Podcasts about Techstars

David Cohen is the co-founder and CEO of Techstars, one of the largest and most successful startup accelerators in the world. Techstars has backed more than 5,000 companies - including 29 billion-dollar companies - that have a combined market cap of more than $145 billion. David joins Adam to share his journey and his best lessons and advice. David and Adam discuss a wide range of topics: entrepreneurship, leadership, mentorship, communication and persuasion, innovation, intrinsic motivation, AI, and more.

This episode is devoted to one deceptively simple question: How do you stay close to your partner over time through the inevitable exhaustion, misunderstanding, conflict, disappointment, and change?This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5 with dual-zone temperature control, so each partner sleeps at their perfect temperatureIn this episode: Esther Perel begins with the basics: appreciation, affection, and replacing chronic complaints with clear requests.Brené Brown explains why marriage is never 50/50 and how she and her husband create what Brené calls a “plan of kindness.” Brad Feld describes the monthly “life dinners” that have helped him and his wife review the previous 30 days, talk honestly about the future, and prevent resentments from building upJim Dethmer offers a practical way to distinguish observable facts from the stories we make up about our partners.Sheila Heen explains how humor and genuine curiosity can serve as an interrupt on an argument that is heating up The late Dr. Sue Johnson then walks us through a “Hold Me Tight” conversation—a way of moving beneath anger and defensiveness to the fear, vulnerability, and need for connection underneath.Terry Real then offers a strikingly simple model for repair and introduces the term “normal marital hatred” - as he put it, nobody ever goes up to him and says “What do you mean by that?!”Finally, Diana Chapman describes what it means to let an outdated version of a marriage end so that two people can consciously choose what comes next for their relationship.Timestamps:Intro from Tim: 00:00:00Esther Perel: 00:01:58Brené Brown: 00:08:21Brad Feld: 00:12:02Jim Dethmer: 00:16:51Shelia Heen: 00:23:04Dr. Sue Johnson: 00:29:26Terry Real: 00:40:14Diana Chapman: 00:46:19Short bios:Esther Perel is an internationally renowned psychotherapist, the New York Times bestselling author of Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, and the host of the award-winning podcast Where Should We Begin?Brené Brown is the author of six number-one New York Times bestsellers exploring courage, vulnerability, shame, and resilience; a research professor at the University of Houston; and a professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin.Brad Feld is an early-stage investor and entrepreneur and a co-founder of Foundry Group, Mobius Venture Capital, and Techstars. He writes on entrepreneurship, leadership, mental health, and sustaining a life beyond work.Jim Dethmer is a co-founder of the Conscious Leadership Group and co-author of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, an influential framework for building candid, responsible, high-trust relationships.Sheila Heen is the deputy director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, founder of Triad Consulting Group, and co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback.Dr. Sue Johnson was the pioneering clinical psychologist who created Emotionally Focused Therapy. She was named Psychologist of the Year by the American Psychological Association and appointed to the Order of Canada for her global impact on psychotherapy.Terry Real is an internationally recognized family therapist, a bestselling author, and the creator of Relational Life Therapy. He has spent more than four decades helping couples restore intimacy and connection.Diana Chapman is co-author of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, a cofounder of the Conscious Leadership Group, and founder of the Signal Institute, working with leaders on radical honesty, somatic intelligence, and transformation.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alysa Seeland grew up on her grandparents' dairy farm in northern Illinois, chased a Division I volleyball scholarship through high school, and pivoted to speech and debate when she realized the sport wasn't going to be her path — placing second in the state of Illinois for original oratory her senior year. She studied communications and English literature at Gordon College, then cut her teeth in marketing at a Boston fintech startup that went through Techstars, learning firsthand how founders build trust with customers from scratch. Five months after her first son was born, a medical crisis nearly cost her life: emergency surgery, and a surgeon telling her to expect a second procedure within months. Instead of scheduling it, she found a decades-old book, "Nourishing Traditions," and went on a five-week bone broth diet. She never needed the second surgery — and went on to have five more sons. That personal healing became FOND. She sold her first jar at a farmers market in New Braunfels, Texas in 2015, working out of a commercial kitchen with her husband dropping her off, hoping she wouldn't come home in tears. She sold out. From there, FOND won a People's Choice Award through H-E-B's Quest for Texas Best program, landed a Whole Foods and Sprouts partnership, and grew into a genuinely regenerative supply chain built on direct farmer relationships instead of concentrate. In 2022, while raising a Series A, the co-manufacturer's facility burned down, wiping out over $4 million in product against a $150,000 insurance payout — all while she was pregnant with her sixth child. She walked away from the raise, put her own equity up as collateral for a $3 million rebuild loan, and launched an internal initiative called "Break It and Rebuild It" to get every channel profitable or cut it loose. Eighteen months later, FOND launched its tallow line and came back stronger. Today the company is profitable, debt-free of outside investment, growing 48% year over year, sold in H-E-B, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and now Albertsons — all while Alysa homeschools six boys. Charlie Clifford grew up a self-described "scrappy Jersey guy" in a town of 5,000 people, and won his first entrepreneurial prize in sixth grade: a watch, for out-hustling a classmate whose dad rigged the contest by buying magazine subscriptions wholesale for his medical office. After business school at Indiana University, he joined one of the first Peace Corps pilot programs recruiting MBAs — sent to Peru to work with small businesses under a Stanford professor who'd later teach Nike's Phil Knight. He came home with $10,000, invested it in a scrappy import operation selling handcrafted South American leather goods, and in 1975 broke off to start his own company focused on travel bags. He named it TUMI, after a Peruvian ceremonial knife. The brand's real breakthrough came when Clifford shifted from leather to black ballistic nylon — a fabric built for flak jackets — manufactured through a partnership with a small shop in Vidalia, Georgia. Bloomingdale's 59th Street flagship picking up the line put TUMI on the map. A conversation with a longtime retail partner, who told Clifford he had "so much product" he should just open his own stores, led to the "side-by-side" concept and eventually freestanding TUMI locations. By the 2000s, TUMI was the brand road warriors carried through airports worldwide, and it went public in 2012. Clifford left the company in 2004, when the private equity partners who'd taken majority ownership after 9/11 decided to sell. He spent years distributing other people's luggage brands before realizing he wanted control over the product and the story again. In 2017, he and his former TUMI EVP Larry Lein founded ROAM — American-made, hand-assembled, and built around a philosophy that's the opposite of TUMI's black-on-black uniform: total color customization, so no two suitcases look the same. Make sure to check out FOND at: https://fondregenerative.com/   Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle

Brad Feld is a co-founder of Foundry and Techstars, and has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur for over 35 years since founding his first company in college. He is a longtime venture capitalist, author, and early blogger on entrepreneurship, and also runs the Anchor Point Foundation with his wife, Amy Batchelor.     Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show - Become an Ultra-Performer. Now 3X week M / W / F   Are you an Entrepreneur, Founder, or CEO? Revenues $250K to $5M? Sign up for your Breakout Session...get custom steps to build a fast-growing, highly profitable business that makes an impact.     BREAKOUT SESSION - Book it Now     Join Host JV Crum III, with 2 exits and over 75M revenues in his companies, he is the Ultra-Performer Advisor for Founders, Entrepreneurs and CEOs ready to achieve at your the top 1%.     SUBSCRIBE to Conscious Millionaire Show     Season 12 of the award-winning Conscious Millionaire Show. The World's #1 Ultra-Performance podcast. Millions of Listeners. 190 countries -- Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts" with 12 seasons and 3,200+ episodes.

Brad Feld is a co-founder of Foundry and Techstars, and has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur for over 35 years since founding his first company in college. He is a longtime venture capitalist, author, and early blogger on entrepreneurship, and also runs the Anchor Point Foundation with his wife, Amy Batchelor.     Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show - Become an Ultra-Performer. Now 3X week M / W / F   Are you an Entrepreneur, Founder, or CEO? Revenues $250K to $5M? Sign up for your Breakout Session...get custom steps to build a fast-growing, highly profitable business that makes an impact.     BREAKOUT SESSION - Book it Now     Join Host JV Crum III, with 2 exits and over 75M revenues in his companies, he is the Ultra-Performer Advisor for Founders, Entrepreneurs and CEOs ready to achieve at your the top 1%.     SUBSCRIBE to Conscious Millionaire Show     Season 12 of the award-winning Conscious Millionaire Show. The World's #1 Ultra-Performance podcast. Millions of Listeners. 190 countries -- Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts" with 12 seasons and 3,200+ episodes.

