Podcasts about VC

Dave Blundin has co-founded 23 companies, co-hosts the Moonshots podcast, runs the VC firm Link Ventures, teaches at MIT, and has been building neural networks since the 1980s. His take: “[AI is] under-hyped. It's absolutely going to change the world in the next couple of years more than any change in human history. There's nothing even vaguely comparable to it.” — (7:37) “Stop sleeping. Rush to everything you do.” (15:16) Why he started building neural nets at MIT in the 1980s (16:19) Should you finish college or start a business? (20:38) Why best friends are the best co-founders (25:00) San Francisco is still king, but Boston is AI startup central (28:06) “The chip shortage is going to be incredibly bad.” (34:26) The AI energy shortage (36:32) Are we in an AI bubble? (55:44) The case for human immortality before 2050 (1:02:00) Advice for first-time founders (and second-time, and 23rd-time) — Want to connect?

9月30日，OpenAI 发布了视频生成模型 Sora2，引起了全球关注。Sora2 不只是一次全面的模型升级，更是一款王炸级别的创作者工具。它能生成高质量的视频和音频，还能让用户通过 “Cameo” 也就是 “客串” 功能，把自己和朋友嵌入到 AI 世界里。毫不夸张的说，Sora 2 让我们离 AI 抖音又近了一步。 如果说 Sora2 让我们看到了 “时间维度” 的生成，那我们今天要聊的，是 “空间维度" 的创作，也就是3D 内容生成。我们这期节目的录制时间恰好是 Sora2 发布之前，嘉宾是 AI 3D 创业公司 VAST 的创始人兼 CEO 宋亚宸（Simon），VAST 从 2023 成立以来呢，开发了AI 3D 大模型 Tripo AI 以及创作平台 Tripo Studio，目标是让创作者从文字、图片就能生成 3D 内容，并在未来打造一个“抖音级别” 的 3D 内容平台。节目中，Simon 聊到了 AI 3D 生成的巨大潜力，最打动我的是 Simon 对 3D 生成的未来的信仰，他坚信未来一定会出现一个可交互的3D内容平台，我们可以自由穿梭其中，获得极致体验。 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/7V27SHiN.JPEG 本期人物 Simon 宋亚宸，VAST 创始人兼 CEO Yaxian，「科技早知道」主播 主要话题 [02:41] 从 Tripo AI 模型到 Tripo Studio，VAST 为创作者打造端到端的内容生产平台 [05:21] 为什么要做 AI 3D 生成？3D 内容平台的出现，是信息表达方式「解压缩」的必然结果。 [09:52] 从 AI 1.0 到 AI 2.0 的范式转移，3D 生成正处于「起新墙」的快速发展期 [14:36] AI 3D 不只是工具，而是「新的发明」，极大地降低了创作者的门槛和成本 [18:15] 3D 生成是否有「真需求」？为什么 3D UGC 平台一定会出现？ [23:10] 这个时代创业公司的最大机会：高投入、小市场、非共识 [27:41] 探索 3D 模型的技术突破就像在「沙漠中找绿洲」 [33:26] 从「言出法随」到「神笔马良」，3D 生成的落地场景远超想象 [37:41] 「真正让人坚持下来的，不是道德水平，而是热爱」 [46:39] 原生市场的的爆发点在哪里？何时能出现 3D TikTok？ 幕后制作 监制：Yaxian 后期：迪卡 运营：George 设计：饭团 商业合作 声动活泼商业化小队，点击链接直达声动商务会客厅（https://sourl.cn/9h28kj ），也可发送邮件至 business@shengfm.cn 联系我们。 加入声动活泼 声动活泼目前开放商务合作实习生、社群运营实习生和 BD 经理等职位，详情点击招聘入口详情点击招聘入口 (https://eg76rdcl6g.feishu.cn/docx/XO6bd12aGoI4j0xmAMoc4vS7nBh?from=from_copylink) 关于声动活泼 「用声音碰撞世界」，声动活泼致力于为人们提供源源不断的思考养料。 我们还有这些播客：声动早咖啡 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/60de7c003dd577b40d5a40f3)、声东击西 (https://etw.fm/episodes)、吃喝玩乐了不起 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/644b94c494d78eb3f7ae8640)、反潮流俱乐部 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/5e284c37418a84a0462634a4)、泡腾 VC (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/5f445cdb9504bbdb77f092e9)、商业WHY酱 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/61315abc73105e8f15080b8a)、跳进兔子洞 (https://therabbithole.fireside.fm/) 、不止金钱 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/65a625966d045a7f5e0b5640) 欢迎在即刻 (https://okjk.co/Qd43ia)、微博等社交媒体上与我们互动，搜索 声动活泼 即可找到我们。 期待你给我们写邮件，邮箱地址是：ting@sheng.fm 声小音 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/gK0pledC.png 欢迎扫码添加声小音，在节目之外和我们保持联系。 Special Guest: Simon 宋亚宸.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, welcomes Chris Lyons, President of Web3 Media at a16z Crypto, a division of Andreessen Horowitz. Chris shares his journey from music producer to tech investor and cultural connector, offering a rare perspective on how culture and innovation intersect in venture capital. You'll learn why mentorship extends beyond traditional relationships and how books, communities, and digital platforms can serve as powerful guides. Chris explains his “hide the wires” approach to driving blockchain adoption by simplifying complexity and focusing on user benefits. He also unpacks his service-first leadership philosophy, showing how adding value to others creates lasting impact. Chris also discusses the importance of staying grounded in high-stakes environments and why courage and belief are essential for turning ideas into reality.Meet Chris Lyons:Christopher Lyons is President of Web3 Media at a16z crypto, where he has shaped groundbreaking initiatives like the $400M Seed Fund and the Cultural Leadership Fund, Silicon Valley's first VC fund with all Black Limited Partners. A former sound engineer turned entrepreneur, Lyons bridges culture and technology, uplifting Black creators and fostering innovation. He serves on the boards of Yuga Labs, The James Beard Foundation, The Black Economic Alliance, and New Story Charity, while also founding Lyons Wine.

Ryan Sawchuk is the VP of Product at Crexi, where he leads cross-functional teams to build advanced, data-rich tools aimed at transforming the commercial real estate workflow. With more than 15 years in product leadership, Ryan specializes in crafting AI-enabled, scalable solutions that boost transaction velocity, improve user experience, and integrate seamlessly into CRE operations. Prior to Crexi, Ryan held senior product roles at Indeed, Procore, and LinkedIn, shaping core features and driving growth in high-scale tech environments. He earned his education from Princeton University, which laid the foundation for his data-driven, user-first product philosophy. At Crexi, Ryan's vision is to bridge the gap between real estate professionals and cutting-edge technology, making complex CRE data more accessible, actionable, and efficient. This is episode was recorded live at Blueprint Vegas 2025.

SaaStr 824: VC in the AI Era - Exactly What's Getting Funded, Why & When with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin In this episode, SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin delves into the current state of venture capital (VC) funding, informed by data from over a thousand reviewed pitch decks and approximately 400,000 startup valuations on SaaStr AI. Learn about the latest trends, what VCs are looking for, and what it takes to secure funding in today's market. We'll discuss the performance metrics and benchmarks necessary for SaaS and AI startups and how AI-native companies are reshaping investment dynamics. Discover SaaStr AI's new tools, including pitch deck reviews and real-time valuation benchmarks, to help you understand where your startup stands and improve your funding prospects.   00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:41 VC Funding Trends and Insights 02:11 Top Quartile SaaS Benchmarks 03:14 AI Native Companies and Hypergrowth 08:00 Public vs. Private Company Growth Expectations 10:22 VC Funding Criteria and Expectations 15:35 SaaStr AI Tools and Resources 20:15 Practical Advice for Founders 26:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts    --------------------- This episode of the SaaStr podcast is Sponsored by Salesforce: Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.  --------------------- This episode of the SaaStr podcast is Sponsored by Intercom:  Fin is the #1 AI Agent for resolving complex queries like refunds, transaction disputes, and technical troubleshooting—all with speed and reliability. See how Fin can deliver the highest resolution rates and highest-quality customer experience at fin.ai/saastr.  --------------------- If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December.   SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year.    We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London.    Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com   ---------------------   Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.    With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.     But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.    Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

