, Economics, E-commerce, Ecommerce, Prospecting, Persuasion, Inbound, Value Selling, Account Management, Scale, Scaling, Sales Podcast

John Linford is, fundamentally, a learner. He loves reading books of all shapes and sizes (100+/year for five years now), enjoys networking and creating new connections, and being close to founders. Learning translates to entrepreneurship well, as he is one of the cofounders of Deckability, an agency that helps businesses tell their stories better through brand storytelling and pitch/sales decks. Started just under two years ago, he's already in process of selling the company and is currently head of product at a mental health startup in stealth mode. When he's not reading or building businesses, John likes to run, play soccer and tennis, lift weights, cook, and write poetry. If you're a startup founder trying to learn your brand identity and feel confident in your next raise, this episode is for you.

This week, Adam Russo, co-founder and owner of The Phia Group, explains how his company helps employers reduce their healthcare expenses. The key, he says, is to educate and incentivize employees to be smarter about how they purchase health care—without compromising on the quality of the care. That, he says, is how he's able to offer employees who've been with Phia for five years care that is entirely free: no deductibles, no co-pays. Many of his clients are big companies that self-fund their health insurance, but he says even businesses with as few as two employees can find tremendous savings this way.

Greg McKeown is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. 200,000 people receive his weekly 1-Minute Wednesday newsletter, and he recently released The Essentialism Planner: A 90-Day Guide to Accomplishing More by Doing Less. Sponsors:Momentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: https://livemomentous.com/Tim (Code TIM for 35% off your first subscription.)Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail businessHelix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/timCoyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens: https://coyotegame.com*Show notes: https://tim.blog/2025/01/09/personal-reboot-greg-mckeown/*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To kick off 2026, we're revisiting our conversation with behavioral scientist Katy Milkman. The Wharton professor and bestselling author of “How to Change” sits down with host Jeff Berman to share proven ways to create positive, lasting changes in our lives and our organizations.Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  Serial entrepreneurs drive significant economicimpact in the U.S., with firms generating 67% higher sales anddisproportionately boosting job growth, despite making up only about 3.5% ofbusiness owners, while overall small businesses are booming (5.2M newapplications in 2024), average nonemployer revenue hovers around $58k, andmillions of one-person companies are hitting the million-dollar mark, showingvaried revenue landscapes, Shopify reports.Entrepreneur Paul Shrater is currently the owner or co-owner of over a dozencompanies and brands in various sectors, including e-commerce, third-party logistics/fulfillment,contract packaging in food and beauty, promotional products, foodservicedistribution, joint ventures, supplements, homeopathics, art, and TikToktalent/brand management. The companies span 3 buildings that total approximately.100k sq. ft.  He is a graduate of the acclaimed Wharton School ofBusiness, a speaker at national conferences in the areas of e-commerce, and hasappeared in numerous national television and print media.From 1995 to 2004, Shrater worked in the film and televisionindustry, with offices on the Sony lot, and highlighted by selling anaction-comedy script based on Shrater's original idea for over a milliondollars. Shrater is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania'sacclaimed Wharton School. He has spoken at several national conferences, such as theIRCE, IRCE Focus, B2B Online, B2B Connect, and B2B Multichannel Summit; locallyat EDC, Hub 101, 805 Startups, and VC Innovates.He has participated as a judge in venture competitions andhas guest lectured at universities on topics such as e-commerce, supply chainmanagement, and change management.  He has authored a blog for WhartonMagazine and has been an adjunct faculty member at California LutheranUniversity, where he taught an experiential class in integrated marketingcommunications. Shrater has also appeared on such networks as CNBC and beenquoted in such publications as Forbes and USA Today. He consults with companies in various industries, includingdigital streaming, alternative advertising platforms, ESG, and more.  LinkedIn @PaulJ.ShraterDiscover More: Minimusfulfillment.bizLearn More: Minimusproducts.bizGet Digital: https://digitalcommerceagency.com/For more information: https://paulshrater.com/  

#317 | Dave hosts a live session with Dasha Shakov (Head of Marketing, Proton.ai), Emeric Ernoult (Founder, CEO, Agorapulse), and Finn Thormeier (Founder, Project 33) to break down what's working on LinkedIn right now. They discuss why LinkedIn is the most important channel for B2B, why social media is the best marketing channel available today, how founder-led and employee content drives growth, and what's changed about how people use the platform over the last five years. The group also gets into LinkedIn's thought leader ads, thoughts on measuring results when attribution is messy, and how to sell LinkedIn's value to leadership and convince them to spend time there. It's a look into how B2B teams can earn attention, build credibility, and make LinkedIn a massive growth channel in 2026.Timestamps(00:56) - – Why LinkedIn is still Dave's favorite B2B channel (05:01) - – Panel intros: Dasha, Finn, Emeric (07:25) - – Why LinkedIn changed and why it matters now (09:34) - – “Our buyers aren't on LinkedIn” is mostly wrong (12:26) - – Who should post: CEO, team, or company page (16:47) - – Why promo posts flop (and why that's okay) (21:44) - – What to actually post when starting from zero (38:13) - – Why thought leader ads outperform everything else Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/***Brought to you by:Optimizely - A no-code AI platform where autonomous agents execute marketing work across webpages, email, SEO, and campaigns. Get a free, personalized 45-minute AI workshop to help you identify the best AI use cases for your marketing team and map out where agents can save you time at optimizely.com/exitfive. AirOps - The content engineering platform that helps marketers create and maintain high-quality, on-brand content that wins AI search. Go to airops.com/exitfive to start creating content that reflects your expertise, stays true to your brand, and is engineered for performance across human and AI discovery.Visit exitfive.com/retreat to apply for Exit Five's first-ever, in-person Marketing Leadership Retreat, March 18–20, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Join 100 CMOs and VPs of Marketing from companies like like Zoom, Snowflake, Manychat, Bitly, G2, HP, and more for two days of thinking bigger around a trusted group of peers in marketing. ***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

In this episode, Loye and Fola give out awards for 2025. They select their Leader of the Year, Story of the Year, Election of the Year, Startup of the Year, “What in the World” of the Year, “Thank God That's Not Our Leader” of the Year, and finally closing with stories they're looking out for in 2026.Happy New Year you beautiful people! Time stamps02:05 Leader of the Year10:57 Story of the Year21:14 Election of the Year26:58 Startup of the Year33:40 “What's in the World” of the Year38:18 “Thank God That's Not Our Leader” of the Year 42:44 Stories for 2026https://www.instagram.com/thebrief.xyz/