Olu sat down with Adrian Groos (CEO) and Akeem Niyonzima (CTO), co-founders of Nimbus Aerospace, an  aerospace company building a six-passenger hybrid-electric light jet. At the time of recording, Nimbus Aerospace had grown after successful entry into Techstars and was also raising a VC-led round. Additionally, Nimbus Aerospace plans to sell their aircrafts at around $12.5M (vs the ~$12M light jet market leader), to lower CAPEX costs for consumers while expanding options.As Adrian notes, Nimbus Aerospace went hybrid-electric to reduce consumers' OPEX costs and carbon emissions. Hybrid jets' comparative edge over standalone propulsion systems such as gas-, hydrogen-, and electric-powered jets enables both outcomes for various reasons. For one, compared to full electric (battery energy density/weight limitations) or hydrogen (infrastructure and cost hurdles), hybrid-electric uses already-available technology, cutting fuel use by ~50% and lowering maintenance costs (electric engines cost ~80% less than jet engines), while remaining compatible with existing infrastructure. Adrian also discloses the exact findings informing Nimbus Aerospace's decision to manufacture six-passenger light jets. Light jets make up ~36.5% of the U.S. private jet market and service ~80% of private jet trips, making it an attractive segment for a new entrant.On engineering progress, Akim shared that the team is currently flight testing a quarter-scale, fully electric prototype — deliberately not yet incorporating the hybrid propulsion system — to first nail down the aerodynamics and design data needed before integrating the hybrid powertrain into the full-scale aircraft. As he disclosed, the build was the fastest turnaround of any prototype worked on thus far; further, Nimbus Aerospace aims to leverage already-established manufacturing processes to hasten certification timelines.Additionally, Akim revealed that safety remains his number one filter on every decision, from flight testing to design changes. Akim then spoke candidly about representation in the industry, noting that he and Adrian are regularly approached by people — including women — who prior to their conversation did not realize people from diverse ethnic backgrounds could start a company like Nimbus Aerospace, underscoring why diverse leadership matters for driving innovation in aviation and aerospace.Learn more about:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nimbus Aerospace⁠⁠The Energy Talk PodcastConnect on LinkedIn with:⁠⁠Adrian Groos⁠⁠ ⁠Akim⁠ Niyonzima

Many non-technical founders don't lose money in one big mistake — they lose it in four small stuck points that all feel completely reasonable at the time. In this episode, Sophia walks through the four questions that reveal exactly where you're getting stuck, why it's a knowledge gap and not a personal failing, and what to actually do about each one. Plus: Tech for Non-Technical Founders — Sophia's flagship course — is on a flash sale until Thursday night at midnight. Full details inside the episode. In this episode: Why briefing a developer is a skill nobody ever taught you — and how to spot the gap in your own brief Why "AI vs. hire a team vs. find a co-founder" is the wrong question entirely How to tell if you're leading your own product development, or just funding it The six stages every product goes through — and why most founders can only name two Plus: Tech for Non-Technical Founders — Sophia's flagship self-study course — is on a flash sale until Thursday night at midnight! You'll get a pre-recorded version of the framework behind our $4,000 1:1 coaching program — plus a 1:1 strategy session with Sophia, for $497. Taught at Oxford University, Techstars, and London Business School — this is your chance to get the same thinking, without the four-figure price tag. Enroll here before midnight on Thursday 30 July ET: https://www.techfornontechies.co/flash-sale-tech-for-non-technical-founders Timestamps: 00:00 – 4 signs you're losing money as a founder 02:19 – Flash sale: Tech for Non-Technical Founders course 04:34 – Diagnostic #1: The developer briefing problem 06:58 – Diagnostic #2: AI vs. team vs. co-founder 09:12 – Diagnostic #3: Losing control in technical meetings 11:30 – Diagnostic #4: The 6 stages from idea to scale 13:48 – Why these gaps aren't your fault 16:10 – Recap: the 4 diagnostic questions 18:28 – Student success story and course details Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Listen to our podcast on: Apple Spotify YouTube Audible Pandora Transcript: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/314-4-ways-non-technical-founders-get-stuck

Niall Dennehy's first bank account was opened in 1987, when his mother walked him ten metres from their front door to the credit union in Ballydesmond, Co. Cork — a branch named for Nora Herlihy, the local schoolteacher who helped found the Irish credit union movement. He still gets the statement every month. Nearly four decades on, having co-founded blockchain company AID:Tech and gone through Techstars, he's a father of four in Dublin building NestiFi: an AI-powered platform that lets whole families, wherever they've scattered, invest together in a child's future.In this conversation, we get into:The 1987 credit union account Niall still gets statements for, and how it became the blueprint for NestiFiWhy the cash-stuffed-envelope economy shortchanges kids, and how a tap in the family WhatsApp chat can put relatives anywhere in the world into a child's investment accountThe tax reliefs most Irish parents have never heard of, including the small gift exemption worth up to €108,000 per child over 18 years from parents aloneTrump accounts in the US, and Niall's lobbying push to get the Irish government to seed every newborn's account the same wayWhat 1–2% in annual fees quietly does to 30 years of compounding, and why credit unions are best placed to win back the next generation from Revolut and RobinhoodIf you're a parent, a grandparent, or anyone thinking about the next generation's financial future, this episode is a practical look at how families can start compounding early.$84 trillion is expected to change hands in the US over the next 20 years; roughly €3.5 trillion in Europe by 2030 (figures Niall cites on tape).$2,500 seeded at birth plus $75/month from the wider family ≈ $40,000 by age 18 and $106,871 by age 30 (NestiFi's illustration; assumes a 7.35% average annual return compounded monthly).Niall Dennehy is the CEO and co-founder of NestiFi. Originally from Ballydesmond, Co. Cork, he co-founded AID:Tech, the blockchain company that delivered international aid transparently through digital identity, and went through Techstars in 2016. His earlier career spanned publishing, education and fintech, including roles with HP, Ericsson, LG Mobile, AIB and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He lives in Dublin with his wife and four children — the original test users for NestiFi. [Confirm bio with Niall — drafted from the recording and public sources; no formal bio provided.]NestiFi is a Dublin-headquartered, AI-powered family wealth platform that financial institutions deploy under their own brand. It lets parents, grandparents and relatives anywhere in the world contribute to a child's investment account from a link in the messaging apps families already use, with an AI advisor (“Seb”) and gamified financial literacy built in. A B2B2C play targeting credit unions and community banks on both sides of the Atlantic, NestiFi is backed by Enterprise Ireland as a High Potential Start-Up, closed a 108% oversubscribed crowdfunding round on Spark Venture Funding in July 2026, and has announced a partnership with Vyrdia, a credit union service organization whose network spans more than 30 US credit unions with $6.5 billion in combined assets.Want to get in contact with the Digital Irish team? Email us at podcast@digitalirish.comKey StatsAbout Niall DennehyAbout NestiFi

In this episode, executive coach Vladimir Baranov explains how founders and tech entrepreneurs can bridge the common gap between technical expertise and leadership skills in the tech and science sectors. He discusses the importance of developing leaders within organizations by building "T-shaped" skills—combining deep technical knowledge with the broad communication skills needed to partner effectively across teams. While navigating the mindset shift of losing an established support structure, founders can build stronger teams by practicing the art of human communication, building their networks early, and understanding their true capabilities   Episode Resources:  Human Interfaces   About Our Guest  Vladimir brings over 20 years of start-up and technology experience across fin-tech, wealth-tech, and space-tech, with founder and executive roles that have shaped a coaching approach grounded in real-world insight. He has advised 250+ individuals and 100+ companies, and regularly mentors Techstars and YC companies. His clients describe him as insightful, practical, emotionally intelligent, and results-focused , and his mixed approach blends targeted questions with hands-on start-up experience to help clients build stronger decision-making skills, rather than simply learning from his story.   About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union   If you're looking for a positive sign toward homeownership, this is it. That's because Navy Federal Credit Union's Homebuyers Choice loan has downpayment options as low as zero percent with no required private mortgage insurance. These benefits make homeownership more achievable for their members. Learn more here.  Terms and conditions apply. Loans subject to approval and eligibility requirements. Learn more at Navy Federal dot org slash zero down. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission.      Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship.   Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com.  Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review!  Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 600 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today. Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you purchase via the link provided  