Highlights from their conversation include:Peter's Background and Entry into Shipping (2:19)Lessons from Market Volatility and Crisis Response (3:41)The Shift Toward Data-Driven Decision Making (4:49)Embracing Transparency and Index-Linked Contracts (5:48)Standardization and Hedging in Ocean and Air Freight (9:17)How Index-Linked Contracts Work in Practice (11:58)Advice on Tendering Cycles and Spreading Risk (16:18)Overcapacity, Trade Wars, and 2026 Demand Forecast (20:40)Building a Data-Driven and Trustworthy Culture (25:06)Rapid Fire: Peter's Favorite Port and Career Alternatives (28:42)If Containers Could Talk: Stories from Around the World (29:15)Final Thoughts and Takeaways (30:02)Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups.Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dave and Shannon open episode 690 on National Fluffernutter Day with playful banter before diving into the core theme: “execution is the moat, not information.” They argue that oversharing isn't risky because ideas are plentiful; what matters is doing the work. Dave recalls advice from a VC contact that asking […] The post Execution > Information – Business Brain 690 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Tibo discusses how he sold his startups for $8M, emphasizing his approach of shipping one product per week, avoiding VC funding, and focusing on validation. He reflects on his journey with Tweet Hunter and Taplio, and shares his current challenge of growing five apps to $100K in monthly revenue. He stresses that distribution is more important than building in today's competitive market.Where to Find Tibohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tibo-the-maker/https://x.com/tibo_maker?lang=enNeed Help Building Your Empire? Click Below

Maryam Haque, Founding Executive Director of Venture Forward, discusses how she is helping to open doors to venture capital for people from all backgrounds. She traces her journey from Mississippi to Silicon Valley and highlights the structural barriers that kept venture capital concentrated for decades. Maryam offers a grounded view of the current market dynamics, the growing importance of education and mentorship for emerging managers, and how programs like VC University and the GP Masterclass help build a stronger, more inclusive industry.In this episode, you'll learn:[01:55] From Mississippi to Silicon Valley: Maryam's unexpected path into venture capital[04:18] The origins of Venture Forward and its mission to democratize access to VC[07:13] Why venture capital lacked diversity for so long[09:17] The champions who sparked change and why progress takes time[12:46] How Venture Forward educates and supports emerging managers[15:16] The scale of Venture Forward's programs and the launch of the GP Masterclass[18:00] The story of Chingona Ventures and how early support creates lasting impact[20:54] What successful emerging managers do differently[24:43] Why starting a fund is harder than it looks—and what most underestimate[25:47] The future of venture: specialization, innovation, and realistic optimismThe nonprofit organization Maryam is passionate about: PBSAbout Maryam HaqueMaryam Haque is the Founding Executive Director of Venture Forward, a nonprofit organization dedicated to democratizing access to venture capital. She has over 15 years of experience in the venture ecosystem, including leadership roles at the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and Dow Jones VentureSource. Maryam is passionate about broadening participation in venture capital, supporting emerging fund managers, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the industry.About Venture ForwardVenture Forward is a Silicon Valley-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit launched under the NVCA to foster a more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable venture capital ecosystem. The organization supports individuals from all backgrounds through education, mentorship, and community programs such as VC University, Emerging Manager Office Hours, and the GP Masterclass. Its mission is to empower the next generation of investors, strengthen venture firms, and drive lasting change in the innovation economy.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

What if the best startup isn't sexy at all? In 2013, Vijen Patel left private equity to pursue “the least-worst idea”: dry cleaning. No patents. No app wizardry. Just laundry lockers in high-rises, ruthless unit economics, and a $1.99-a-shirt price that was seared into America's brain.From bootstrapping routes at 5 a.m. to breaking even in 6 weeks, Vijen and co-founder Drew McKenna scaled Pressbox to hundreds of locations, stared down well-funded competitors, and ultimately sold to Procter & Gamble, where Pressbox became Tide Cleaners (now ~1,200 locations). After the exit, Vijen launched The 81 Collection, a VC fund backing “boring” businesses that quietly power the economy.This episode is a masterclass in building profit first, creating user behavior (not changing it), and protecting customer retention like your life depends on it.What you'll learn:How the “least-worst idea” found product-market fitHow sidestepping rent + labor can flip margins from 15% to ~40%The efficiency insight that beat “Uber-for-X” rivalsThe new-residence edge: creating customer habits with a welcome-kitWhy Pressbox had to set crazy-high retention goals (98%!)How to keep competitors close—and turn a Goliath into your buyerThe post-exit premise: “boring” businesses are engines of the middle classTimestamps:Choosing dry cleaning with a private equity lens: don't do it for passion–focus on practicality — 00:09:30The SMS “app”: low tech, high convenience — 00:14:14Unit economics breakthrough: lockers (26 transactions per hr) versus scheduled pickup (4-6) — 00:18:55The $1.99 insight: a price everyone expected — 00:24:58How getting into Chicago's top high-rise was a game-changer — 00:31:11Margins that work: if you're a high-rise “amenity,” you don't pay rent — 00:33:08Competing with Washio: convenience wins — 00:39:07Vertical integration: building the plant, staffing via Spanish newspapers — 00:41:48P&G looms: head-to-head, then the acquisition dance — 00:51:25Burnout, trade-offs, and life after exit: launching a VC fund that specializes in boring businesses — 01:03:28This episode was produced by Alex Cheng with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Olivia Rockeman. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Maggie Luthar.Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google faces the greatest innovator's dilemma in history. They invented the Transformer — the breakthrough technology powering every modern AI system from ChatGPT to Claude (and, of course, Gemini). They employed nearly all the top AI talent: Ilya Sutskever, Geoff Hinton, Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei — more or less everyone who leads modern AI worked at Google circa 2014. They built the best dedicated AI infrastructure (TPUs!) and deployed AI at massive scale years before anyone else. And yet... the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 caught them completely flat-footed. How on earth did the greatest business in history wind up playing catch-up to a nonprofit-turned-startup?Today we tell the complete story of Google's 20+ year AI journey: from their first tiny language model in 2001 through the creation Google Brain, the birth of the transformer, the talent exodus to OpenAI (sparked by Elon Musk's fury over Google's DeepMind acquisition), and their current all-hands-on-deck response with Gemini. And oh yeah — a little business called Waymo that went from crazy moonshot idea to doing more rides than Lyft in San Francisco, potentially building another Google-sized business within Google. This is the story of how the world's greatest business faces its greatest test: can they disrupt themselves without losing their $140B annual profit-generating machine in Search?Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Fall ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsSentryWorkOSShopifyAcquired's 10th Anniversary Celebration!When: October 20th, 4:00 PM PTWho: All of you!Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84061500817?pwd=opmlJrbtOAen4YOTGmPlNbrOMLI8oo.1Links:Sign up for email updates and vote on future episodes!Geoff Hinton's 2007 Tech Talk at GoogleOur recent ACQ2 episode with Tobi LutkeWorldly Partners' Multi-Decade Alphabet StudyIn the PlexSupremecyGenius MakersAll episode sourcesCarve Outs:We're hosting the Super Bowl Innovation Summit!F1: The MovieTravelpro suitcasesGlue Guys PodcastSea of StarsStepchange PodcastMore Acquired:Get email updates and vote on future episodes!Join the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Check out the latest swag in the ACQ Merch Store!‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

How do top VCs really pick winners, and what's the “fine print” every founder misses? In this Demo Day episode, we go deep inside the investing mind of Jeff Crusey, EVP at Blacklake Group—one of the most unique and active voices in deep tech, defense, and venture capital.Jeff Crusey's journey moves from building batteries in his garage to becoming a leader at Blacklake Group, where he now guides founders and scouts the “thick tail” of defense technology startups. Jeff opens up about the habits that separate great investors from the crowd—including why reading the legal and technical fine print is a repeatable, unfair advantage in venture capital.You'll hear candid stories about Jeff's investment process—from corporate VC in climate tech to navigating the corruption of emerging markets, bouncing back from failure, and ultimately shaping the next generation of defense, energy, and deep tech founders. Jeff also debunks common venture myths: it's not always the best product or team that wins, but resilience, timing, and a willingness to start over as a beginner.Whether you're fundraising for a startup, considering a shift into deep tech, or aiming to decode what real founder success looks like, this episode is packed with actionable strategies and mindset shifts—from evaluating defensible markets to fostering low-ego, high-intellect teams. Jeff's honest blueprint for bouncing back from failed ventures, focusing on true value creation, and the future rise of AI in deep tech is a must-listen for anyone in the startup or VC world.Don't miss Jeff's practical tips for both angel investors and founders, inside stories from Blacklake Group, and a discussion of which defense innovations are set to reshape national security, from missile technology to next-gen satellite navigation.