AI founders are increasingly using their "dropout" status as a credential during YC pitches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How To Build an Elevator Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The elevator pitch is the short form of your startup pitch. It introduces the deal to an investor and gives the key highlights. The goal is not to tell them everything but rather to intrigue them to learn more about it. Here's how to build an elevator pitch: State in five words or fewer what the startup does. Show two examples of the impact of the startup using numbers. This could be exploding revenue, such as "We're seeing 50% month over month growth." It could have an impact on the community, such as "We help feed 5000 children a week." State the goal of the startup, such as "We're looking to reach a break-even in 4 months." Choose three words that best describe your startup and work them into the pitch. Choose three phrases that best describe your startup and build them into the pitch. The keywords will help the audience understand the context. The catch phrases will help the audience understand what the startup does. Consider these steps in building your elevator pitch. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Phoenix startups presented new health technology wearables, clean energy solutions, and smart home devices at CES 2026. These companies attracted attention from investors and industry leaders, highlighting Phoenix's emergence as a technology hub. Local founders credited a supportive business ecosystem and access to talent for their success. The event increased the visibility of Phoenix startups and created new partnership opportunities, positioning the city for further growth in the tech sector.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Ça devient une tradition, et cette année elle prend une toute nouvelle dimension. Pour la troisième fois consécutive, je partage le micro avec Clémence Lepic pour ce bilan annuel. Sauf que cette fois, ce n'est plus seulement ma productrice, c'est aussi mon associée. 2025 aura été une année de folie : deux films sur YouTube et un troisième qui arrive, 72 épisodes de GDIY, l'explosion de Combien ça gagne, et surtout... la création de Collision Productions, une société pour rassembler tous nos projets. C'est aussi une année où on a regardé la vérité en face : la dépendance aux IA américaines, ces enjeux de durabilité et de souveraineté de plus en plus centraux, la nécessité de rester positifs quand tout nous pousse vers le bas et tant d'autres sujets qu'on a adoré creuser. Dans ce hors-série, nous allons : Revenir sur les épisodes phares de 2025, de Carlos Ghosn à Ivan Zhao en passant par Esther Perel, Brian Chesky et tant d'autres Vous révéler les coulisses de nos plus grosses productions : notre voyage au Brésil, le lancement de notre série spéciale CAC 40, notre tournage en Chine et le film qui arrive en janvier (nous trépignons d'impatience) et tous nos projets vidéos en coursParler du lancement imminent de notre nouveau podcast — que nous n'avons dévoilé nulle part ! Évoquer notre deuxième formation avec l'EDHEC (qui va vous retourner le cerveau), construite dans l'ombre depuis des mois, avec experts chercheurs et scientifiques Vous dévoiler nos ambitions pour 2026 : nos invités "moonshot", nos prochains projets de films sur YouTube, notre arrivée imminente sur une nouvelle plateforme (vous n'êtes pas prêts)Nous arrivons en 2026 avec des projets plein la tête, des ambitions encore plus grandes que l'année dernière, et surtout avec l'envie brûlante d'avancer et de progresser avec vous, ensemble. Merci pour votre soutien inconditionnel. Vos retours, vos partages, la force que vous nous donnez tous les jours sur les réseaux sociaux nous poussent et nous obligent à tout faire pour être à la hauteur. Continuez de diffuser GDIY partout, de partager nos épisodes à vos amis, à votre famille, c'est le meilleur cadeau que vous pouvez leur faire pour bien démarrer l'année ! On vous remercie une nouvelle fois pour cette année de dingue et on vous embrasse fort, La team GDIY.TIMELINE:00:00:00 : Bilan de cette année de folie00:12:44 : Ce qui nous a choqué en Chine00:15:34 : Le démarrage au quart de tour de “Combien ça gagne ?”00:19:11 : Pourquoi une nouvelle identité visuelle ?00:20:39 : On dévoile un nouveau podcast00:26:20 : L'immense succès de la série CAC 4000:30:00 : Les épisodes pépites de l'année00:45:39 : Nos ambitions folles pour 202601:00:10 : Les meilleurs apprentissages de l'année01:05:09 : Les livres qui nous ont marqué01:10:07 : MERCI 2025Les anciens épisodes mentionnés : #440 - Thomas Jolly - Metteur en scène, directeur artistique - Créer la plus grande cérémonie de l'histoire#441 - Arthur Benzaquen - Masada, réalisateur - Qui a dit que le business n'était pas artistique ?#444 - Charlie Dalin - Skipper - 64 jours pour faire le tour du monde : Nouveau record du Vendée Globe#448 - Owen Simonin (Hasheur) - Flirter avec les interdits puis devenir l'homme de confiance de la crypto en France#458 - Eddy de Pretto - Artiste - Contre vents et marées#460 - Riss - Charlie Hebdo - Toujours se battre pour la liberté#461 - Sébastien Bazin - PDG du groupe Accor - Diriger un groupe coté en bourse sans ordinateur#470 - Maurice Lévy - Publicis - Faire de la publicité son empire#473 - VO - Brian Chesky - Airbnb - « We're just getting started »#478 - Octave Klaba - OVH - La guerre du Cloud commence#479 - Nikola Karabatic - Champion de Handball - 22 titres sur 23 : la légende du sport français#480 - Esther Perel - Psychothérapeute - Comment réparer l'atrophie sociale avec l'experte mondiale des relations humaines#483 - Carlos Ghosn - Out of the box : masterclass business de l'évadé du siècle#487 - VO - Anton Osika - Lovable - Internet, Business, and AI: Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again#488 - Valentin Kretz - L'Agence (immobilier de luxe) - Le vrai business des Kretz derrière la série Netflix#495 - Anne-Laure Constanza Gorgé - Toulemonde Bochart - “Je me suis battue dans un seul but : mettre à l'abri mes enfants”#505 - Mingpo Cai - Cathay Capital - De la chine profonde aux sommets du capital-investissement#507 - Laurent Alexandre - Vers la fin des études supérieures ?#510 - Carole Benaroya - Kujten - La reine du cachemire#512 - François Ruffin - Député - En finir avec l'État perfusion#513 - VO - Jesper Brodin - IKEA - A $40 billion revenue empire built with no bank loansNos recommandations de lecture :La Chine ou le réveil du guerrier économique, de Ali LaïdiPour le succès des armes de la France, de Pierre de VilliersBelle du Seigneur, d'Albert CohenClear Thinking, de Shane ParrishL'urgence et la patience, de Jean-Philippe ToussaintL'homme qui plantait des arbres, de Jean GionoThe Road Less Travelled, de M. Scott PeckLe déclin du courage, d'Alexandre SoljenitsyneVous souhaitez sponsoriser Génération Do It Yourself ou nous proposer un partenariat ?Contactez mon label Orso Media via ce formulaire.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