In "How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting", Joe Lynch and Michael Rentz, Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight, discuss how operational-grade logistics data automatically simplifies complex carbon compliance. About Michael Rentz  Michael Rentz is the Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight. He joined the company in the Summer of 2020. Before joining Gnosis, he got his start in the industry with the South Carolina Ports Authority and Maersk. He left Maersk in 2018 to pursue his own endeavors, which eventually led him back to Charleston, SC, where he worked for Techstars in an attempt to stand up the first-ever Supply Chain and Logistics Accelerator. The pandemic put an unexpected halt to that, and it was then that he fortuitously met Austin McCombs (CEO/Founder of Gnosis) and Jake Hoffman (CTO of Gnosis). About Gnosis Freight Gnosis Freight is the AI-native Global Freight Operating System for enterprise supply chains. It gives logistics, operations, and finance teams real-time insight into container movement and helps them Intervene earlier when delays, inventory risk, or cost exposure arise. By linking containers to SKU- and Inventory-level detail, Gnosis enables smarter planning, improved product availability, and more predictable business performance. Powered by continuously reconciled container Intelligence, Gnosis orchestrates exception management through configurable, low-code workflow and agentic AI across logistics, finance, and operation – reducing demurrage and detention, accelerating invoice resolution, and shortening goods-to-cash cycles. Headquartered In Charleston, SC, Gnosis serves global enterprises across retail, manufacturing, and logistics-intensive industries. Learn more at gnosisfreight.com. Key Takeaways: How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting In "How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting", Joe Lynch and Michael Rentz, Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight, discuss how operational-grade logistics data automatically simplifies complex carbon compliance. The Foundation of Scope 3 Reporting is "Sovereign Data": Accurate emissions reporting is impossible without high-fidelity operational data. Gnosis Freight utilizes "sovereign data"—logistics data they originate, validate, and structure directly from primary sources (ports, terminals, carriers, and railroads) rather than relying on third-party aggregators or high-level assumptions. If your operational data isn't audit-ready, your carbon reporting won't be either. Regulatory Shifts are Turning ESG from a Checkbox into a Mandate: With major regulatory updates like California's SB 253 looming in 2027, large enterprises (doing over $1B in revenue) that touch these key economies will be legally required to disclose their Scope 3 emissions. What was once a marketing slide about "valuing the environment" is rapidly transitioning into a strict, auditable corporate compliance requirement. Solving the Category 4 "Data Black Hole": Scope 3, Category 4 emissions (upstream transportation and distribution) are notoriously fragmented and difficult to track. By overlaying the GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council) framework directly onto their existing container tracking data, Gnosis calculates precise emissions across every single leg of the journey—ocean transit, port idling, rail, and final-mile drayage—without requiring manual spreadsheets or guesswork. Shippers Want a Unified Operating System, Not More "Point Solutions": Enterprise Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) are experiencing software fatigue and actively moving away from single-use point solutions. Instead of buying a standalone carbon tracking tool, shippers want emissions data embedded directly into their daily workflow. Gnosis solves this by making carbon tracking a seamless "flip of a switch" within their broader Container Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform. Data Must Be "Operational-Grade" to Be Useful: In logistics, if data is only 80% accurate, it is functionally 0% useful because operators will simply bypass the system and default to manual website cross-checking. For emissions data to survive a financial or regulatory audit, it must be built on the same operational-grade, real-time milestones used to run daily supply chain execution. FinOps and Carbon Audits Share the Same DNA: There is a direct parallel between auditing freight invoices and auditing carbon emissions. Gnosis found that 85% of invoice discrepancies stem from incorrect operational milestones (like when a container was actually made available). By mastering these physical execution milestones, Gnosis can simultaneously spot billing overpayments in their FinOps suite and defend carbon calculations in an emissions audit. Build Solutions by Getting in the Trenches with Customers: Gnosis's rapid growth—from navigating the pandemic's demurrage and detention (D&D) chaos to launching carbon tracking—has been entirely customer-driven. Rather than building flashy tech in a vacuum, their strategy is to deeply embed themselves with logistics managers, solve their immediate operational headaches first, and give them their time back to focus on strategic growth. Learn More About How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting Michael Rentz | Linkedin Gnosis Freight | Linkedin Gnosis Freight Gnosis Freight: The Journey Between The Ships Carbon Emissions Landing Page Carbon Emissions Upcoming Webinar Carbon Emissions Whitepaper Gnosis Freight LinkedIn Testimonials & Case Studies Container Lifecycle Management: Gnosis Freight Streamlines International Logistics with Jake Hoffman The Container Payment Portal and the Rise of AI in Freight with Jake Hoffman The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

What happens when technology evolves faster than the venture capital model built to fund it?In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Jenny Fielding, Cofounder and General Partner of Everywhere Ventures, to explore how venture capital is adapting to a world where competitive advantages can disappear faster than ever.We discuss what it takes to raise a pre-seed round in today's market, why traditional assumptions around defensibility are being challenged, and how AI is reshaping the economics of software companies.Jenny also shares lessons from her time as a Managing Director at Techstars and explains why Everywhere Ventures built a community-driven approach to investing — leveraging founder networks and real-time market insight to identify breakout companies at the earliest stages.Whether you're a founder raising capital, an investor navigating a changing market, or simply curious about where technology is headed, this conversation offers a practical look at how venture is evolving for the next generation of companies.Special thanks to Jenny for joining the show and sharing her perspective on the future of venture.⏱️ Chapter Markers:00:00 - Introduction and studio acoustics01:05 - Generalist investing shift02:09 - Redefining modern pre-seed criteria04:26 - Global Slack diligence network06:31 - Check sizing and syndicate structures07:20 - Conviction-led turnaround speeds09:21 - Venture capital's existential model crisis11:48 - Defensibility against quantum technology13:17 - Sourcing wisdom from international founders16:01 - Evaluating the accelerator landscape17:26 - Clear milestones for founder success19:39 - Moving targets in the Series A gap21:05 - Evolution of emerging tech hubs23:32 - Retaining global talent via immigration reformLinks:Jenny Fielding: LinkedIn, XEverywhere Ventures: Website, LinkedIn, XInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, XMPD: LinkedIn, X

Most founders obsess over their product. The real skill is knowing which problem to fall in love with instead.In this entrepreneur interview, Nyamitse-Calvin Mihanda — founder of Vital Audio and a Techstars and Fuel Accelerator alum — shares how his company extracts heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure from ordinary conversation, why he walked away from a "perfect" product mindset, and how his path from hospital billing collector to healthcare founder shaped the way he builds teams today.Whether you're building your first startup or trying to close the access-to-care gap in your own community, this conversation will change how you think about resilience, timing, and what it actually takes to launch.What you'll learn:How signal processing and machine learning pull vital signs straight from a voice recordingWhy clinical partnerships with NYU Langone and Mayo Clinic came before scale, not afterThe "fall in love with the problem, not the product" principle that keeps founders from chasing dead endsWhy soft skills — not technical skills — are the hardest thing to teach a teamHow rural and underserved communities stand to benefit most from voice-based vital tracking⏱️ Chapters:0:53 Welcome to the Startup Junkies Podcast1:16 How Vital Audio Reads Vitals From Your Voice2:21 The Science Behind Extracting Vitals From Speech3:09 Landing Clinical Partners: NYU Langone, Mayo Clinic & More4:16 From Hospital Billing to Healthcare Entrepreneur6:13 Techstars vs. The Fuel Accelerator: What's Different8:55 An Immigrant's Resilience: Lessons From Tanzania to NYC11:03 Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Technical Skills12:25 The Best Advice: Fall In Love With The Problem14:18 Overcoming Fear When You Start a Company14:47 What Nyamitse-Calvin Mihanda Loves About the Arkansas Ecosystem17:06 Closing the Rural Healthcare Access Gap19:47 Where to Find Nyamitse-Calvin & Vital Audio

Anurag Kamal is the Co-Founder and CEO of ElectricFish Energy, an energy storage and infrastructure provider. ElectricFish provides EV charging and grid resiliency services to its customers and has deployed its infrastructure at installations across the United States. The company is backed by Techstars, Greentown Labs, Google and Newlab, among others. During the show, Anurag explains why the grid is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation and how ElectricFish is enabling this transition. He shares what differentiates ElectricFish from a traditional EV charging company and the role that batteries play in improving uptime for his customers. Anurag discusses what founders need to do maximize their experience with incubators and accelerators and entrepreneurial lessons he has learned while building ElectricFish. And follow us on: Newsletter: https://www.energy-terminal.com/newsletter-signup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-terminal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/energyterminal/