From Living In A Car To Building Cars The $7,500 EV Vision Of Mike Brennanhttps://www.reddosev.com/Entrepreneur Mike Brennan says he's homeless living out of a 2013 Mitsubishi—while building Redos, an EV company pricing cars at $7,500 and targeting 2028 delivery. We talk patents 14 and counting roof-rack air filters to clean the air Level 2 driver assist a coffee maker in every car mental health funding without VC $75 preorders and a subscription model that plants trees and funds kids' futures.Subscribe Like and Share this with someone who needs a push today ✋

Guest: Dia Bondi Guest Bio: Dia Bondi is a Communications Catalyst for high-impact people. In her private coaching and programs, she works with C-level leaders, VC-backed founders, and ambitious professionals, helping them find their voice and lead with it. Her workshops and talks are hosted by corporations including Quartz, Salesforce, Google's X-team, and Dropbox. In global sport, she helped Rio de Janeiro secure the 2016 Summer Olympics. After attending auctioneering school for fun, she translated the techniques she learned into a program that prepares ambitious professionals, and especially women, to ask for more and leave nothing on the table, called Ask Like an Auctioneer. She's been featured on CNBC Make It, Forbes, and Fast Company. Her book, Ask Like an Auctioneer: How to Ask for More and Get It, is available now.​   Key Points: Dia's Backstory & Career Path Started her career in fitness, where she loved helping people feel powerful and embodied. Then, transitioned into training and development (professional development) after college. She discovered her passion for storytelling and communication while observing a workshop for finance leaders. Dia founded Dia Bondy Communications in 2009 to help leaders and VC-backed founders communicate effectively in high-stakes moments.   "Ask Like an Auctioneer" Concept Inspired by her side work as a fundraising auctioneer. The key principle: ask big enough to get a “no”, because a “no” signals you've reached the upper limit of what's possible. In business, people often limit their asks based on what they think they can get, leaving money and opportunity on the table. Instead of selling to the first yes, push further to uncover maximum value.   Overcoming Fear of Asking Fear of rejection keeps people from asking boldly. Many assume rejection damages relationships, but often it doesn't. Leaders should teach teams that discomfort (the Zofo—Zone of Freaking Out) is a signal of courage and potential growth. Reframe rejection: it's information about value, not a judgment of personal worth.   Lessons from Auctioneering for Business & Sales · Price = a reflection of value, not worth. The same item can sell for vastly different amounts depending on the audience. · Know your “reserve.” Like an auctioneer's minimum acceptable price, know your bottom line before asking. · People are irrational. Decisions are often emotional, even in data-driven environments—so storytelling is critical.   Four Types of Asks That Drive Growth 1.     Money – dollars, budgets, contracts. 2.     Influence – visibility, access to networks, platforming yourself. 3.     Authority – positioning yourself to make important decisions. 4.     Balance – aligning deals and clients with the kind of work you actually want.   Why People Struggle with Asking Fear of rejection. Lack of clarity on what to ask for and when to ask. Sometimes people make asks that are too small, too vague, or to the wrong audience.   Framework for a Strategic Ask (first 4 of 6 steps) Define your main concrete goal. Identify the next big move toward that goal. Determine the ask that advances that move. Ensure the ask is big enough to risk rejection. Storytelling Framework: “Blocker Buster” What your audience wants. What's blocking them from achieving it? How do you remove the blockers? Your ask (to move them forward).   Big Takeaways Asking boldly is a skill that can be learned. The most powerful ask live in the Zofo—the zone of freaking out. Rejection is not failure; it's valuable feedback about what the other side values. Asking strategically, with courage and clarity, maximizes opportunities for growth, influence, and alignment.   Guest Links: Connect on LinkedInCon Connect on Instagram https://www.diabondi.com/salesology Download The Powerful Ask Plan, a free tool to help you design a strategic ask.     About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus, and revenue generation experts. Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs. If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let's talk. Click here to schedule a time. Please subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and check out our website at https://gosalesology.com/. 

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed in a discussion with Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures, cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape

Ever wondered what an auctioneering school could teach you about leadership communication? In this conversation with Dia Bondi, communications catalyst and author of "Ask Like an Auctioneer," Cam and Otis explore the fascinating connection between the rapid-fire world of auctions and the strategic art of asking for what you want."You're basically learning to sell something in a minute and a half," Dia explains about her auctioneering training, revealing how this condensed transaction moment contains powerful lessons for business leaders. From the illusion of fast-talking (it's actually about breath manipulation) to the courage required to "show up big in big moments," Dia breaks down what makes truly clutch communicators effective.What makes this episode especially compelling is Dia's formula for making strategic asks. She outlines a four-part approach that moves beyond simply stating what you want to creating a compelling case that removes blockers and drives results. As she puts it, the best communicators "know who to ask, when to ask it, and what to ask for. And they're not low-balling themselves ever."Whether you're looking to improve your leadership communication, make more effective requests, or simply understand the psychology behind powerful asking, this conversation offers practical wisdom that might just have you stepping into your own "zone of freaking out" (ZOFO) – where the real growth happens.Dia's exclusive link for 10x Your Team listeners:  https://www.diabondi.com/coMore About Dia:Dia Bondi is an expert in Leadership Communications, with two decades of experience coaching top CEOs, VC-backed founders, and innovators to speak powerfully and amplify their impact. Trained as an auctioneer, Dia transformed the techniques of fundraising auctioneering into a groundbreaking program designed to help women—and all ambitious professionals—ask for more and get it in their careers, businesses, and lives. Her book, Ask Like an Auctioneer: How To Ask For More and Get It, serves as a practical guide to navigating the discomfort of asking boldly, encouraging readers to step into their “zone of freaking out” (ZOFO). As a Communications Catalyst, Dia collaborates with high-impact individuals, guiding them to develop their voice and lead with it. Her engaging workshops and talks have been hosted by major corporations such as Quartz, Salesforce, Google's X.team, and Dropbox. Notably, Dia played a pivotal role in helping Rio de Janeiro secure the 2016 Summer Olympics. Featured in CNBC Make It, Forbes, and Fast Company, Dia's insights are transforming the way professionals approach strategic asking and leadership.#10xyourteam #LeadershipCommunication #AskLikeAnAuctioneer #StrategicAsking #LeadershipGrowth #ExecutivePresence #ZoneOfFreakingOut #BusinessCommunication #ProfessionalDevelopment #TribeAndPurpose #10xYourTeamChapter Times and Titles:The Auctioneer's Secret [00:00 - 05:00]Introduction to Dia BondiThe illusion of fast talkingHow auctioneers manipulate breath and use fillersFrom Auction Block to Boardroom [05:01 - 15:00]Translating auctioneering skills to business"Learning to sell something in a minute and a half"The condensed relationship of an auctionShowing Up Big in Big Moments [15:01 - 30:00]What makes clutch communicators effectiveThe courage to make the less obvious statementWhy big moments require a bigger presenceThe Strategic Ask Formula [30:01 - 45:00]Knowing who to ask, when, and what forUnderstanding your authentic voiceDesigning asks that get resultsCommunication as Leadership [45:01 - End]The four components of effective askingBalancing empathy with accountabilityFinal thoughts and how to connect with DiaDia Bondihttps://www.instagram.com/diabondia/#https://www.linkedin.c

Welcome back to EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop, where we bring you the candid conversations with the investors shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this episode, Nicole LeBlanc, Partner at Woven Capital, joins us on stage in Malmö to share why Toyota's $800M global fund is doubling down on Europe. From talent pools and global mindsets to climate tech leadership, Nicole explains why Europe is the testbed for scaling climate, mobility, and automation solutions worldwide.