This is our annual recap episode. We talk about how things went in 2025 and what we're hoping to see in 2026.Personal goals for 2026Rick Getting back to basicsGoing from reactive to proactive (and surviving to thriving)Shifting from a strategy of playing it safe and reducing risk to taking smart risk and being ok looking a little foolishTyler Handle the transition back to full-time work (as it impacts parenting)Find clarity on what level of wealth we're comfortable exposing our daughter to.Help Shelly find more ways to go out at night while I take care of SydFinalize will+trustStretch goal: Start vibe coding personal appsProfessional goals for 2026Rick (hopes to achieve at least two of these goals) Outsource, delegate, or automate recurring tasks that I no longer value doing and/or others don't value me doingTry to grow LegUp Health by 50%, but do it in a way that we are all excited aboutRebuild personal website + read 10 really, really good nonfiction books and publish notes on themExperiment with AI to generate 1 additional revenue streamTyler Spend almost all IC time on design, product management, and coding. Fewer distractions!Management: Get the team up to speed on AI, and make it self-sustainingProduct management/design: Figure out how to keep up with the devs (especially if AI allows them to move even faster)Product Ship Mobile and KanbanReduce support by making things more self-serveMain theme: The first 30 minutes Onboarding improvementsRebuild the importing flowSimplification Separate contacts and companiesOpen contacts in page dialogStatuses on the contact recordTable view of contacts

Ari Ackerman, founder of the groundbreaking app BunkOne and minority owner of the Miami Marlins, opens up about his unique journey from tech innovator to MLB executive. He reflects on his Jewish identity, activism, and the urgent challenges facing the Jewish community today. Ackerman highlights the importance of fostering Jewish pride in future generations, shares insights on Israel’s global perception, and offers inspiring advice to young people about following their passions and embracing life’s challenges. The Karol Markowicz Show is part of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network - new episodes debut every Wednesday & Friday. Follow Ari on InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enterprise expectations. Startup-sized teams. And zero margin for failure.Across museums, national parks, retail stores, and nonprofit organizations, mid-market IT leaders are being asked to do more than ever—with fewer people, tighter budgets, and growing complexity. Most burn out. Some figure it out.In this episode, The Catalyst brings together two leaders navigating that reality from different sides of the work:Scott Gagon, Network Security Engineer, Event NetworkTariq Chaudhri, VP of Technology, Goodwill of Northwest North CarolinaTogether, they explore what it takes for small IT teams to support enterprise-scale environments—and why trusted partnerships are often the difference between survival and real progress.You'll hear:How small IT teams manage massive, distributed operationsWhy empathy, mission, and decisiveness matter as much as toolsHow partners like Softchoice become force multipliers—not vendorsThe Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.

Reggie and Vitaly have built Vista Social as a fully remote company and along the way, they've learned what actually drives performance, trust, and growth when no one is watching. From enforcing presence in meetings to rejecting multitasking culture, they explain why discipline still matters even in flexible work environments.The conversation expands beyond work into parenting in the digital age. They talk honestly about raising kids surrounded by social media, why banning technology doesn't work, and how values, boundaries, and balance matter more than control. They also unpack the realities of business partnerships - why most fail, how equity creates tension, and why choosing a partner is closer to choosing a spouse than hiring an employee.Vitaly and Reggie break down:What it really takes to run effective remote teamsWhy presence and focus matter more than flexibilityParenting in a world shaped by TikTok, YouTube, and algorithmsWhy most business partnerships fail and how to avoid itHow competition is won through consistent extra effort, not talentThe work ethic lesson behind Kobe Bryant's legendary mindsetIf you're building remotely, raising kids in a digital world, or trying to stand out in a competitive career, this is your episode.Subscribe for more founder-led conversations on leadership, discipline, and building real businesses. Try Vista Social for FREE today Book a Demo Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Youtube

Einen Dean gibt es nicht, einen David schon: David Baumgartner ist der Gründer der Gastro-Kette, die gesundes Fast Food an Bahnhöfen, in Innenstädten und Einkaufszentren anbietet. Die Idee dazu kam ihm während einer Weltreise – heute gibt es bereits über 160 Filialen. Im OMR Podcast spricht der Dean&David-Gründer über ambitionierte Wachstumspläne, seine größten Fehlentscheidungen, seine Investments in Startups und darüber, wie er einmal von eigenen Mitarbeitern im großen Stil betrogen wurde.