SummaryThe Build the Fort Framework is a startup methodology created by Chris Heivly, co-founder of MapQuest, that strips away adult overthinking to return founders to the first-principles instincts that produce successful companies. In this episode of High Octane Leadership, Donald Thompson sits down with Chris, a senior vice president at Techstars who has advised startup ecosystems across four continents, mentored thousands of founders, and helped catalyze more than $75 million in investment capital. The conversation covers what separates founders who win from those who get stuck, why the product you are imagining today is not the one that will make you successful, and what the Build the Fort Framework reveals about customer discovery, community building, and ecosystem design. MapQuest sold for $1.2 billion. Chris Hively has spent every year since teaching founders how to build something that outlasts them.Episode Long DescriptionChris Heivly is the co-founder of MapQuest, the navigation platform acquired for $1.2 billion, and the creator of the Build the Fort Framework, a startup methodology now used across Techstars ecosystems on four continents. As a senior vice president at Techstars, Chris has helped catalyze more than $75 million in investment capital and co-founded Raleigh Durham Startup Week, which grew from 8 volunteers and 400 attendees to 49 volunteer leaders and 1,500 attendees while being designed so that no single person is indispensable to its survival.In this episode of High Octane Leadership, Donald Thompson and Chris Hively dig into the pattern recognition that comes from working with thousands of entrepreneurs across dozens of cities and countries, and why the fundamentals of building a great company have not changed even as the tools around them have. Chris shares why the product you are imagining today is not the one that will make you successful, why great mentorship is peer to peer and never assigned, and why the Build the Fort framework works because it strips away the adult overthinking that kills most ideas before they ever get started. The Build the Fort Framework is a founder methodology that replaces complex startup theory with the same instincts a child uses when building something from nothing: start with what you have, talk to the people around you, and build before you overthink.Donald Thompson and Chris Hively also discuss AI, what it means for founders, and why Chris is more curious about this technology than anything he has seen in decades, and what he and Donald are quietly plotting for the Triangle entrepreneurship community.“Talk to 100 people before you write a single line of code," advises Chris Hively, co-founder of MapQuest and creator of the Build the Fort Framework, drawing on lessons from advising thousands of founders across four continents at Techstars.Key Talking Points:What is the Build the Fort Framework? The Build the Fort Framework is Chris Heivly's startup methodology that replaces complex startup theory with the first-principles instincts most adults have been trained to ignore.Why should founders talk to 100 people before writing code? Talking to 100 potential customers before building anything is the single most important discipline Chris Hively has taught across thousands of founder conversations at Techstars, and most founders still skip it.What is hyper mentorship and why does it outperform assigned mentorship? Hyper mentorship is peer-to-peer, two-directional, and self-selected, and Chris Hively's work across Techstars ecosystems consistently shows it outperforms every formally assigned mentorship program.How do you build a startup ecosystem that outlasts its founders? Raleigh Durham Startup Week grew from 8 volunteers and 400 attendees to 49 volunteer leaders and 1,500 attendees because Chris Hively designed it from the beginning so that no single person is indispensable to its survival.How are founders getting AI wrong? Chris Hively believes founders are applying a powerful new tool to unvalidated ideas, and his answer is the same one the Build the Fort Framework always starts with: talk to 100 people before building anything.Chapter Markers00:00 - Who Is Chris Heivly? MapQuest Co-Founder, Techstars SVP, and Creator of the Build the Fort Framework02:00 - How Does a Geography Major Co-Found a $1.2 Billion Navigation Company? The MapQuest Origin Story04:30 - What Is the Build the Fort Framework and Why Do Most Startup Methodologies Fail Before It?06:30 - Why Every Founder Must Talk to 100 People Before Writing a Single Line of Code08:30 - Why Your Product Idea Today Is Not the One That Will Make You Successful11:00 - The NDA Red Flag: What It Signals to Investors When Founders Ask for One13:00 - The Trough of Disillusionment: Why Fear Stops Founders From Sharing Their Ideas16:00 - Hyper Mentorship vs. Assigned Mentorship: What Actually Works20:00 - Why Vulnerability Is a Leadership Superpower: The Story That Changed Chris Hively's Career24:00 - Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Globally: What Raleigh Durham Gets Right That Most Cities Do Not28:00 - What the Build the Fort Framework Reveals About How Founders Should Actually Think About AI32:00 - How Donald Thompson Built a Fully Functional Website in Eight Hours Using AI Tools as a Non-Developer36:00 - Raleigh Durham Startup Week: 49 Volunteers, 1,500 Attendees, and a Free Event Built to Last42:00 - Why Does Giving First Produce Better Long-Term Business Results? Techstars' Core Philosophy Explained46:00 - How to Connect with Chris Hively and RDU Startup WeekAbout the GuestChris Heivly is the co-founder of MapQuest, the navigation platform that transformed how millions of people find their way and was acquired for $1.2 billion. A self-described zero-to-one builder with career ADD, Chris has spent the decades since MapQuest working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, community building, and ecosystem development. As a senior vice president at Techstars, he has advised startup ecosystems across four continents, mentored thousands of founders, and helped catalyze more than $75 million in investment capital. He is the author of Build the Fort, creator of the Build the Fort newsletter, and co-founder of Raleigh Durham Startup Week, a free four-day entrepreneurship conference that has grown to 1,500 attendees and 49 volunteer leaders. Chris holds open office hours every week and believes that the most important thing any leader can do is give first. As Chris puts it, 'the most important thing any leader can do is give first,' a philosophy he has applied across four continents, thousands of founder conversations, and every ecosystem he has built since MapQuest sold for $1.2 billion.Resources:Published: June 4, 2026 | High Octane Leadership with Donald Thompson, Episode 185Donald Thompson LinkedInDonald's Books: https://donaldthompson.com/books-resources/Donald Thompson's WebsiteChris Heivly LinkedInBuild the Fort Newsletter and Website: hively.comHigh Octane Leadership with Donald Thompson publishes bi-weekly conversations with founders, executives, and operators building at the intersection of performa...

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Grasshopper Bank https://grasshopper.bank/twistLinkedIn Jobs https://LinkedIn.com/twistNorthwest Registered Agent https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twistToday's show:Jason breaks down the real math behind raising a seed round. Here's the funnel: contact 150 firms, get 50 first meetings, convert 2o into second meetings, and close 2 term sheets.PLUS Jason responds to viewer questions about why hardware is no longer a dirty word for investors, how to differentiate your startup from frontier-model companies like OpenAI, even when they're in your niche. Plus a pitch for “Founder Community College,” and anecdotes from Lon's European odyssey.Thanks for the Questions:Richard Corral: CEO of Quanto: https://quanto.co/ØnProtons on X: https://x.com/0nProtonsSergeDawg on X: https://x.com/sergedawgMahika GolaniPeridot: https://www.tryperidot.com/Shawn Sully on X: https://x.com/arooglePrograms and Accelerators Mentioned:Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/Techstars: https://www.techstars.com/Antler: https://www.antler.co/PearX: https://pear.vc/pearx/Sequoia ARC: https://www.sequoiacap.com/arc/Kauffman Fellows: https://www.kauffmanfellows.org/Companies and Startups Referenced:Whoop: https://www.whoop.com/Knightscope: https://knightscope.com/Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/Cafe X: https://www.cafexapp.com/Media Referenced:New Yorker Sam Altman profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trustedOff-Duty RecommendationsTerra Kaffe Demi compact automatic espresso machine: https://www.terrakaffe.com/products/tk-demiOsteria Pastella (Florence, Italy): https://www.osteriapastella.it/Timestamps:0:00 Inside the TWiST private group chat3:25 How to react when an investor says your "too early."6:50 The ultimate seed round funnel8:48 Jason's new Associate in Training program10:09 Grasshopper Bank - Time is money. Don't waste either. Go to https://grasshopper.bank/twist and get an exclusive $500 cash bonus just for opening an account.18:28 How have the metrics for early-stage companies changed?20:20 LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at https://LinkedIn.com/twist22:34 TWiST Bounties update23:43 Competing against frontier labs30:03 What signals real investor-founder alignment?30:14 Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist36:07 A crash course in Bay Area startup culture40:15 Automatons-as-a-Service (AaaS)42:29 Who in Silicon Valley does Jason really not like?49:59 Museum Etiquette with Lon HarrisSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com

"80% of the decks landing on her desk had AI on slide one."This week on Bricks & Bytes we sat down with Jennifer Davis, who recently joined Suffolk Technologies after five years as Managing Director of Techstars Boston, where she reviewed thousands of applications and ran 65+ companies through the program.She brought the kind of pattern recognition you only get from saying no a few thousand times.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why the bar has risen across pre-seed, seed, and Series A — and what VCs now want to see before they write a check✅ The co-founder mistake that kills more startups than bad ideas (and why 50/50 equity splits are a red flag)✅ Why "not all money is created equally" — and how founder-unfriendly terms signed early can derail an exit years later✅ What Jennifer is looking for as she takes the reins on Suffolk's Boost accelerator, and the founder profile she'd most want to back in 2027Listen on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube

Sneha Saigal is the Founder of Geeks and Experts, an agency helping tech founders and innovators build authority and community. She has been recognized by NASDAQ as a Face of Entrepreneurship, her work has been featured in Forbes and Business Insider. She is a Techstars alumna, mentor, writer, and speaker focused on technology, storytelling, and community building.

What does it actually take to build one of Africa's most ambitious infrastructure companies from scratch and keep building through a regulatory shutdown, a global pandemic, and a currency collapse that wiped out over 70% of your revenue overnight?Adetayo Bamiduro, co-founder and CEO of Max, the mobility and logistics platform he launched out of MIT in 2015, answers that question with a level of candour that most founders simply do not offer publicly.Tayo grew up in Ibadan in a household shaped by two very different kinds of intensity. His father, a professor who never missed a day of work during a year-long ASUU strike, modelled a dedication to mission that went far beyond personal reward. His mother, known in her media circle as the Iron Lady of Africa work, drove herself from Ibadan to Sokoto State alone for a union meeting in the early 90s. He inherited both of them fully.His path to Max was not a straight line. He taught himself to code in Visual Basic, built software for vehicle tracking before anyone was calling it a startup, worked at the UAC Group, spent time at Nigeria LNG on Bonny Island where he witnessed for the first time that things in Nigeria could actually work — that order, precision, and organisation were possible within the same country where everything else felt chaotic. That experience changed something in him. He went to MIT to find a bigger platform, and it was there, in an entrepreneurship class taught by Bill Aulet, that Max began as a class project.Seven co-founders started the journey. By the time reality hit and student loan bills came due, only Ty and Chinedu remained. They won a pitch competition they arrived late to. They came second at TechCrunch Battlefield in London and received a crate of beer as their prize — neither of them drinks. They raised a million dollars on the back of $120,000 from Techstars and went back to Nigeria to build.In this conversation, Tayo walks through the hardest chapters without softening them. The three years between seed and Series A surviving on under a million dollars. The Lagos regulatory ban in 2020 that forced them to shut down 80% of their revenues overnight while he walked into the Lagos State House of Assembly every single day trying to carve out a legal space for the business. COVID hitting two months later. The 2022 currency devaluation that pulled term sheets off the table and turned every investor conversation into a 30-minute defence of Nigeria's macroeconomic outlook — a conversation he had zero control over and found more frustrating than anything else in a decade of building.He also challenges one of the most common founder instincts — the fear of competition. When Gokada and Opay entered the motorcycle ride-hailing space, his first reaction was protective. In hindsight, he says the opposite is true: investors back movements, not companies. If you are the only one in a space, they wonder why. If ten people are in the space, they look for the best one to back. Competition validated Max in the eyes of investors who would never have deployed capital otherwise.And then there is what is coming. Petrol in Nigeria has gone from roughly ₦200 to over ₦1,400 in a decade. Max is now pairing electric vehicles with solar-powered charging stations — and the goal is to lock in energy prices 20 to 30 years in advance, making the cost of movement predictable for people who have no margin for uncertainty. When Ty talks about this, something shifts in his voice. This is the most excited he gets in the entire conversation. His most important lesson from ten years of building: it is the people. If you are building anything in Africa, or thinking about it, this one is not optional.