The world is a dumpster fire, confirmed. Following California's landmark AI safety bill SB 53, the head of Nvidia is allegedly "quaking in his boots"—which is a good sign, unlike the news that the "Nirvana Baby" Spencer Elden's lawsuit was finally dismissed. Meanwhile, corporate America continues its pivot to chaos: Spotify shuffled its execs, Meta is charging UK users for ad-free Facebook and Instagram, and the UK is introducing digital ID cards (Hello, Mark of the Beast). The entire internet is now dominated by bots, proving the Cracker Barrel logo outrage was manufactured, a fact that's somehow less depressing than the FCC accidentally leaking iPhone schematics. Naturally, Alphabet just paid $22 million to settle President Trump's YouTube lawsuit, confirming that legal threats are the new VC funding. Disney is panicking over an "AI Actress," sending cease and desist letters to Character.AI, while OpenAI rolls out its new Sora app and ChatGPT's ability to buy things for you, proving it's determined to turn the internet into one seamless, copyright-infringing shopping mall, and it's now worth more than Elon Musk's SpaceX.The ensuing boredom demands new media, though the pacing is terrible in everything: Slow Horses Season 5 and Human: Neanderthal Encounters are great, but even the original Matrix and Frankenstein trailer (by Guillermo del Toro) feel slow, confirming the Princess Bride litmus test. MXV's Riot Fest photos were rad, and Disney lost 1.7M subs after suspending Kimmel, which is why YouTube Music is testing AI hosts (who will only be wrong), and the Pivot Tour is happening. Our Apps & Doohickeys department confirms security is an afterthought: macOS 26 unlocked the Journal app, but the smart glasses race is fully on, and Logitech's new keyboard can be recharged by any light (finally, tech that works!). Amazon Fire TV is expected to ditch Android for Linux, Meta introduced the AI-filled Vibes feed, and Tile trackers were found to have a stalking flaw—a fact only slightly more depressing than the swift failure of the Neon call-recording app and the continued existence of the Comet browser. Finally, The Dark Side with Dave celebrated the low-budget charm of Blue Thunder and the necessity of Disney Park Ride Overlays, while Dave embarked on his quest to unbox the Home Depot R2D2. We thank our patrons for keeping this beautiful noise alive and pay tribute to the amazing Jane Goodall.Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/716FOLLOW UPCalifornia Governor Newsom signs landmark AI safety bill SB 53Nvidia Is Quaking in Its Boots‘Nirvana Baby' Spencer Elden's ‘Nevermind' Suit Dismissed AgainIN THE NEWSSpotify Appoints New CEOs as Daniel Ek Becomes Executive ChairMeta announces paid subscriptions for both Instagram and Facebook in the UKUK announces plans for digital ID cardsOpenAI's New Sora App Lets You Deepfake Yourself for EntertainmentThe First 24 Hours of Sora 2 Chaos: Copyright Violations, Sam Altman Shoplifting, and MoreOpenAI Rolls Out ChatGPT's Ability to Buy Stuff for YouOpenAI Is Now Worth More on Paper Than SpaceX, Catches Up to Elon Musk HimselfDisney sends cease and desist letter to Character.AICreator of “AI Actress” Responds to Near-Universal BacklashFCC accidentally leaked iPhone schematics, potentially giving rivals a peek at company secretsAlphabet will pay $22 million to settle President Trump's YouTube lawsuitCracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers SayMEDIA CANDYMXV's Riot Fest PhotosSlow Horses Season 5Frankenstein | Guillermo del Toro | Official Trailer | NetflixHuman: Neanderthal EncountersPivot TourYouTube Music is testing AI hosts that present relevant stories, trivia and commentaryHow Many Streaming Subscribers Did Disney Lose After Suspending Kimmel?APPS & DOODADSmacOS 26 unlocks the real potential of Apple's Journal appThe smart glasses race is really on nowLogitech's new keyboard can be recharged by any kind of lightAmazon Fire TV devices expected to ditch Android for Linux in 2025Meta introduces Vibes feed for AI generated contentNeon, an App That Pays to Record Your Phone Calls Hit #2 on the App Store, Taken Down Over Security FlawTile trackers reportedly have a security flaw that can let stalkers track your locationComet - The browser that works for youTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingThe Princess BrideBlue ThunderThe Best Disney Park Ride Overlays, and Where to Find ThemHome Depot R2D2 Unboxing and Assembly!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Praveen Ghanta, founder of Fraction and former CEO of HiddenLevers, shares how he turned his experience scaling a bootstrapped SaaS company into a fast-growing fractional talent marketplace. After HiddenLevers reached $8M in ARR and sold for over $100M, he realized that senior fractional engineers were the secret to delivering efficiently without expensive full-time hires. Fraction now serves over 100 SaaS clients with a vetted pool of 500 senior U.S.-based engineers and CTOs. Typical engagements run 10–30 hours a week, helping founders tackle scaling challenges in vertical SaaS, AI engineering, DevOps, and legacy system conversions. The company has reached $10M ARR in just three years while keeping half its own team fractional. Praveen explains how clients use Fraction to save costs, speed development, and even prepare for M&A due diligence with fractional CTOs. He also highlights how AI has boosted senior developer productivity by 4x, why U.S.-only context matters, and how fractional-to-full-time hiring often becomes a win-win path. This interview is perfect for SaaS founders at $1M–10M ARR, hitting scaling issues, vertical SaaS leaders needing senior engineers without VC funding, and founders considering AI-powered product features and engineering talent. Key Takeaways Fractional Individual Contributors: Not just execs—senior engineers deliver hands-on code, marketing, and DevOps part-time. AI Productivity Boost: Senior developers using AI tools are delivering 2–4x more than peers without them. Cost Advantage: Starting at $5K/month, founders access senior dev talent without $200K+ full-time salaries. Best ICP Fit: Vertical SaaS companies at $1–10M ARR facing scaling issues or legacy migrations. Developer Productivity: Fraction leveraged its experience with over 100 clients to build DevHawk.ai, a tool that manages fractional talent and delivers results even more efficiently. This Interview Is Perfect For SaaS founders stuck at scaling challenges without a budget for big teams Bootstrappers and practical founders looking for senior engineering firepower Founders facing legacy code, scaling issues, or AI feature rollouts Non-technical founders struggling to manage offshore or junior dev teams Quote from Praveen Ghanta, founder of Fraction “There are a lot of very experienced engineers who get into a senior developer role, but if they're not going to become the manager of the team, there's not a really good and obvious career path for them. “They start to get bored because they know their job inside and out and it's relatively easy for them to keep delivering.  “So working on a startup on the side is actually a way for both for them to sort of enrich their career and see new things and have that creative satisfaction, but at the same time, not take the risk. There are plenty of folks that want to be full-time at the startup, but there's risk in being at a startup.”  Links Praveen Ghanta on LinkedIn Fraction on LinkedIn Fraction website (fraction.work) DevHawk website Podcast Sponsor – Fraction This podcast is sponsored by Fraction. Fraction gives you access to senior US-based engineers and CTOs — without full-time costs or hiring risks. Get 10 to 30 hours per week from vetted and experienced US-based talent. Find your next fractional senior engineer or CTO at fraction.work. You can start with a one-week, risk-free trial to test it out. The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com. Practical Founders CEO Peer Groups Be part of a committed and confidential group of practical founders creating valuable software companies without big VC funding.  A Practical Founders Peer Group is a committed and confidential group of founders/CEOs who want to help you succeed on your terms. Each Practical Founders Peer Group is personally curated and moderated by Greg Head.