Which startup stories clicked with you in 2025? Glad you asked. Let me run down the top 10 Portland startup community stories from Silicon Florist that you clicked on most throughout the year.TIMESTAMPS - TOP 10 SILICON FLORIST POSTS 202500:00 Top 10 2025 intro01:29 Post No. 1002:10 Post No. 9 03:11 Post No. 804:33 Post No. 705:37 Post No. 606:22 Post No. 507:11 Post No. 408:09 Post No. 311:15 Post No. 213:23 Honorable mentions15:05 … and the No. 1 post for 2025LINKS- 10 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/10/23/portland-startup-customer-io-reaches-100m-arr-milestone/- 9 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/06/25/lets-get-you-connected-with-your-oregon-startup-peers/- 8 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/01/15/reminder-silicon-forest-tech-summit-2025-is-10-days-away-and-now-in-portland/- 7 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/10/28/conductorone-raises-79m-led-by-greycroft/- 6 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/07/15/former-nike-folks-formed-fiveonefour-fomenting-10-8m-in-fresh-financing/- 5 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/04/23/portland-startup-week-2025-whats-currently-on-the-docket/- 4 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/09/09/jon-maroney-moves-on-from-oregon-venture-fund/- 3 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/08/14/oregon-is-the-bestest-most-wonderfulest-place-to-be-the-most-amazingest-awesomest-entrepreneur-ever/- 2 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/04/28/portland-its-time-to-move-on/- 1 https://siliconflorist.com/2025/07/10/for-those-of-you-keeping-track-at-home-the-most-valuable-company-in-history-was-founded-by-an-aloha-high-and-oregon-state-grad/FIND RICK TUROCZY ON THE INTERNET AT…- https://patreon.com/turoczy- https://linkedin.com/in/turoczy- Portland Oregon startup news on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/portland-oregon-startup-news-silicon-florist/id1711294699- Portland Oregon startup news Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2cmLDH8wrPdNMS2qtTnhcy?si=H627wrGOTvStxxKWRlRGLQ- Startup Stories on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Tk7bbzaNYowGouI9ucKC3- Startup Stories on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-stories-with-silicon-florist/id1849468494- The Long Con on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-con/id1810923457- The Long Con on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/48oglyT5JNKxVH5lnWTYKA- https://bsky.app/profile/turoczy.bsky.social- https://siliconflorist.substack.com/- https://pdxslack.comABOUT SILICON FLORIST ----------For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog, newsletter, and podcast that covers entrepreneurs, founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet.ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ----------Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird.https://siliconflorist.com#pdx #portland #oregon #startup #entrepreneur

The Nuances of Pitching Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, there are key nuances that can make or break the pitch. Here is a list of nuances to consider when pitching: Use the pitch to build a collaboration. Funding is a part of it, but not the only thing. Start your pitch with your core value proposition. State in plain language what your company does. If you have revenue numbers, build the pitch around them. Showcase the growth story with a graph showing a curve going up and to the right at 45 degrees. If you don't have revenue, then build the pitch around the key insight you have into solving the problem. Don't avoid the risk factors. Instead, focus on how you are mitigating those factors. Don't avoid the competition. Instead, show how the competition validates the market. Show how this raise will set up the business for the next round and is a part of an overall strategy. Consider these nuances in building your pitch. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

This time around, we have an experimental format, featuring the first episode of a brand-new podcast launching next week, Drug Story. I rarely feature episodes from other shows, but I think this one is well worth your time. It changed how I think about allergies, especially as someone who carries an EpiPen and has wondered: why on earth have food allergies seemed to skyrocket in the last few decades?Drug Story is a podcast that tells the story of the disease business, one drug at a time. Each episode explores one disease and one drug, and it kicks off with EpiPen and food allergies. A quick teaser: What if I told you that a well-meaning medical recommendation may have caused millions of kids to develop food allergies?Make sure to subscribe to Drug Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also simply go to DrugStory.co and learn more.The host is Thomas Goetz. He is a senior impact fellow at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, and much earlier, Thomas was the executive editor at WIRED, which he led to a dozen National Magazine Awards from 2001 to 2013. His writing has been repeatedly selected for the Best American Science Writing and Best Technology Writing anthologies.P.S. To help you kick off 2026, I recommend checking out Henry Shukman, a past podcast guest and one of the few in the world authorized to teach Sanbo Zen. Henry's app, The Way, has changed my life. I've been using it daily, often twice a day, and it's lowered my anxiety more than I thought possible. For 30 free sessions, just visit thewayapp.com/tim No credit card required.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC's Shark Tank). In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Cuban joins host Rana El Kaliouby for a wide-ranging conversation about whether we are in an AI bubble, how he's applying his investment philosophy to AI, and why the AI world is tending to excite him less and less each day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Edition for Dec. 30. Meta becomes one of the first major U.S. tech companies to buy a startup with Chinese roots, as it agrees to acquire Manus for more than $2 billion. Plus, tensions in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. square off over their support for rival factions in Yemen. And WSJ chief economics commentator Greg Ip and White House reporter Meridith McGraw explain why “affordability” is likely to be a major talking point in next year's midterm election campaign, and what politicians can do to address it. Luke Vargas hosts. Programming note: What's News is publishing once a day through Jan. 2. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Octopus Energy to spin off AI utility management platform Kraken Technologies. And three Chinese tech companies plan IPOs in Hong Kong. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode from the archives Tammy sits down with Keena Patel-Moran, the Healthcare and Lifesciences Industry Lead at Launch by NTT DATA. Keena and Tammy discuss ways to improve the industry and give patients the support they need and deserve. They discuss why doctors should look beyond just symptoms and make a case that improving healthcare processes is not only better for patients and care-takers but is also good for business. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATALinks: Keena Patel-MoranLearn more about Launch by NTT DATASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hillel Fuld is a globally recognized startup advisor, tech marketer, and speaker helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into scalable, profitable businesses. Named Israel's top marketer by Forbes—who called him "the man transforming Startup Nation into Scale-up Nation"—he has mentored over 600 founders in marketing, growth, and storytelling, guiding startups from vision to revenue. His work and insights have been featured in CNBC, Inc., Fast Company, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, The Next Web, and Business Insider, and he was ranked the 7th most influential tech blogger worldwide. Hillel partners with top global brands including Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and Nike, creating strategies that deliver lasting impact. A sought-after international speaker, Hillel shares his expertise on marketing, entrepreneurship, and Israeli innovation. Above all, he's a proud husband to Racheli and father of five.  During the show we discuss: The key mindset shifts required to move from startup mode to a sustainable business. Why many startups struggle to turn ideas into revenue—and how to bridge the gap. Why every founder should create an investor deck, even without plans to raise capital. How to validate product–market fit before scaling too early. The role of authentic storytelling in building trust and brand credibility. Common traits shared by the most successful founders. How startups balance innovation and execution with limited resources. The most overlooked marketing lever that can make or break early growth. Resources:  https://www.hillelfuld.com/