Brad Feld⁠ is a legend in the world of investing, entrepreneurship and mentorship. He is co-founder of the ⁠Foundry Group⁠, Mobius Venture Capital and ⁠Techstars⁠. Brad was an early investor in Harmonix, Zynga, MakerBot, and Fitbit and has written extensively on venture capital investing and entrepreneurship. Brad's latest book, ⁠Give First: The Power of Mentorship⁠, was released earlier this year. Brad joined Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about his approach to giving, leadership and cultivating thriving businesses. Thank you to the sponsors of The Elevate Podcast Shopify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Framer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠framer.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Indeed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠indeed.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QuickBooks: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quickbooks.com/billpay⁠ Ethos Life: ⁠ethos.com/elevate⁠ Keeper Security: ⁠keepersecurity.com/ELEVATE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Holman welcomes Kylee Guenther, Co-Founder, 3R Pallets, Okemos, MI. Kylee Guenther, co-founder of 3R Pallets based in Okemos, Michigan, is disrupting the $26 billion shipping pallet industry by offering cost-effective pallets made from recycled plastics and crop waste, replacing traditional wooden pallets that consume vast amounts of lumber. The company aims to help customers ship more efficiently while reducing environmental impact. 3R Pallets has received strong support from the Lansing Regional SmartZone and was recently accepted into TechStars, an internationally recognized startup accelerator with roughly a 1% acceptance rate, where the team spent three months refining their business skills and building key connections. The company is planning a major investor funding round to close current customer deals, expand their market, and hire talent, while using the Lansing area as a warehousing and distribution hub given its proximity to major shipping corridors. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

What would your workplace look like if every single leave of absence became a chance to build legendary loyalty and turbocharge retention?Sivana Brewer sits down with Taylor McLemore, COO at Tilt, for a conversation that slices through HR noise and exposes the uncomfortable truth: most companies fumble leave policies and lose their best people as a result. This episode unpacks the hidden costs (and wild upsides) of leave done right.From the real-world pain operators feel managing compliance chaos, to how AI is shaking the industry, and the “roles, responsibilities, expectations” framework that creates lasting clarity, this is actionable COO gold.Miss this, and you risk bleeding talent, tanking culture, and getting steamrolled by change. Listen now for raw lessons, war stories, and tested tactics you won't hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights00:40 – The brutal truth about why leave management is your hidden loyalty driver02:07 – The jaw-dropping time and complexity HR teams actually face08:20 – A career-changing moment: what empathetic leave really looks like13:16 – The overlooked ROI of doing leave brilliantly14:23 – Why Tilt planted the flag as the AI leader (and what that really means)16:43 – The four principles that keep AI both fast and safe inside HR22:40 – The surprisingly simple doc that ends CEO-COO confusion29:15 – The unexpected power of letting people define “winning” in their own roleAbout the GuestTaylor McLemore is the COO of Tilt, revolutionizing employee leave with empathy and technology. Taylor is the founder of the Human Potential Summit. Previously, he was an EIR at Stand Together. Taylor is a venture builder, scale operator, community connector, and investor. Taylor served on the Colorado Banking Board and the Board of Trustees for Colorado PERA. Previously, he launched and built the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator as a Managing Director at Techstars. Taylor was the Co-Chair of the DAV National Veterans Entrepreneurship Council. He previously served as an advisor to SHRM Labs and sits on a number of startup boards. Previously, he was Managing Director of Able, a venture and product studio. While at Able, he was a co-founder and investment lead for Codeable, a coding school in Latin America. Taylor was the founder and a board director for Patriot Boot Camp, a nonprofit that supports military veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Patriot Boot Camp was acquired by DAV in 2021.

This is the 250th episode of Lay of The Land, and to mark it, I wanted to do something a little different.Most episodes of this podcast are centered on founder stories — what drives someone to take the very difficult leap of trying to build a company, what problem they feel compelled enough to devote their life to solving, and what they learn along the way. But for this milestone episode, I wanted to step back and talk about the thing that ties these stories together… the community itself. And there was no one I'd rather have for that conversation than Chris Heivly.Chris is a serial entrepreneur, early-stage investor, startup community builder, and the founder of Build The Fort. He's also was a co-founder of MapQuest, a bestselling author, a longtime writer and speaker on entrepreneurship and ecosystem development, and someone whose thinking had a real influence on the direction of Lay of The Land when I was starting it back in 2018…  Chris came to Cleveland in 2018 and shared his assessment of our startup community through Techstars and at the City Club, and a lot of what he said stayed with me and this podcast became my own attempt to act on it.Over the last 250 episodes, Lay of The Land has grown into something much bigger than I originally imagined — not just a repository of entrepreneurial stories, but a kind of connective tissue for entrepreneurship in Cleveland: dozens of events, thousands of introductions, new friendships, mentorship relationships, hires, investments, co-founders, and I'm sure many second- and third-order effects I'll never fully know about. So for this episode, it felt worth reflecting more directly on this whole journey and linger on how entrepreneurial communities actually form, what makes them stronger, what gets in their way, and what that has looked like here in Cleveland.In our conversation, Chris and I talk about what he saw when he first came to Cleveland, why density and storytelling mattered so much in his original assessment, why founders have to be at heart of it, why confidence is contagious, why you have to build upon your credible strengths…we talk about the Give First mentality, about mentorship, trust, meaningful connection, the limits of top-down ecosystem design, and how cities actually get better.Chris has spent years studying how startup communities form, evolve, and endure. I'm grateful to Chris for joining me, and grateful to all of you who've listened, shared, supported, and helped make 250 episodes possible and will help make the next 250 possible.00:00: Introduction07:40: Ecosystems13:02: Storytelling18:33: Give First24:34: Strengths in Community29:48: Meaningful Connections38:45: Human Complexity43:31: Mentorship48:51: The Role of Capital58:38: A Novel01:04:04: Reflections01:08:54 Outro-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly/https://heivly.com/https://buildthefort.com/City Club Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc4zWbXURU8&t=2s-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. The firm's national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Six years of building a global business teaches you things no business school will. What actually drives revenue. What wastes your time. What you wish someone had told you before you started. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares the six lessons that have shaped how she built Tech for Non-Techies — trusted by Oxford University, Microsoft, Techstars and the Royal Bank of Canada — without external funding, without a PR agency, and without a technical background. You'll learn: Why fundraising and bootstrapping are both hard — and how to choose which hard is right for you Why your personal brand builds business faster than your company brand How to diversify revenue without losing focus Why human judgement is the scarcest resource in the age of AI That mind management is not a luxury — it is infrastructure Why paying experts is one of the best business decisions you will ever make Sophia also shares the evening she was convinced her business was unsolvable, why she has no regrets about bootstrapping her second company, and what a billionaire founder and a Facebook marketing expert taught her about building for the long term. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Six lessons from six years in business 02:46 - Lesson 1: Raising money vs getting customers - Choose your hard 07:28 - Lesson 2: Build your personal brand before your company brand 12:08 - Lesson 3: Diversify your revenue, but stay focused 14:29 - Lesson 4: AI is a game changer, but human judgment makes it valuable 16:48 - Lesson 5: Mind management is not optional 19:05 - Lesson 6: Pay experts to compress your learning curve 21:26 - Summary and closing Free Live Masterclass — 27 April 2026 How to get featured in the Financial Times, Forbes and Wall Street Journal — without a PR agency