Recently Alex Shandrovsky had me as a guest on his show, the Investment Climate Podcast to talk about The Better Meat Co.'s recent funding round. When it came out, more than one Business for Good listener heard it and told me they thought it would make a good episode to release to our audience too, so this episode is simply the conversation Alex and I had for his podcast. If you've been following the alternative protein sector (and the broader biotech sector), you've likely seen the wave of challenges that fermentation, cultivated, and plant-based startups have faced over the past few years. As recent AgFunder News reporting confirms, ag and food tech investment is at a decade-long low. One active food tech VC even declared that foodtech investing is “maybe as bad as it's ever been.” Some days, building a startup in our sector can feel like being a player in Squid Game—with about the same odds of survival. While layoffs, bankruptcies, shutdowns, and cash-free acquisitions have been rampant in our sector lately, BMC has never conducted layoffs. Instead we've always been very frugal, and we tightened our belt even further in the past year, all while continuing to make important progress toward our aspirations of slashing humanity's footprint on the planet. This has been true in the midst of the three-year litigation we endured, the collapse of our bank and subsequent (temporary) loss of all funds, the painfully wintry investment climate for alt-protein, and other seemingly innumerable challenges. Our ethic of frugality will certainly continue in this new era of scaleup for our company.  This financing is hardly the end of our story. Receiving investor dollars isn't our goal; it's solely a means to the end of building a profitable business that will help put a dent in the number of animals raised for food. Raising a round is akin to having someone provide the clothes, tents, and food you'll need to climb Everest…but you still need to actually go climb the mountain—hardly a guaranteed outcome.  I've often said these days that we've shifted from what felt like a Sispyphean feat of fundraising to now merely a Herculean feat of scaling. Nearly all startups fail. The vast majority never see their seventh birthday, which BMC recently celebrated. Our company is still far from successful, but we now have a real chance to birth into the world a novel crop that can help feed humanity without frying the planet. We will judiciously use these new funds to work hard to finally let the Rhiza River flow.  Alex and I discuss the story of how this funding round came about, and where we may be going from here. 

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with Mark Phillips of 11 Tribes, an early stage VC fund that invests in the care and resilience of its founders. Another notable difference is that the fund focuses on businesses and founders that are pursuing profitability within their business model and comfortable seeking exit opportunities between $75M-$250M. Learn more at https://11tribes.vc/ In this episode, we discuss Mark's journey to getting into VC and how his previous (failed) startup shaped his vision, how he had over 200 Zoom pitches to get to his first yes, why selling the vision and passion worked well for Fund I, how the narrative changed for Fund II, the critical importance of resilience, tips for landing Family Offices, and more. 11 Tribes most recently raised a $46 million for Fund II from 220 HNW investors and Family Offices. That follows a Fund I that was $11 million and largely sourced from around 80 HNW LPs. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

During this episode, Dr. Andrea Limbago, SVP of Applied AI at Interos, joins Santosh to discuss the evolving landscape of supply chain risk management. The conversation explores the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and geopolitics, highlighting recent high-profile supply chain disruptions and the growing complexity of global risks. Key topics include the importance of multi-source redundancy over single-source suppliers, the need to detect current risks while building predictive capabilities for the future, and the value of continuous verification of suppliers. Listeners will gain practical insights on how organizations can build resilience, leverage technology, and foster collaboration to better prepare for and respond to supply chain threats. You won't want to miss this great conversation.Highlights from their conversation include:Previewing Today's Topic and interos.ai (0:51)Andrea Background and Career Path (3:00)Defining Applied AI and Its Role in Supply Chain (4:19)Major Supply Chain Disruptions and Geopolitical Risks (6:06)Are We More at Risk for Future Supply Chain Attacks? (9:14)Leading Indicators and Data Challenges in Supply Chain (10:52)Supplier Visibility and Risk Tolerance Strategies (13:24)Simulation and Scenario Planning for Supply Chain Resilience (16:20)Cyber-Physical Weak Spots in Supply Chains (18:10)Hardening Supplier Processes and Cybersecurity Collaboration (20:55)Business Continuity and Employee Transitions (22:29)Quantifying and Managing Supply Chain Resilience (23:34)Rapid-Fire “This or That” Segment and Key Takeaways (24:50)Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up (26:21)Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups.Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(0:00) Intro(1:36) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel(2:23) Start of interview(3:11) Brad's origin story(4:54) Venture Capital Beginnings(5:39) The Rise of the Internet(8:10) His role in Softbank Technology Ventures and later Mobius Venture Capital. Reference to Heidi Roizen E6, E108 and E116(12:26) Transition to Techstars and Foundry(13:36) Origin and focus of his book Startup Boards. Reference to his blog post: Feld Thoughts. "Boards (and board members) for private companies operate on a bell curve" (some are excellent, some are horrific, and most are average).(15:31) The Evolution of Founder-Friendly Terms(30:06) Effective Board Composition(35:00) Defining a Great Board: the Board as a Team. Reference to Matt Blumberg's Rule of 1s: see E52 (2022)(38:05) "The goal of the board is to get different skill sets around the table" "I think a founder should fight against investors having additional observer seats."(41:13) Why he considers it a red flag when a director claims they're acting out of "fiduciary duty." *Reference to the Startup Litigation Digest(44:50) Governance concerns in the AI Boom(47:37) Books that have greatly influenced his life:Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig (1974)The entire pantheon of Neal Stephenson and William Gibson Science fiction written by female writers (as a category)Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons(50:05) His mentors: Len Fassler and his uncle, Charlie Feld.(51:55) Quotes that he thinks of often or lives his life by: from his Dad: "If you're not standing on the edge, you're taking up too much space.", from Len: "Brad, they can't kill you and they can't eat you. Suit up."(53:00) An unusual habit or an absurd thing that he loves. "I love philanthropically funding bathrooms." Also, the Banana Lounge at MIT.(55:38) The living person he most admires: his wife Amy Batchelor.Brad Feld has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur since 1987. He co-founded two venture capital firms, Foundry Group and Mobius Venture Capital, and multiple companies, including Techstars.  You can follow Evan on social media at:X: @evanepsteinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsteinevan/ Substack: https://evanepstein.substack.com/__To support this podcast you can join as a subscriber of the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at https://evanepstein.substack.com/__Music/Soundtrack (found via Free Music Archive): Seeing The Future by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Joshua Berkowitz of Berkocorp joins Earnest and Alexa to share his journey transitioning his family office from real estate to venture capital, offering candid insights on building relationships with top VC and PE managers, the importance of patience and long-term thinking, and the realities of portfolio construction. The discussion covers how to underwrite exceptional managers, the value of GP and LP recommendations, and the evolving landscape of venture, especially the rise of young founders and AI-driven startups. Listeners will also hear from Shane Goudey from Sidley on trends in fund formation and the current state of the venture market. Key takeaways include the need for genuine interest and commitment in venture investing, the benefits of a diversified yet opportunistic portfolio, practical advice for family offices considering this asset class, and so much more. Highlights from this week's conversation include:Joshua's Background and Transition From Real Estate to Venture Capital (0:12)Diversifying from Real Estate to Venture (1:43)Commitment and Learning Curve in Venture Capital (3:45)GP References vs. LP Recommendations (5:36)Reflections on First Investments & Portfolio Design (7:24)Deployment Strategy and Allocation Modeling (10:53)Fund Formation Market Trends and Sponsor's Perspective (16:21)Underwriting Individual GPs & What Makes a Good Manager (18:11)Suitability and Motivation for Family Offices in Venture (20:57)Return Expectations and Investment Strategy (24:55)Challenges with Fund Lives & Reclassifying Mature Assets (27:21)Trends: Resurgence of Young Founders & AI (29:45)Closing Thoughts and Next Steps for Berkocorp (33:11)Berkocorp is a Canadian family investment office managing a Vancouver-based real estate portfolio and actively backing top venture capital and private equity managers across North America. Led by Managing Principal Joshua Berkowitz, Berkocorp takes an independent, long-term approach to capital partnerships, with a portfolio spanning micro VCs to billion-dollar growth funds. Learn more at www.linkedin.com/company/berkocorp.Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com.Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on the Invest In Her podcast, host Catherine Gray talks with Jennifer Abele, founder and managing partner of Milwaukee-based venture capital firm VC 414. Jennifer co-founded VC 414 in 2023 with Raquel Filmanowicz, building a 100% women- and 50% Latina-owned firm focused on backing underdogs and outsiders who are poised to become market leaders. Their mission is to support early-stage startups founded by women and undercapitalized entrepreneurs, with a focus on vertical SaaS and AI companies driving both people and prosperity. Jennifer's impressive career includes serving as a public sector executive, water utility CEO, and higher education leader, with over two decades of leadership shaping transformative projects in Milwaukee. She also leads Kitsune Capital, her personal investment entity, and was named a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal. In this episode, Jennifer shares her journey from government leadership to venture capital, including how her experiences shaped her vision for creating opportunities in underrepresented communities. She and Catherine dive into the strategies VC 414 uses to identify promising founders, the importance of diversity in building stronger companies, and how investing in underestimated entrepreneurs can unlock overlooked returns. Jennifer also discusses balancing her role as an investor, community leader, and philanthropist while helping to reshape the future of business and innovation. https://www.showherthemoneymovie.com www.sheangelinvestors.com  https://vc414.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-abele-2859684/   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  