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Taylor Black for a wide-ranging conversation that spans AI, startups, big tech, and family life. Taylor shares his experience working at Microsoft, where he's been close to how AI is being built, adopted, and misunderstood inside large organizations. He talks about how startups and founders should think about AI realistically not as hype, but as a tool that rewards clarity, discipline, and execution. Beyond tech, Taylor opens up about his family's journey through fostering and adoption, what it's taught him about responsibility, patience, and long-term thinking, and how building a family reshapes how you approach work and leadership. He reflects on balancing ambition with presence, and why success isn't just about what you build professionally, but what you commit to personally. This is an honest conversation about building companies, adopting new technology responsibly, and choosing to show up fully  at work and at home. Topics Discussed • Taylor's role at Microsoft and exposure to AI at scale • How large companies actually adopt AI • The gap between AI hype and real-world execution • How startups should think about using AI • Discipline and clarity as advantages in tech and business • Lessons from working inside a major tech company • Fostering and adopting children and what it teaches about leadership • Balancing startup ambition with family responsibility • Long-term thinking in both business and life • Redefining success beyond career milestones Support CavnessHR CavnessHR is building an AI-native HR system for small businesses with 49 or fewer employees  automation plus a dedicated HR Business Partner.  Invest on Wefunder https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr  Download 7 free eBooks https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks Join the Builders Club https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ Connect with Taylor Black LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacktaylor/  

SoftBank Group has completed its $40 billion investment in OpenAI, Samsung TVs to integrate Google Photos starting in 2026, and China mandates 50% domestic chip equipment in facilities expansion. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. IfContinue reading "Meta Acquires Singaporean AI Startup Manus for $2 Billion – DTH"

Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC's Shark Tank). In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Cuban joins host Rana El Kaliouby for a wide-ranging conversation about whether we are in an AI bubble, how he's applying his investment philosophy to AI, and why the AI world is tending to excite him less and less each day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we take another look back at the conversations we've had over the past year, highlighting some of our happiest, smartest, funniest, and most difficult exchanges, including Laura Zander on how she got the price she wanted to sell Jimmy Beans Wool, Liz Picarazzi on her confrontation with a grizzly bear, Jay Goltz on why he just might be a good candidate to turn his business into a worker cooperative, Mel Gravely on why he sold his facilities-management business as soon as it became profitable, and Jaci Russo on how she figured out how to train a series of AI agents to deliver 10 client leads first thing every morning.

In this episode, we break down Meta's acquisition of Singapore-based startup Manus AI for $2 billion, what this means for AI agents, and how it fits into Meta's broader AI strategy. We explore why this deal matters and what it could signal for the future of AI assistants in consumer and enterprise products.Try Delve: https://delve.co/Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From investing through the modern data stack era (DBT, Fivetran, and the analytics explosion) to now investing at the frontier of AI infrastructure and applications at Amplify Partners, Sarah Catanzaro has spent years at the intersection of data, compute, and intelligence—watching categories emerge, merge, and occasionally disappoint. We caught up with Sarah live at NeurIPS 2025 to dig into the state of AI startups heading into 2026: why $100M+ seed rounds with no near-term roadmap are now the norm (and why that terrifies her), what the DBT-Fivetran merger really signals about the modern data stack (spoiler: it's not dead, just ready for IPO), how frontier labs are using DBT and Fivetran to manage training data and agent analytics at scale, why data catalogs failed as standalone products but might succeed as metadata services for agents, the consumerization of AI and why personalization (memory, continual learning, K-factor) is the 2026 unlock for retention and growth, why she thinks RL environments are a fad and real-world logs beat synthetic clones every time, and her thesis for the most exciting AI startups: companies that marry hard research problems (RAG, rule-following, continual learning) with killer applications that were simply impossible before. We discuss: The DBT-Fivetran merger: not the death of the modern data stack, but a path to IPO scale (targeting $600M+ combined revenue) and a signal that both companies were already winning their categories How frontier labs use data infrastructure: DBT and Fivetran for training data curation, agent analytics, and managing increasingly complex interactions—plus the rise of transactional databases (RocksDB) and efficient data loading (Vortex) for GPU-bound workloads Why data catalogs failed: built for humans when they should have been built for machines, focused on discoverability when the real opportunity was governance, and ultimately subsumed as features inside Snowflake, DBT, and Fivetran The $100M+ seed phenomenon: raising massive rounds at billion-dollar valuations with no 6-month roadmap, seven-day decision windows, and founders optimizing for signal ("we're a unicorn") over partnership or dilution discipline Why world models are overhyped but underspecified: three competing definitions, unclear generalization across use cases (video games ≠ robotics ≠ autonomous driving), and a research problem masquerading as a product category The 2026 theme: consumerization of AI via personalization—memory management, continual learning, and solving retention/churn by making products learn skills, preferences, and adapt as the world changes (not just storing facts in cursor rules) Why RL environments are a fad: labs are paying 7–8 figures for synthetic clones when real-world logs, traces, and user activity (à la Cursor) are richer, cheaper, and more generalizable Sarah's investment thesis: research-driven applications that solve hard technical problems (RAG for Harvey, rule-following for Sierra, continual learning for the next killer app) and unlock experiences that were impossible before Infrastructure bets: memory, continual learning, stateful inference, and the systems challenges of loading/unloading personalized weights at scale Why K-factor and growth fundamentals matter again: AI felt magical in 2023–2024, but as the magic fades, retention and virality are back—and most AI founders have never heard of K-factor — Sarah Catanzaro X: https://x.com/sarahcat21 Amplify Partners: https://amplifypartners.com/ Where to find Latent Space X: https://x.com/latentspacepod Substack: https://www.latent.space/ Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Sarah Catanzaro's Journey from Data to AI 00:01:02 The DBT-Fivetran Merger: Not the End of the Modern Data Stack 00:05:26 Data Catalogs and What Went Wrong 00:08:16 Data Infrastructure at AI Labs: Surprising Insights 00:10:13 The Crazy Funding Environment of 2024-2025 00:17:18 World Models: Hype, Confusion, and Market Potential 00:18:59 Memory Management and Continual Learning: The Next Frontier 00:23:27 Agent Environments: Just a Fad? 00:25:48 The Perfect AI Startup: Research Meets Application 00:28:02 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Sarah

Market update for Tuesday December 30, 2025Follow us on Instagram (@TheRundownDaily) for bonus content and instant reactions.In today's episode:Silver and gold see wild swings as metals trade like meme assetsMeta buys AI startup Manus for more than $2 billionTesla deliveries expected to drop for 2nd year in a row Copper prices surge to record highs as AI data centers fuel demandFun fact: International stocks outperformed U.S. stocks by the widest margin since 2009

In this repeat episode of LaunchPod, originally published on Aug 12, 2025, we're talking with Bret Tushaus, VP of Product at Deltek. In this episode, we discuss: * How Deltek built Dela — an AI agent framework powering everything from smart summaries to autonomous accounting * Why AI is rewriting the role of Product Management, and what leaders need to know now * How Bret's team leveled up their AI skills fast — with short, high-impact sprints focused on real tools and real problems Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-tushaus-b959b56/ Deltek: https://www.deltek.com/en Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Product Management 01:06 Building AI-Powered Solutions at DelteK 03:05 Smart Summaries and Predictive Analytics 08:24 Intelligent Exploration and Conversational Interfaces 17:39 The Future of AI Agents 22:14 Getting Started with AI in Your Team 26:52 Final Thoughts Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Bret Tushaus.