In this verified episode, Sophia Matveeva, Founder and CEO of Tech for Non-Techies, shares how to turn your idea into a validated product without coding in stage 1. If you struggle with shiny ideas that never launch or fear wasting time and money on unproven concepts, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why validating demand matters far more than learning to code or building the perfect product- How to quickly test your idea with a simple AI mockup and real target users- What to do when feedback shows your idea won't work so you can move on fastThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 1 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizSophia Matveeva helps smart people without engineering backgrounds build, lead, and grow tech-enabled businesses. She is the founder and CEO of Tech for Non-Techies, an education company trusted by Oxford University, Techstars, Tamkeen, and global brands such as the Royal Bank of Canada. Through executive education, advisory, and workforce transformation programs, Sophia equips organizations to scale innovation, upskill non-technical leaders, and drive success in the AI economy. The Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes have featured her work, and she has delivered programs at Oxford University, London Business School, and Chicago Booth.Want to learn more about Sophia Matveeva's work at Tech for Non-Techies? Check out her website at https://www.techfornontechies.co/Connect with Sophia through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-matveeva-556365a/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Photo credit : Steven Sim Unstoppable women. We build. We lead. We win, at Techstars Startup Weekend By Billy Linehan Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin 2026 took place from 20–22 March at Baseline Community in Dublin, bringing together more than 70 participants for an intensive 54-hour startup programme focused on building early-stage ideas. This was my first visit to Baseline Communities, an independent enterprise workspace in Dublin. The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam. It followed the standard Techstars Startup Weekend format. Participants pitched ideas, formed teams, developed concepts with mentor support, and presented to a judging panel at the end of the weekend. Early-Stage Ideas Focus on Real Problems The range of ideas this year was broad but grounded in identifiable problems. Teams were working on concepts spanning electric vehicle support tools, mental health applications, ADHD support platforms, and solutions linked to local and agricultural needs. Latifat Abisola Olagoke, working on a mental wellness application, described the value of the weekend in moving from idea to execution: "I was excited for my idea to be selected and to have the chance to really flesh it out and pitch it." Dwiparna Pal, a software engineer developing a platform to connect entrepreneurs and investors, highlighted both the intensity and the energy of the format: "There's a lot I'm taking away from this, particularly what can be done within a short space of time. The energy here is very high." Mentoring and Practical Input Mentoring plays a central role in the Startup Weekend model. Structured input over a short period allows teams to test assumptions, clarify their value proposition, and improve how they communicate their ideas. In this case, teams were generally open to challenge and willing to iterate quickly. Participants also heard from experienced contributors across the ecosystem, such as leaders of female entrepreneurship initiatives including Máirín Murray of TechFoundHer, and Denise McQuaid of Awaken Angels. AI, Judging and Emerging Themes Volunteer Deirdre McCarthy observed that hackathons now face a new challenge: "All hackathons now face the AI challenge, whereby participants can produce really impressive sounding business plans and visually appealing pitch decks. The judges challenge was to delve a little deeper to determine whether the projections were realistic and could withstand some well-informed questioning." In this case, the judging panel brought experience across sustainability, design, innovation and technology, which was evident in the depth and focus of the questions. The strongest teams used this process well, demonstrating domain knowledge and adding substance beyond what was presented in their initial pitches. A number of recurring themes emerged across the weekend. Several teams addressed challenges linked to an always-on, resource-constrained environment, including burnout, ADHD support, mental and physical performance, and behavioural patterns such as impulsive spending. Others focused on structural issues such as housing constraints and overtourism. Alongside these challenges, teams also identified new opportunities, including gender-specific health approaches, support tools for electric vehicle maintenance, and personalised, AI-enabled financial services. Winning Teams Announced in Dublin The winning teams reflected a mix of technical and social problem-solving. First place went to EV Toolkit, developed by Lisa Ruttledge, Victoria Miller, Ciara Close and Claire Cui, a platform designed to support independent mechanics with the tools, data and diagnostics required to repair electric vehicles without relying on main dealerships. Second place was awarded to Buddy Bee, a peer-support platform aimed at helping adults with ADHD achieve meaningful goals through structured accountability and community support. Third place went to Spherio, an AI-driven platform offering per...

Ottieni il 4% annuo lordo per 6 mesi sugli incassi della tua attività: ⁠https://links.madeitpodcast.it/ING (#adv) Chiunque può vedere una startup che cresce. In pochi vedono tutto quello che non ha funzionato prima. Carlotta e Caterina non avevano un'idea chiara, né esperienza nel mondo startup. Solo una cosa: la voglia di provarci. Da lì: errori, tentativi falliti, programmi di formazione e due idee che non hanno funzionato. Fino a un pivot nato da un problema reale. Oggi Bestie Bite è una piattaforma che permette di scoprire ristoranti attraverso video autentici, con: – 70.000 utenti registrati – 60.000+ video recensioni – presenza in oltre 60 paesi E da un modello consumer-first stanno costruendo anche un business B2B per ristoranti e hotel. In questa puntata parliamo di: – come partire da zero (davvero) – pivot e product-market fit – costruire un go-to-market consumer usando i social – monetizzazione B2B – il ruolo di acceleratori come Techstars – errori comuni dei founder early stage Seguici su Instagram @⁠⁠madeit.podcast⁠⁠

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: David Cohen of Techstars Jacob Effron of Redpoint Arianna Simpson of Andreessen Horowitz We asked guests for the most important piece of advice that they'd share with folks early in their venture career. The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

What if your biggest leadership blindspot isn't strategy — but incentives?Jesse Tevelow shares why “incentive determines behavior.” From game theory and startup growth to Bitcoin's protocol design, he explains how incentive alignment shapes culture, performance, and long-term value.For leaders navigating AI, Bitcoin, and accelerating change, this conversation offers a powerful lens on what will separate those who adapt from those who fall behind.What behaviors are your incentives actually rewarding — by design or by default?CEO Blindspots® Podcast Guest: ⁠Jesse TevelowJesse Tevelow, is a serial entrepreneur, three-time #1 bestselling author, and the CEO of LaunchTeam. He has worked with more than 50 clients who have collectively raised over $500 million in venture capital, including an Olympic Gold Medalist, the Managing Director of a multibillion-dollar VC fund, and founders of 7-, 8-, and 9-figure Web3 companies.At just 23, Jesse co-founded a gaming company born out of the inaugural class of Techstars. The company went on to generate over $100 million by leveraging digital currencies — giving him early, hands-on expertise in gamification, incentive design, and emerging technologies long before they became mainstream. That foundation continues to inform his work at the intersection of product design, behavioral psychology, and digital innovation.As the founder of Launch Team, Jesse specializes in high-stakes product launches, fundraising strategy, brand positioning, and emerging tech advisory. His ability to combine storytelling, game theory, and incentive alignment enables him to craft compelling narratives, develop winning products, and help founders crystallize powerful brands.Jesse's books, writing, and media appearances have reached more than one million people worldwide. He has spoken on international stages in Tokyo, Seattle, Los Angeles, India, and beyond — sharing insights on leadership, Bitcoin, AI, fundraising, and the future of value creation.* His latest book, Life After Bitcoin, is currently in its pre-launch phase, and you may get a complimentary copy while it remains available in this early release window; https://mylaunchteam.com/life-after-bitcoin/ For more information; Jesse Tevelow; ⁠https://jtev.me/LaunchTeam; ⁠https://mylaunchteam.com/Life After Bitcoin; https://mylaunchteam.com/lab-network/Book (free during pre-launch); ⁠https://mylaunchteam.com/life-after-bitcoin/Transcript of this episode of the CEO Blindspots® Podcast with Jesse Tevelow;⁠⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yuACRCMTOD34rSuHS2FWxWa-zdT8os2bdClmMKE0LJM/edit?usp=sharing⁠* Get a free copy of Jesse's latest book "Life After Bitcoin" during the pre-launch phase; https://mylaunchteam.com/life-after-bitcoin/===========⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CEO Blindspots® Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Birgit Kamps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birgit's professional experience ⁠⁠⁠includes starting and selling an “Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Company” and a “Best Company to Work for in Texas”, and serving as a Board Member of various companies. She is also a mentor at the ⁠⁠⁠University of Houston's Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship⁠⁠⁠.Birgit is able to help investors and executives quickly discover blindspots holding their organization back, and accelerate leadership effectiveness. They often refer to her as "the Human X-Ray".In addition, Birgit is the host of the ⁠⁠⁠CEO Blindspots® Podcast ⁠⁠⁠which was recognized for having the “biggest listener growth” in the USA by 733%, and most recently for having the “top 1.5% global ranking” in its category; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ceoblindspots.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To ask questions about this or one of the 285+ other CEO Blindspots® Podcast episodes, reach out to Birgit; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠birgit@ceoblindspots.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of CareerTALKS, I spoke with Jocelyn King, CEO and founder of Virgil HR, a compliance software designed to streamline HR processes. Jocelyn shares her journey from HR practitioner to tech founder, discussing the challenges and triumphs of building a startup in the HR tech space. The conversation covers the importance of compliance, the role of accelerators like Techstars, and the careful integration of AI in HR solutions.

Stephen Torrence joins Vince Fakhoury Horn to share his experience teaching generative AI in Bhutan and explore the audacious vision behind the Gelephu Mindfulness City — a million-person city being built by Bhutan's King to prove that mindfulness, technology, and economic development can coexist.