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today, we dive into the announcement of Ventech's Fund VI, which has closed at €175M — the firm's largest fund yet, with an impressive 95% LP re-up rate. To unpack it all, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Stephan Wirries, General Partner at Ventech. From AI and industrial software to European sovereignty and late-stage capital markets, Stephan shares how Ventech is positioning itself for the next decade — and why Europe still has structural gaps to fix if it wants to scale globally.

Travis and producer Eric break down one of the most polarizing topics in entrepreneurship: is it better to bootstrap a business, or raise outside capital? Drawing on personal experience and lessons from startup culture, Travis reveals the biggest mistakes founders make when chasing VC funding, why Silicon Valley's obsession with investment misleads so many, and the first principles everyone should use to decide how to launch any new company. On this episode we talk about:   The dangers and downsides of raising funding too early—even if the “checklist” seems to fit your business   Why bootstrapping builds discipline, pressure, and actual proof of concept (and how to get creative when money is tight)   When venture capital makes sense—and all the hidden costs of taking outside money, from loss of control to preferential contracts   How AI is changing the software startup equation, and shrinking the need to raise massive amounts of funding   Lessons learned from infamous failures (like Quibi) and the right ways to audit your business before chasing investment Top 3 Takeaways 1.  Bootstrapping is almost always the better first move; it boosts discipline, real market feedback, and keeps control in the founder's hands.2.  Raising outside capital adds pressure, complex contracts, and doesn't guarantee success; cash alone never fixes a business that lacks product-market fit.3.  Use trusted frameworks (like Reid Hoffman's Blitzscaling checklist), consult experienced founders, and remember: don't give away control unless it's truly required for growth. Notable Quotes   “If at all possible, bootstrap first—even just to prove your concept. Outside money makes everything more complicated.”   “Cash doesn't solve all your problems. There are usually bigger issues at play—product, marketing, market fit—that have nothing to do with funding volume.”   “The moment you take other people's money, it gets harder, not easier; discipline and focus will always win.” Connect with Travis Chappell:   LinkedIn: Travis Chappell on LinkedIn   Twitter/X: @travischappell   Instagram: @travischappell   Website: travischappell.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️

Yue Zhao's career began with aspirations rooted in a desire to help people, initially thinking she would become a doctor. However, her path led her into the tech industry, where she spent over 15 years as a product executive in Silicon Valley.  Discovering the power of executive and leadership coaching became a pivotal point in her career. Inspired by her experiences and driven by her commitment to support underrepresented groups, Yue transitioned from a tech executive to a full-time executive coach. She now focuses on advancing the careers of women and minorities by leveraging her unique insights and personal journey. Through her Substack newsletter, "The Uncommon Executive," and her coaching work, Yue shares valuable lessons on leadership, overcoming challenges, and creating more inclusive workplaces. Yue has coached hundreds of aspiring executives since 2016, is an instructor at Reforge and Maven and is the author of the Uncommon Executive: Breakthrough to the C-Suite as a Minority. She's also been a VC back founder, venture partner at Life X Ventures and a consultant at McKinsey and Company. Yue has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley    What You Will Hear in This Episode:    02:16 Youi's Journey: From Aspirations to Reality 03:52 Discovering Executive Coaching 06:22 Challenges and Triumphs in Silicon Valley 09:20 Leveraging Unique Perspectives 13:37 Coaching Women and Minorities 17:27 Addressing Gender Bias and DEI Efforts 22:03 Building a Web of Influence 23:04 Challenges in Career Advancement 25:03 The Importance of Advocacy and Relationships 33:24 Creating Inclusive Work Environments   Quotes “Being able to empathize with multiple different perspectives is crucial.” “Finding those moments where you can say, okay, who I am, and where I naturally come from, gives me a step up.” “If I do the work and I do it really well, that'll get me ahead.” “When you've been in environments where you see what great looks like, you're like, ‘This should just be everywhere.”   Mentioned: The Uncommon Executive subastack LinkedIn   eConnect with Bonnie Online Course for Ambitious Women: https://www.female-career-accelerator-online.com/ Substack Newsletter: Own Your Ambition Gendered Ageism Survey Results Forbes article 5 Tips to own the superpower of your age IAMMusicGroup   Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:    If you enjoyed this episode of Badass Women Podcast, then make sure to subscribe to the podcast and drop us a five-star review  

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Linn Clabburn, Head of CVC at Inter IKEA Group, and Destana Herring, Partner at Regeneration.VC, explore how corporates and VCs can partner with founders without overshadowing them.From aligning on objectives to translating “corporate scale” into startup reality, Linn and Destana share how trust, sparring, and clarity in the boardroom can make or break collaboration.

What if your PhD side project could turn into a multimillion-dollar acquisition in just five years—without going through endless VC rounds? What you'll discover… The crucial pivot that took Laser Depth Dynamics from medical imaging to manufacturing—and why it made all the difference How leveraging your university ecosystem can give you world-class R&D resources without the overhead Why empathy might be the most underrated skill for technical founders The role strategic partnerships played in landing Laser Depth Dynamics' very first customer How to prepare your company for acquisition from day one Where to find it… (2:00) From PhD research into optical coherence tomography to a startup idea (5:15) The big pivot: starting a technology business (8:00) Using the university ecosystem to develop and test prototypes (9:40) Strategic partnerships with IPG Photonics and securing first customers (13:40) Building marketing assets that engineers often overlook (19:05) Understanding product-market fit in B2B hard tech (25:10) Finding and cultivating early adopter customers (28:15) Funding strategies without heavy VC involvement (46:32) Leadership styles and growth over time (50:15) Preparing for acquisition and knowing when to sell More about the episode Turning cutting-edge research into a viable, market-ready product is never easy—especially in hard tech, where the path from prototype to profitability is often long and capital-intensive. But Paul Webster, Chief Technology Officer and General Manager at IPG Photonics Canada, managed to do just that with Laser Depth Dynamics, the company he co-founded while finishing his PhD at Queen's University. In this episode of Pioneers, host Peng-Sang Cau dives deep into Paul's journey from academic research to successful acquisition. You'll hear how he pivoted from medical imaging to manufacturing to shorten time-to-market, leveraged the resources of the university ecosystem to refine his prototype, and built strategic relationships—most notably with IPG Photonics—that fast-tracked his path to customers and growth. Paul also reveals how empathy, overbuilt hardware, and smart pricing decisions helped him win early adopters, how he avoided the common pitfalls of hard tech fundraising, and why preparing for acquisition starts on day one. For founders, investors, and innovators in deep tech, this episode offers a masterclass in turning research into a thriving business. Connect with us Peng-Sang Cau LinkedIn Website Paul Webster LinkedIn

In this raw episode of Rise and Play, we welcome back Ioana Hreninciuc, co-founder of Runware and former CPO at Huuuge Games and Homa Games. Ioana has held some of the biggest leadership roles in gaming and tech, and today she reflects openly on the founder journey, the highs and lows of VC-backed startups, and the importance of choosing yourself before burnout chooses you."It wasn't luck — it was luck with a lot of homework. Ten years of work led to that one call from Andreessen. But the real lesson is: you can build a company without losing yourself in the process. And if you feel you are — choose yourself first."From building side projects that went viral, to receiving that life-changing call from Andreessen Horowitz, to stepping away from her own company at the height of its momentum, Ioana shares the raw truths behind the glossy founder narrative.