Humans are amazing pattern-matching machines. However, sometimes we extrapolate from a single anecdote and build upon a shoddy foundation. More in this week's episode.3+2 going out of business saleLock special pricing for Unplugged with Aviv: https://avivby.gumroad.com/l/unpluggedGrab a copy of my books, Capitalizing Your Technology and  The Tech Executive Operating System.Subscribe to the best newsletter for tech executives.For any questions or comments, reach out to me directly: aviv@avivbenyosef.com

At TechCrunch Disrupt, three investors took the stage to dissect what makes — and breaks — a pitch deck. They shared with the crowd their candid views on what works in a pitch deck — and what doesn't. Their biggest pet peeve? Buzzword overload. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meta Platforms is acquiring Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup that's become the talk of Silicon Valley since it debuted last spring with a demo video that showed an AI agent doing things like screening job candidates, planning vacations, and analyzing stock portfolios. Manus claimed at the time that it outperformed OpenAI's Deep Research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Key Skills for a Startup Founder To Have Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Successful startup founders share several key skills. Here are the key skills for a startup founder to have: They have access to the networks that are vital to their startup success. This includes investor networks for funding and customer networks for buying the product. They are flexible. They can pivot the business when the market changes or they discover a better one. They are persistent. They stick with it during the down times as well as the up times. They take calculated risks. They understand the downside cost as well as the potential upside reward. They know their numbers. They know their key numbers that are critical, such as cash runway. They have focus. They know what the must-dos are and focus on them. They constantly learn. They are always learning new things and find it a part of the startup life. Consider these skills in a startup founder before investing. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

When Dan Henry was building his online business, he struggled with inconsistent sales and needed to quickly figure out how to turn prospects into paying clients. That challenge pushed him to study the psychology behind why people buy and develop sales frameworks that now generate millions in revenue and enable him to close $25K to $50K deals over text alone. In this episode, Dan breaks down his proven sales scripts, objection-handling techniques, and persuasion strategies for closing high-ticket deals and converting cold prospects into loyal buyers. In this episode, Hala and Dan will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (02:13) Building Rapport on Cold Sales Calls (07:41) Storytelling Frameworks That Boost Sales (12:15) Strategic Questioning to Uncover Buyer Intent (18:56) Objection Handling Strategies for Conversion (28:35) Identifying Buyer Motives on Sales Calls (33:29) Connecting With Audiences at Scale (37:54) Finding Fulfillment Beyond Business Success Dan Henry is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of GetClients.com. He has built multiple high-revenue online businesses by helping entrepreneurs craft compelling personal brands, structure high-converting presentations, and scale through proven sales strategies. As a business coach, Dan's frameworks have helped thousands of business owners generate millions. Sponsored By: Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING  Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.  Revolve - Head to REVOLVE.com/PROFITING and take 15% off your first order with code PROFITING  DeleteMe - Remove your personal data online. Get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans at to joindeleteme.com/profiting  Spectrum Business - Visit Spectrum.com/FreeForLife to learn how you can get Business Internet Free Forever. Airbnb - Find yourself a cohost at airbnb.com/host  Northwest Registered Agent - Build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes at northwestregisteredagent.com/paidyap Framer - Publish beautiful and production-ready websites. Go to Framer.com/design and use code PROFITING Intuit QuickBooks - Bring your money and your books together in one platform at QuickBooks.com/money  Resources Mentioned: Dan's Website: getclients.com Dan's YouTube: youtube.com/danhenry  Dan's Instagram: instagram.com/danhenry Dan's Bali Personal Branding Talk: getclients.com/yap  Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals  Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter  LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new  Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Online Selling, Economics, E-commerce, Ecommerce, Prospecting, Inbound, Value Selling, Account Management, Scaling, Sales Podcast

In this recap episode, we highlight the best moments from our 2025 interviews and reflect on the ideas that defined the year.Featuring:David Rubenstein (co-founder of Carlyle) - From White House to Wall Street: David RubensteinYamini Rangan (CEO of HubSpot) - HubSpot CEO on the Future of SaaS, AI, & Leading Through ChangeBen Chestnut (co-founder of Mailchimp) - Bootstrapped to 12B: Mailchimp's Ben Chestnut on Life After the ExitWinston Weinberg (co-founder and CEO of Harvey) - I Raised $300M To Bring AI To Laywers | Winston Weinberg & HarveyGarrett Lord (co-founder of Handshake) - The Expert Network Behind Handshake AI's Model Training w/ Garrett Lord & Mamoon HamidAidan Gomez (co-founder and CEO of Cohere) - Synthetic Data and the Future of AI | Cohere CEO Aidan GomezMichelle Zatlyn (co-founder of Cloudflare) - Building Cloudflare for the Next 50 Years | Co-founder Cloudflare Michelle ZatlynEvan Spiegel (co-founder and CEO of Snap) - How Snap Plans to Win the AR Race | Evan Spiegel on SpectaclesConnect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGrit​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