Send us a textWhat if the fastest way to connect with your child wasn't advice, but better questions? Casey Jacox sits down with Shelby Stephens—dad of three, AI founder of Snacker, and lifelong learner—to explore how curiosity, calibrated vulnerability, and learner-led education can transform family life. From swapping “How was school?” for targeted T.E.D. questions to telling honest stories that don't overburden kids, we map out a practical toolkit any parent can adopt.Shelby opens up about choosing Acton Academy for his daughters, a model that replaces grades and homework with mastery badges, adaptive learning apps, and a studio contract kids write and sign. The outcome is powerful: children set their own goals, self-assess progress, and learn to hold themselves accountable. We talk through a pivotal moment—his daughter giving herself Xs on missed goals—and what it reveals about discipline, ownership, and intrinsic motivation. We also dig into EQ: why collaboration, boundary-setting, and healthy tech use might matter more than memorizing facts in a world rapidly reshaped by AI.Beyond school, we lean into the inner game of parenting. Shelby shares small, durable habits—meditation, gratitude, micro-commitments—that improve presence and lower reactivity. We round out with Snacker.ai's mission to remove friction from sharing knowledge on video, and a nod to Shelby's music as another outlet for creative expression.If you're curious about raising self-directed kids, making vulnerability safe, and becoming a more present parent, this conversation delivers clear steps you can try today.   You also can follow Shelby's music on Spotify here!Listen, share with a friend, and tell us: what question gets your child to truly open up? Subscribe, leave a review, and join us for more conversations that help us lead at home.Support the showPlease don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!

In this episode of Chaos to Clarity, Eric Weiss sits down with Misti Cain, the Managing Director of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU, to unpack what makes this accelerator one of the most selective and impactful pre-seed programs in the world. With more than 1,300 applicants and only six companies selected, Techstars San Diego represents the highest caliber of early-stage founders building across industries, technologies, and geographies. Misti shares why this year's cohort is different. These founders aren't just experimenting. They're arriving with deep domain expertise, early traction, paying customers, and bold visions that span everything from biotech document automation to haptic wearables for the blind to AI compliance for regulated industries. The diversity of ideas is matched only by the diversity of founders — spanning San Diego, Mexico, Canada, Paris, New York, Florida, and more. A major advantage of the program comes from the partnership between Techstars and San Diego State University. Startups gain access to engineering support, prototyping labs, specialized testing, interns, and warm introductions to key university resources. Misti explains why this ecosystem collaboration creates an environment where founders can achieve more in 90 days than most can do in a year. The conversation also explores Misti's personal journey: from digital marketing strategist, to startup consultant, to award-winning Techstars mentor, to investor, and now Managing Director. Her story highlights the importance of curiosity, lifelong learning, and the power of giving first — a philosophy that sits at the heart of the Techstars culture. Eric and Misti close by zooming out to discuss the San Diego startup ecosystem, why it offers a uniquely collaborative environment, and why founders from all over the world are beginning to choose San Diego as their home base. This episode is a deep dive into community, innovation, leadership, and what it truly takes to build a successful company. Don't forget to subscribe to the Chaos to Clarity Podcast for more invaluable episodes to help you grow your business and stay ahead of the curve!To reach out to Eric, visit https://chaostoclarity.io/

Today on the Invest In Her Podcast, host Catherine Gray interviews Nomiki Petrolla, a product leader and tech founder on a mission to close the access gap for women in technology and entrepreneurship. With more than 15 years of experience leading product, design, and strategy across healthcare, fintech, artificial intelligence, and enterprise SaaS, Nomiki has built and scaled products in some of the most male-dominated sectors of tech. She is the founder of PDS Lab, an accelerator launched to help women build and launch tech companies from the ground up, and the creator of Theanna, a data-networking platform designed to bring transparency, insight, and connection to the female founder journey. Based in Ohio and a mother of four, Nomiki is also an active mentor, educator, and speaker, working with organizations such as Techstars and speaking at institutions including Harvard. In this conversation, Catherine and Nomiki explore the structural barriers women face in tech entrepreneurship and why access to product knowledge, data, and networks remains one of the biggest challenges for women founders. Nomiki shares what she observed firsthand while advising startups—how women are often excluded from critical early-stage information—and how that insight led to building platforms that democratize knowledge and connection. The discussion also dives into the importance of community, the role of data in leveling the playing field, and what investors, accelerators, and ecosystems must do differently to support women-led innovation at scale. This episode is a powerful look at how intentional infrastructure and transparency can transform outcomes for women founders—and the future of tech as a whole. Websites mentioned: https://theanna.ai https://www.showherthemoneymovie.com www.sheangelinvestors.com    Follow Us On Social Facebook @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X) @sheangelsinvest Instagram @sheangelinvestors & @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn @catherinelgray & @sheangels   #InvestInHer #FinancialWellness #WomenInFinance #FinancialEmpowerment #MoneyMindset #InclusiveFinance #FintechForGood #BehavioralEconomics #WealthBuilding #FinancialHealth #EmpowerWomen #MoneyMatters #SheAngelInvestors #InvestInYourself #FinancialFreedom  

If you're thinking about joining Tech for Non-Technical Founders, this episode is for you. In this episode, I walk you through exactly what you'll be doing for the next 6 weeks—and where your app, platform, or marketplace will be by the end of February. When you listen to this episode, you will learn: What "going from 0 to 1" actually means for your tech venture The million-dollar skill most founders skip (and why it costs them $100K+) Why talking to real users is harder than learning to code — and more important How the 1:1 coaching works with me and Rags Vadali (Instagram filters, YouTube Partner Program) The ROI math: why $2K now saves you $20K+ later Enrollment closes Tuesday, January 20 at midnight ET. Only 10 spots available. Join Tech for Non-Technical Founders: techfornontechies.co/offer Or book a call if you have questions. This January only: Get 1:1 product coaching from Rags Vadali—the product leader who launched Instagram filters to 600 million people and the YouTube Partner program.  This is mentorship you'd normally only get at  top accelerators like Techstars (for 6% of your equity) or at a top MBA program like Chicago Booth ($180K tuition). You get it for $2,000. If you're ready to stop thinking and start building, this is how you do it.

In 2018, following a rich and storied career in business, philanthropy, and academia, Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez became the seventh president of Utah Valley University. She is the first woman to serve on a full-time basis as UVU president. Raised in the slums of the Philippines, Tuminez rose to become a world leader in the fields of technology and political science, most recently serving as an executive at Microsoft. She is also the former vice dean of research and assistant dean of executive education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.Dr. Seth Jenson recently joined the UVU Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute from the University of Oxford, where he lectured and researched entrepreneurial strategy and innovation ecosystems. He has consulted and collaborated with elite entrepreneurship programs worldwide, including India's premiere entrepreneurship governing bodies (NITI Aayog and EDII), Harvard, LSE, MIT, Stanford, Techstars, as well as state governments and regional programs. As a leader in the Bolder Way Forward initiative, Seth helps shape Utah policy to close entrepreneurial gender gaps and foster diverse leadership. He completed his bachelor's at BYU in Finance and graduate degrees in Sociology (MSc) and Business Strategy (PhD) at Oxford.Hunter Anderton is a serial entrepreneur currently scaling his second venture, Simpll. Dedicated to making blockchain opportunities accessible, Simpll provides user-friendly node hosting that removes technical barriers for everyday users. Under Hunter's leadership, the company saw explosive early product-market fit, surpassing $1M in ARR in its infancy. A deeply involved member of the Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute (BEI) ecosystem, Hunter is a graduate of the Sandbox program and "0 to CEO" series. His rapid scaling recently earned him a nomination for the BEI Rocketship Award for revenue growth, as well as funding from multiple competitive programs.

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.

Steve Pockross sits down with Marc Nager, co-founder and general partner at Howdy, a rural Colorado-focused venture fund breaking ground with its unconventional name and a bold, investment approach. From keen insights on growth investing lessons that span the tech market to specific insights on building rural-focused tech startups, Marc shares how connecting talent, capital, and vision far from traditional tech hubs is reshaping what success looks like. Together, they explore the importance of founder self-awareness, overcoming growth plateaus, the evolving landscape of impact investing, the key to a great rebrand, and how AI is rewriting the rules for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Get ready for a playful and insightful conversation about capital, community, and the power of building companies in unexpected places.About MarcMarc Nager is the co‑founder and Managing Partner at Howdy Partners (formerly Greater Colorado Venture Fund), a venture firm backing early‑stage rural tech companies in Colorado and beyond. Previously, he oversaw global startup efforts as CEO of Startup Weekend and UP Global — programs that helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs in 700+ cities around the world. Before that, Marc served as Chief Community Officer at Techstars and Managing Director of the Telluride Venture Accelerator, giving him deep experience in accelerator‑led startup growth and community‑driven ecosystems. He now lives in Southwest Colorado and dedicates his work to proving that top‑tier startups — even rocket‑science level ones — can be built far from traditional tech hubs. 