Send us a text"RAISE CAPITAL LIKE A LEGEND: https://offer.fundraisecapital.co/free-ebook/"In this episode of Making Billions, I sit down with renowned leadership communication coach Dia Bondi to demystify the art of high-stakes fundraising. Forget everything you thought you knew about traditional pitching. Dia shares her groundbreaking insights on how to secure massive investment by using the "bold ask" and going for a "no." This masterclass in strategic asking reveals why emotional intelligence and powerful storytelling are your most valuable tools, not just the numbers on a spreadsheet. Whether you're a startup founder seeking seed funding or a private equity manager raising a new fund, this conversation provides a blueprint for effective communication & investor relations.Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTOe79EXLDsROQ0z3YLnu1QQConnect with Ryan Miller:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcmiller1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makingbillionspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_MakingBillonsWebsite: https://making-billions.com/[THE GUEST]: Dia Bondi is an expert in Leadership Communications, with two decades of experience coaching top CEOs, VC-backed founders, and innovators to speak powerfully and amplify their impact.  [THE HOST]: Ryan Miller is an Angel Support the showDISCLAIMER: The information in every podcast episode “episode” is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. By listening or viewing our episodes, you understand that no information contained in the episodes should be construed as legal or financial advice from the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal, financial, or tax counsel on any subject matter. No listener of the episodes should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, the episodes without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer, finance, tax, or other licensed person in the recipient's state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction. No part of the show, its guests, host, content, or otherwise should be considered a solicitation for investment in any way. All views expressed in any way by guests are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the show or its host(s). The host and/or its guests may own some of the assets discussed in this or other episodes, including compensation for advertisements, sponsorships, and/or endorsements. This show is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used as financial, tax, legal, or any advice whatsoever.

If your outbound is optimised for meetings, not conversations, you're burning cash and trust.We sit down with Joey Gilkey (CEO, Titan X) and Adem Manderovic (Closed Circuit Selling, CRO School) to rebuild B2B outbound so it actually drives revenue. We unpack why the SDR-AE factory failed, how to get 25% connect rates, and how to use first-party signals to guide timing, ads, and follow up.Joey shows why he pays SDRs to create completed conversations and rigorous disposition buckets. Adem explains cataloguing and channel validation so marketing stops guessing and starts planning around real timing. We dig into audience activation using opt-in texts and VSLs, and why “buyer intent” data isn't the shortcut you think it is.Tune in and learn:+ A practical B2B outbound strategy built on conversations and 6 disposition buckets+ Why the SDR-AE model and Predictable Revenue broke outbound (and what replaces it)+ Why pipeline coverage and meeting quotas mislead teams, and what to measure insteadThis is a must-watch if you're a B2B revenue leader. Stop chasing low-value meetings and start engineering high-value conversations that inform ads, timing, and deals.-----------------------------------------------------

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Morgan Housel is the New York Times Bestselling author of The Psychology of Money, Same As Ever, and The Art of Spending Money. His books have sold over 10million copies and have been translated into more than 60 languages. This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. Notes: Morgan dedicated The Art of Spending Money to "Kellie the Unicorn" (his sister Kellie) after she was diagnosed with colon cancer and asked him to fulfill her long-running joke request. Sometimes book dedications "mean nothing to the reader, but they can mean everything to the author." People Who Bet on You - Brian Richards (Motley Fool boss) bet on Morgan when he didn't have to, providing unconditional support for a mediocre college writer. Craig Shapiro (Collaborative Fund) pursued Morgan for months to join his tiny VC firm as a full-time blogger when it wasn't a business necessity. What money can't buy - Morgan once heard a story from a priest that he'll never forget… It's from a priest who delivers the last rites in hospitals. He described the difference between what kids say to their parents when they're about to die. The priest tells them to tell their parents what they're most grateful for… In families with lots of problems, the kids usually talk about something that costs money. In the best families, the ones with solid relationships, the kids say the same thing every time. “Thank you for believing in me.” Making vs. Spending Money - "There are literally tens of thousands of books written on how to make money... There are virtually no books written about how to spend money." Most people assume spending needs no guidance, but wealthy people often demonstrate this isn't true. The Internal vs. External Scoreboard - Donald Crowhurst (fake sailor who killed himself seeking external validation) vs. Bernard Moitessier (expert sailor who quit before winning to avoid attention and live authentically). Modern society pushes us toward Crowhurst's external validation while we actually want Moitessier's internal satisfaction. The simplest formula for a pretty nice life: independence plus purpose. The independence to do what you want, and the wisdom to want to do meaningful things. Chuck Feeney's Wealth Example - The duty-free store billionaire first lived the stereotypical rich lifestyle, realized he didn't like it, then chose to live modestly and give away $10 billion. "I was happy when I was giving money away, and I was not happy when I wasn't giving money away." Every Dollar of Debt - "Every dollar of debt that you have is a piece of your future that someone else owns." Debt narrows the range of outcomes you can endure in an unknowable future. Money and Happiness Research - Recent studies show that earning more money only helps if you're already happy, joyful, and content. For depressed, anxious people, more money doesn't improve well-being. "It leverages whoever you are in either direction." What Money Can't Buy - The book is "40% about how to spend money to make yourself happier and 60% about realizing what money cannot do for you." Relationships, health, and personal fulfillment must come first. “Comedians are the best thought leaders because they understand how the world works, but they want to make you laugh rather than making themselves feel smart.” "Nobody gives a shit about anything other than how you make them feel." Vacation - Morgan realized while building sandcastles with his kids on the beach in Maui (10/10 experience) that building Legos at home with them was almost as good (9/10). The real value was "uninterrupted time with my family," which required travel to avoid daily distractions but pointed to what actually mattered. Ambition - Morgan's career drive crystallized while kayaking past $25 million mansions on Lake Washington in 2010: "I need to work harder. I want one of those one day." This wasn't envy but ambition - though he notes the line between inspiration and envy is thin, especially once you know the person. A high savings rate is not "saving" but is "purchasing independence." Each saved dollar buys freedom to handle life's unknowable future without someone else's schedule dictating his choices. Why Spending Is Complicated People try to fill emotional holes with material purchases Society tells us what we should like, which may not align with our actual preferences We chase peer comparison rather than personal satisfaction We overestimate the social rewards of nice possessions The Independence Framework Save money not for retirement but for freedom to handle uncertainty Debt narrows your options when life throws curveballs Independence means being able to do what you want, with whom you want, for as long as you want The Internal Scorecard "No one's watching. No one's thinking about you." When people notice your possessions, they're either imagining themselves having them or envying you for them Neither response gives you the social validation you're seeking Use money to buy independence rather than others' admiration Relationship Investments Focus on what creates "uninterrupted time with people you love" Consider how purchases enable deeper connections (bigger kitchen for family dinners) vs. impressing others Remember that belief and support matter more than material provision Purpose Morgan's purpose became clear the moment he became a father: "There. That's it... I don't matter anymore. That's the only thing that matters right there." Purpose can be parenthood, work, religion, or community, but it needs to be bigger than yourself. "Comedians are the best thought leaders because they understand how the world works, but they want to make you laugh rather than making themselves feel smart." They deliver profound psychological and social insights while focusing on how they make you feel, not their own status. Regret -- Gerontologist Carl Pillemer interviewed 1,000 Americans aged 90-100. Not a single one said, "I wish I earned more money" or "I wish I worked harder." Nearly all said "I wish I spent more time with my kids" and "I wish I were nicer to my spouse." Inspiration vs. Envy -- Morgan credits James Clear as inspiration for "The Psychology of Money" and describes him as incredibly successful yet humble and kind. This creates pure inspiration without envy, unlike other successful writers whose personalities trigger competitive feelings.