John Hill was lying in a hospital bed after surviving a massive heart attack when he faced a life-altering choice: give up, or stay and find a higher purpose. Choosing to stay, John walked away from his stable job with only one paycheck left, no safety net, and a yellow legal pad to map out a business idea that experts called "the worst model ever." He set out to clean up a dirty industry by doing the unthinkable—personally guaranteeing the work of contractors to protect homeowners.In this interview, John sits down with Ryan Atkinson to share how he built The Good Contractors List, a company that has backed over $5 billion in work and paid out $127,000 in claims to fix bad jobs. He reveals why the "sell the lead" model is broken and how his unique approach of "giving more than you take" created a community-driven ecosystem that generates revenue without sacrificing integrity.You'll learn why ignoring "business experts" was the best decision John ever made, how to identify if you are a Visionary or an Integrator, and the crucial difference between self-promotion and community authority. We also dive deep into how faith fueled John through financial rock bottom and the practical steps entrepreneurs can take to build a business that prioritizes purpose over profit.Takeaways:- Purpose Beats Credentials: John didn't have a business degree or a safety net; he had a "hospital bed promise" to live with purpose. This intrinsic motivation fueled him through obstacles that would have stopped a purely profit-driven founder. - The "Anti-Lead" Business Model: John disrupted the industry by refusing to sell leads. Instead of charging per lead (which incentivizes quantity over quality), he charges a flat membership fee, aligning his success with the contractor's reputation rather than their marketing spend.- Validate with Sales, Not Software: You don't need a website to start. John launched his business with a yellow legal pad and a pen, collecting checks and validating the concept before spending a dime on digital infrastructure.- Ignore the "Experts": Multiple business consultants told John his model—personally guaranteeing contractor work—was "suicide." He ignored them, and that specific differentiator is what allowed him to back over $5 billion in projects.- The Visionary vs. Integrator Dynamic: John struggled with structure until he recognized he was a "Visionary" and needed an "Integrator" partner to handle operations. Knowing your personality type is crucial for scaling past the startup phase.-Crowdsourced Quality Control: Instead of just hunting for contractors himself, John built a referral program where he pays homeowners and other contractors to refer trusted pros, effectively letting the community build his vetting pipeline.- Risk is Lower Than You Think: Guaranteeing work sounds risky, but the data proves otherwise. Because the vetting process is so strict, The Good Contractors List has only had to pay out ~$127,000 on $5 billion worth of jobs.- Give More Than You Take: This isn't just a moral stance; it's a growth strategy. By not nickel-and-diming contractors for every lead, John built a loyal community that self-polices and promotes the brand organically.- Faith as a Stress Management Tool: John attributes his ability to handle the "Valley of Death" (running out of money) to a spiritual surrender. Removing his ego from the outcome allowed him to make clear decisions without panic.- Community Authority: A single contractor saying "I'm good" is marketing. A third-party organization backing that contractor with their own money is authority. John built a business on selling trust, not just advertising space.Tags: Home Services, Entrepreneurship, Business mindset, Faith, Startup, LeadershipResources:Grow your business today:  https://links.upflip.com/the-business-startup-and-growth-blueprint-podcast Connect with John: https://thegoodcontractorslist.com/contractor-listings-and-our-team/

Space startups today look a lot like the internet in 1995 – early, chaotic, and packed with upside for the founders brave enough to build in the void. With VCs going all in on space, Techstars betting big on the category, and an entire industry quietly taking over venture capital, this is a moment founders can't ignore.In this episode of Demo Day, Techstars Space Managing Director Gabriel Schlumberger breaks down why “SPACE IS THE FUTURE” is more than a catchy thumbnail – it's an actual investing thesis. Gabriel explains how launch costs, new business models, and a surge of satellites are turning space into one of the most important frontier markets for startups and venture capital.Gabriel shares his journey from Pixar, Blue Sky, and Disney to becoming a founder himself, building an FDA‑regulated glasses startup for kids in the middle of a global pandemic, and then stepping into his role at Techstars Space. That experience across creative studios, corporate innovation, and true zero‑to‑one startup chaos shapes how he now evaluates founders and why he's so bullish on space companies.You'll learn:Why space today feels like the internet did in 1995, and what that means for startup timing and upside.How Techstars is betting big on space through its accelerator with NASA JPL and the U.S. Space Force.The trait Gabriel calls “pathological curiosity” and why it separates the best founders and VCs.What actually happens inside Techstars: mentor weeks, “give first” culture, and how a few teams get picked from hundreds of applicants.A real founder story: running a hardware and medical device startup through COVID, fundraising, manufacturing, and brutal unknowns.Whether you're a founder thinking about space, a SaaS builder curious about frontier markets, or an investor trying to understand the industry quietly taking over VC, this episode is a masterclass in how the next decade of startups will be built.

SummaryIn this week's episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sat down with Joseph Batta-Mpouma, founder and CEO of CelluDot, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and how CelluDot is tackling critical issues in agriculture through innovation.Joseph, whose background is in material science and engineering, shared how his academic path shifted when exposed to entrepreneurship during graduate school. Inspired to make a real-world impact, he founded CelluDot to deliver concrete solutions for encapsulating bio and chemo compounds, a breakthrough especially vital for crop protection.One of the main challenges CelluDot addresses is herbicide drift, a persistent issue costing farmers billions. Joseph emphasized the importance of understanding farmers' real pain points, illustrating how genuine customer discovery must inform applied scientific solutions. By starting field trials in eastern Arkansas and engaging directly with farmers, the team was able to customize its technology to truly meet users' needs. Additionally, Joseph explains how CelluDot's roadmap is built around a versatile core technology, with plans to expand into fertilizers, feed supplements, and nutraceuticals. In five years, CelluDot aims to be a U.S. leader in encapsulation solutions, empowering partners in agriculture and beyond.Reflecting on his journey, Joseph encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to “just start,” stressing the value of seizing opportunities and learning quickly from failures. Listeners can learn more about CelluDot at their website and are encouraged to reach out to support farmers and sustainable agriculture. Tune in today!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(06:10) Collecting Data for Custom Solutions(08:23) Bridging Academia and Industry Gaps(11:19) Preparing for Future Goals(16:17) Core Values and Team Accountability(19:47) Arise: Expert Free Advisory Platform(22:19) Startup Progress and Timeline(25:38) Fail Faster, Succeed Sooner(27:22) Closing ThoughtsLinksDaniel KoonceCaleb TalleyStartup JunkieStartup Junkie YouTubeJoseph Batta-MpoumaCelluDot, LLC

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg engage with Benedict Evans to explore the current state of AI development, its historical context, and future predictions. They discuss the potential for an AI bubble, the importance of productization for user adoption, and the varying levels of AI integration across different industries. The conversation also touches on the comparison between Nvidia and Sun Microsystems, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the AI landscape.