Join an active community of RE investors here: https://linktr.ee/gabepetersenLEARN HOW TO INVEST AS A LIMITED PARTNER IN REAL ESTATE DEALS

Join an active community of RE investors here: https://linktr.ee/gabepetersenBECOME A SUCCESSFUL LIMITED PARTNER IN REAL ESTATE

On this episode of Practical Pivots, marketing veteran Rachel Shayne, of B2B R&D, unpacks why “brand is your moat” and how the real challenge isn't besting your competitors, but cutting through marketplace confusion. From her insights working with technical founders, Shayne lays out her playbook for building resilient, memorable brands in complex industries. Whether you're leading a high-growth tech venture or steering strategy in a legacy sector, this interview offers the candid perspective and actionable inspiration today's business decision-makers crave.About Rachel Rachel Shayne is a fractional CMO and brand strategist known for translating complex clean-tech and energy science into market conviction. She has helped create entirely new categories across methane monitoring, geothermal baseload power, and other frontier sectors—using disciplined storytelling to move customers, investors, and industries.Her career spans global consumer powerhouses such as P&G, Nestlé, and Sephora, as well as some of the most innovative climate-tech and deep-tech companies, including GreenFire Energy, LongPath Technologies, Project Canary, Sionic Energy, and TrelliSense. That blend of Fortune-50 rigor and venture-backed scrappiness shapes a unique approach few CMOs can match.Shayne is widely recognized for aligning founders, boards, and teams around clear narratives that fuel growth, culture, and category leadership. Her work has supported more than $200M in capital raised, driven market share above 60%, and positioned multiple brands as leaders in the energy transition.She also serves as a mentor with Blackstone Entrepreneurs' Network, TechStars, and CU Leeds—reflecting a commitment to developing the people who will lead the next generation of markets.

Brad Feld is a legend in the world of investing, entrepreneurship and mentorship. He is co-founder of the Foundry Group, Mobius Venture Capital and Techstars. Brad was an early investor in Harmonix, Zynga, MakerBot, and Fitbit and has written extensively on venture capital investing and entrepreneurship. Brad's latest book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, was released earlier this year. Brad joined Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about his approach to giving, leadership and cultivating thriving businesses. Thank you to the sponsors of The Elevate Podcast Mizzen & Main: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mizzenandmain.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Promo Code: elevate20) Shopify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Indeed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠indeed.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Masterclass: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠masterclass.com/elevate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Northwest Registered Agent: ⁠⁠⁠northwestregisteredagent.com/elevate⁠ Homeserve: ⁠homeserve.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stigma loses its power when leaders tell the truth. In this episode, venture investor and Techstars co-founder Brad Feld shares why he went public about depression and OCD, how a 2013 crash led to a decade of deep therapy, and why aligning what you feel, say, and do is a leadership advantage. We talk about the “inappropriate anxiety spikes,” the trap of calling mental health a “superpower,” and the difference between passive and active avoidance. Brad also breaks down a simple dashboard for monitoring burnout, practical somatic cues to watch for, and clear guidance on when to hire a coach versus a therapist. Get ready to rethink performance, protect your team from collateral damage, and lead with courage, clarity, and real agency. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why did you choose to speak openly about mental health? 09:00 How stigma and shame create a negative feedback loop for founders. 14:30 The irrational links between thoughts and actions that drive compulsion. 18:00 How reframing failure helps you find grace in what doesn't work out. 20:00 The concept of “passive avoidance” and how it quietly erodes relationships. 26:00 What are the two ways anxiety shows up in leadership? 30:15 How absurdism brings comfort amid uncertainty. 33:30 Why performative passion often hides real insecurity. 37:45 The “anxiety spikes” that jump from 2 to 11 in seconds. 43:00 How ACT therapy helps you feel, accept, and act instead of suppressing emotion. 46:00 The dashboard of green–yellow–red lights to watch your energy in real time. 50:00 Advice to leaders who want to understand how their behavior impacts others. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Brad: @bfeld

AI for Hairstylists: How Chrystal Graves' LiQUiD Boosts Salon ProfitsSeason 8, Episode 46 — Your Day Off PodcastChrystal L. Graves — Founder & CEO of LiQUiD, the first AI-powered business assistant built for hairstylists and salon owners.A former stylist, salon owner, and educator, Chrystal created LiQUiD to help beauty professionals make more money without working more. She's a Techstars alum, Modern Salon Top 100 honoree, and Missouri Startup Weekend winner, with over 16 years in the beauty industry. Chrystal has coached hundreds of salon owners, led innovation for major beauty brands, and now leads the charge in bringing AI to the beauty business.Can AI actually make your salon more profitable?

6: What does it take to play the long game in innovation? Venture capitalist Brad Feld has spent four decades answering that question as a founder, mentor, and early-stage investor in companies like Fitbit, MakerBot, and Techstars. In this episode, Feld unpacks the enduring impact of mentorship, the logic behind his "Give First" philosophy, and how startups and enterprises alike can benefit from ecosystem thinking.

On this week's episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner breaks down why hesitation to wire money often comes from a lack of deal flow and how to fix it with a professional-grade sourcing system. He shares lessons from deploying $150 million at Techstars, building a 94-unit co-living portfolio, and creating an 800+ opportunity deal database. Pascal explains how to craft a clear thesis, set filtering criteria, and use forums, platforms, and even social ads to fill your pipeline so your confidence rises with repetition. Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com with code BESTEVER Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:49) - Heroes (00:10:50) - How do you know when it's time to step away from something you started? (00:18:37) - Len Fassler (00:32:52) - Mentors and inflection points in life (00:39:07) - Brad's book - Give First (00:47:58) - The role of books in Brad's career Links: Scribe — https://scribemedia.com Give First: The Power of Mentorship - https://amzn.to/3KT3IvF To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: The role of heroes and mentors in shaping Brad's values How "Give First" transformed startup culture How to let go of control while still fighting to the end for what matters Key mentors like Len Fassler and the life lessons they gave him Why reading, writing, and coding all serve as reflective practices  Quotes from Brad: "The best way to fly is to throw yourself at the ground and miss." (Zaphod Beeblebrox quote that Brad uses to describe startups) "I love to help things get started. That's my favorite part of the journey." "Fight to the bitter end. You try until it doesn't work anymore." "Some things don't end. Some things outlive you—which is delightful." "The future does not belong to me. The future belongs to people 40 years younger than me." "Give First is not a religion. It's a philosophy." "Your VC's are not in control. The board members are not in control. The CEO is in control." "Books are core to so many things I do. Reading and writing are how I process the world." "I write books to understand better an idea and work out the idea." "Mentorship is about ways of being, not about following a set of rules." "Hibernation from social media gave me the creative space to finish the book I actually wanted to write." "People said, 'Brad's the king of the Colorado startup community.' I hated that. I don't want to be king—I want to be just one of the many leaders."

David Cohen of Techstars joins Nick to discuss The Techstars Refresh, Why Bigger Isn't Better, Investing in the Seed-Strapping Era, and Why Quantum May Dwarf Every Tech Shift. In this episode we cover: Refocusing TechStars Programs and Deal Structure Selection Process and Follow-On Investments Successful Programs and Founder Network Geographic Distribution and AI-First Companies Seed Strapping and Capital Efficiency Vertical Networks and Emerging Technologies Future of Venture and Trends Guest Links: David's LinkedIn David's X Techstars' LinkedIn Techstars' Website The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

Pascal Wagner is a former venture capitalist turned real estate investor who has built a $250,000 annual passive income portfolio through over 30 investments. As a VC at Techstars, he deployed $150 million into 300 companies, where he learned how top institutions analyze deals and manage risk. Today, he applies that same institutional approach to passive real estate investing while coaching others to invest with clarity and confidence.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Most passive investors make the mistake of analyzing deals in isolation instead of starting with a clear investment thesis. Institutional investors use a scientific method—macro themes first, then micro criteria, then deal selection. Diversification is essential: Pascal built co-living homes in Atlanta but realized his mom's retirement couldn't rest on one asset class or city. Following institutional or family office investors can provide a safer entry point for LPs. Separate your “cash flow bucket” from your “equity growth bucket” to align investments with goals.     Topics From Techstars to Real Estate Built early wealth through co-living rentals before joining Techstars as an investor. Learned institutional-level due diligence by reviewing thousands of deals. After his father's passing, managed his mother's retirement income and shifted focus to reliable passive strategies. How Institutions Invest Define a thesis first, then filter deals that fit. See hundreds of opportunities before investing in a few. Don't chase returns—find inevitable long-term trends and align investments accordingly. Developing Guardrails for LP Investing Criteria like vintage, roof types, and market selection come from experience and costly lessons. Partnering with operators who have already learned those lessons is critical. Institutional investors demand reporting, audits, and controls—retail investors can “follow” their lead. Buckets of Cash Flow vs. Equity Growth Co-living homes and private credit provide stable cash flow. High-risk equities (tech stocks, crypto) are placed in long-term equity growth buckets. Structured his mother's long-term holdings for inheritance tax advantages while using his own portfolio for near-term cash needs.