In this episode of the Grownlearn Podcast, host Zorina Dimitrova (Investment Matchmaker & Strategic Growth Advisor) talks to Bryan Clayton, CEO & co-founder of GreenPal—a marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. LinkedIn +1 Bryan shares the real story behind building GreenPal after coming from the landscaping industry—how he learned the skills needed to build and scale a tech platform, why he chose bootstrapping over venture capital, and how relentless customer feedback became “free R&D” that shaped the product and the business model. You'll learn: How Bryan went from mowing lawns to building a tech company Bootstrapping lessons (and why many VC-funded competitors failed) How to scale with small, achievable goals and nonstop iteration Why customer support + customer obsession can become your growth engine AI's impact on operations—and what doesn't change in real-world services What it takes to build a focused marketplace in a massive, fragmented industry If you're a founder, operator, or business owner building a marketplace, scaling a service business, or trying to grow sustainably without hype—this episode is for you. About Grownlearn: We connect premium opportunities with aligned capital and provide strategic growth advisory to help businesses optimize value and scale across Europe & the U.S.

Chandan Lodha, Co-founder at CoinTracker, joins Amir Bormand to unpack the real shift from big tech to building your own company. From Harvard to Google to Y Combinator, Chandan shares what pushed him to take the leap, how he found the right idea, and what he had to unlearn to lead at startup speed.This conversation is for builders and leaders who want to grow faster, ship faster, and build teams that can actually execute.Key Takeaways• The early career advantage is learning velocity, optimize for environments that stretch you fast• Managing the business is rarely the hardest part, people problems scale with headcount• Big company habits can break you at a startup, especially around distribution, speed, and getting your first users• YC helped most through peer proximity, being surrounded by real users and founders who move quickly• Founder growth is a system, use feedback loops like reviews, 360 input, and personal goal trackingTimestamped Highlights00:00 From Harvard and Google to founder mode, what made him leave the safe path00:35 CoinTracker in plain English, crypto taxes and accounting for individuals and businesses03:32 Leap first, think later, the messy six month search for a real idea05:00 Runway reality, setting a 12 to 18 month window to figure it out06:09 Crypto skepticism to conviction, reading the Bitcoin white paper changed his frame10:05 Leadership lessons at 100 people, why people issues become the main work14:43 Y Combinator benefits, users everywhere and a practical playbook for early company building17:55 Personal growth systems, performance feedback and personal OKRs, plus changing your mind on three issues each year21:04 Becoming a new parent, structure, efficiency, and cutting non essentials23:24 The two skills to build before you leap, building and sellingA line worth keepingManaging the business is easy, managing people is hard.Pro Tips• Set a real runway window, then use it to iterate hard with users every week• Expect to unlearn big company instincts, distribution and speed do not come for free• Build a feedback cadence for yourself, not just your team, reviews and 360 input can surface blind spots• Practice building and selling in small side projects now, those skills compound in any startupCall to ActionIf this episode helped you think differently about leadership and the founder path, follow The Tech Trek on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share it with one person who is building or thinking about making the leap.

316 | In this episode, Dave breaks down how the best companies win by standing out through smart ideas, creative execution, and consistent attention. He pulls lessons from Drift, Savannah Bananas, and his own wins to show why ideas matter, why brand is a durable long-term advantage, and how strong content can still break through today. Plus: thoughts on AI slop, why LinkedIn can be a powerful channel when used well, leadership lessons from The Hard Thing About Hard Things, and rapid-fire listener questions on playbooks, thought leadership, and building something bigger than Exit Five.Timestamps(00:00) - – Why attention became a dirty word in marketing (03:08) - – Personal update: hip surgery, burnout, and getting back in rhythm (05:08) - – The LinkedIn algorithm isn't broken. Your content probably is (06:18) - – The big idea: attention is the real game in marketing (07:38) - – Lessons from Savannah Bananas and stealing ideas outside B2B (09:58) - – How Drift won by sucking the oxygen out of the market (12:18) - – Scrappy attention plays: billboards, protests, and founder brand (15:08) - – Why brand comes before product messaging (19:35) - – Listener Qs: playbooks, AI slop, and building real leverage (27:20) - – Final takeaway: stop being boring, earn attention first Join 50,0000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak.Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

Rural entrepreneurship is not a niche story or a lifestyle choice but a high-stakes engine for job creation, community survival and the future of Colorado's economy.   This episode features a candid conversation with Brittany Romano of Startup Colorado about what entrepreneurship in rural communities actually requires when access to capital mentorship and networks is limited. Drawing from her own experience as a rural founder Brittany explains why many Colorado startups remain in a prolonged startup phase and how rural business growth depends on long-term support rather than quick wins. What happens when strong businesses fall into the missing middle between small business and venture scale? How do founders build momentum when funding and advisors are harder to reach?   The conversation also reframes rural economic development as essential to statewide competitiveness rather than philanthropy. Startup Colorado's work highlights why small business support in rural areas sustains jobs, strengthens communities and makes it possible for people to live and work across the state. For listeners interested in startup funding in Colorado or building companies outside major metros this episode offers a grounded perspective on why rural entrepreneurship deserves serious attention.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Rural Entrepreneurship Matters for Colorado's Economy 05:40 The Real Challenges Facing Rural Entrepreneurs 10:54 Access to Capital and the Rural Funding Gap 17:00 Building Strong Startup Ecosystems Outside Major Cities 23:40 How Listeners Can Support Rural Founders and Communities Links: Visit Howdy Partners Bridge Entrepreneurs Network Colorado   Connect with Brittany Romano: Connect with Brittany on LinkedIn Visit the Startup Colorado website   Connect with Sarah Lockwood: Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn Visit HiveCast   Connect with The Conscious Entrepreneur: Visit The Conscious Entrepreneur website  Follow The Conscious Entrepreneur on LinkedIn Follow The Conscious Entrepreneur on Instagram  Subscribe to The Conscious Entrepreneur on YouTube   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

We're back live Jan 19. In the meantime. We’re putting our ears to the test with the ultimate startup sound showdown! From Netflix and Windows 95 to some very cheeky ones, we’re guessing all the sonic triggers that make you go “ohhh, that’s where that’s from!”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.