如果我们的声音在未经允许的情况下被 AI 克隆并且使用了，法律会站在我们这边吗？ 这期节目是对上一期提出的「AI 克隆声音」议题在法律层面更深入的讨论，我们和郝元老师一起，分析了美国和中国正在发生或者已经结束的，在 AI 公司与人类创作者之间发生的相关案件。 版权、人格权，合理使用、合法授权……看似艰深的法律博弈背后，其实也是我们的社会在回答更深刻的问题：AI 时代，我们要如何理解和尊重「人类创造力」？创作民主化和创作者的个人权益保护，二者之间的平衡应该如何把握？ 本期人物 郝元，美国加州大学伯克利分校法学院讲师，伯克利亚洲知识产权法中心联席主任 徐涛，声动活泼联合创始人 主要话题 [10:19] 在不知情的情况下被克隆了声音，配音演员可以起诉 AI 公司吗？ [15:22] 隐私权和公开权，我们应该如何理解这一对镜像权利 [26:18] 什么是知识产权法中的「合理使用」？「合理」的边界在哪 [37:24] 以版权保护约束 AI：「过度保护」还是「为之计深远？」 延伸阅读 How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I. (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/technology/tech-giants-harvest-data-artificial-intelligence.html) 节目中提到的案件： - OpenAI 与 斯嘉丽·约翰逊（Scarlett Johansson） - 澎湃新闻：美国演员斯嘉丽称 OpenAI 未经同意刻意模仿其声音 (https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27451985) - 《纽约客》的一篇文章：Faux ScarJo and the Descent of the A.I. Vultures (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/faux-scarjo-and-the-descent-of-the-ai-vultures) - 《大西洋月刊》的一篇文章：OpenAI Just Gave Away the Entire Game (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/05/openai-scarlett-johansson-sky/678446/) - 《连线》的一篇文章：What Scarlett Johansson v. OpenAI Could Look Like in Court (https://www.wired.com/story/scarlett-johansson-v-openai-could-look-like-in-court/) - Lovo 与 配音演员 Paul Skye Lehrman 和 Linnea Sage - 法律基础 - 版权侵权和商标侵权的诉讼请求被驳回。 - 但基于纽约州州法 Civil Rights Law 中的 Right of Publicity（公开权）的诉讼请求被审理：Right of Publicity（公开权），每个人固有的权利，即控制姓名、肖像、声音、签名或其他个人识别特征的商业价值的权利。 - BBC 的一篇文章：「一家科技公司窃取了我们的声音，然后克隆并出售」 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d9zv50955o) - 《纽约时报》的一篇文章：当人工智能夺走你的声音时你会做什么？ (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/technology/ai-voice-clone-lawsuit.html) - Bartz v. Anthropic - Anthropic to pay authors $1.5B in landmark settlement over pirated chatbot training material (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/anthropic-to-pay-authors-1-5b-in-landmark-settlement-over-pirated-chatbot-training-material?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - https://www.bakerlaw.com/bartz-v-anthropic/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 「Knock Knock 世界｜秋季敲门版」上线啦！ Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/hlqVv_ii.png 新学期伊始，我们特别推出了「Knock Knock 世界｜秋季敲门版」，每期 10 分钟，和青少年一起解读一个全球新鲜事，话题涉及社会、科技、商业、文化。 - 更新时间：整个秋季学期，从 9 月 1 日开始到 1 月 30 日 - 期数：60 期 - 售价：179 元 前三期依然可以免费收听，其中包括我们在线下选题会和少年听友们一起制作的两期正式节目。点击收听 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/6899a9e12540fdafbd245d41) 已经购买了「Knock Knock 世界」的朋友们无需重复购买，秋季敲门版里的节目是全年节目的一小部分。不过，也欢迎把秋季敲门版分享给更多志同道合的新朋友，我们也为每一位帮助我们成功邀请的老听友准备了一份专属礼物！感兴趣的朋友可以点击链接收听。 给声东击西投稿 「声东击西」一直在寻找来自不同社会和群体的真实声音。我们曾经采访过为特朗普竞选生产 MAGA 帽子的中国制造商、记录过七位在美国大选中经历起伏的华人个体，也讲述了签证突然被取消的在美留学生的故事。 如果你也有一些特别的经历、观察或想法，不论是亲身体验的故事，还是你在某个行业、社区中的所见所闻，都欢迎你向我们投稿。 你的声音可能出现在未来的节目当中，我们非常期待你的分享！ 投稿入口 (https://eg76rdcl6g.feishu.cn/share/base/form/shrcne1CGVaSeJwtBriW6yNT2dg) 你也可以直接通过邮箱直接联系节目组：kexuan@shengfm.cn 加入我们 声动活泼目前开放【商业发展经理、节目监制，以及内容实习生（可远程）、早咖啡实习生、商业实习生和运营实习生】岗位，详情点击招聘入口：加入声动活泼（在招职位速览） (https://eg76rdcl6g.feishu.cn/docx/XO6bd12aGoI4j0xmAMoc4vS7nBh)，点击相应链接即可查看岗位详情及投递指南。 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/1TCNqViU.jpg 幕后制作 监制：可宣 内容实习生：飞扬 后期：赛德 运营：George 设计：饭团 商务合作 声动活泼商业化小队，点击链接可直达商务会客厅（商务会客厅链接：https://sourl.cn/QDhnEc ），也可发送邮件至 business@shengfm.cn 联系我们。 关于声动活泼 「用声音碰撞世界」，声动活泼致力于为人们提供源源不断的思考养料。 我们还有这些播客：不止金钱（2024 全新发布） (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/65a625966d045a7f5e0b5640)、跳进兔子洞第三季（2024 全新发布） (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/666c0ad1c26e396a36c6ee2a)、声东击西 (https://etw.fm/episodes)、声动早咖啡 (https://sheng-espresso.fireside.fm/)、What's Next｜科技早知道 (https://guiguzaozhidao.fireside.fm/episodes)、反潮流俱乐部 (https://fanchaoliuclub.fireside.fm/)、泡腾 VC (https://popvc.fireside.fm/)、商业WHY酱 (https://msbussinesswhy.fireside.fm/) 欢迎在即刻 (https://okjk.co/Qd43ia)、微博等社交媒体上与我们互动，搜索 声动活泼 即可找到我们。 也欢迎你写邮件和我们联系，邮箱地址是：ting@sheng.fm 获取更多和声动活泼有关的讯息，你也可以扫码添加声小音，在节目之外和我们保持联系！ 声小音 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/hdvzQQ2r.png Special Guest: 郝元.

Between the bold predictions, VC economics, and rising usage-patterns are stories of limited ROIs, undefined use-cases and associated job losses. AI is in an awkward phase of maturity and it's not clear how it will evolve into the next phase. SHOW: 962SHOW TRANSCRIPT: The Cloudcast #962 TranscriptSHOW VIDEO: https://youtube.com/@TheCloudcastNET CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK: http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST: "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW SPONSORS:[TestKube] TestKube is Kubernetes-native testing platform, orchestrating all your test tools, environments, and pipelines into scalable workflows empowering Continuous Testing. Check it out at TestKube.io/cloudcast[Interconnected] Interconnected is a new series from Equinix diving into the infrastructure that keeps our digital world running. With expert guests and real-world insights, we explore the systems driving AI, automation, quantum, and more. Just search “Interconnected by Equinix”.SHOW NOTES:THE SPECTRUM OF AIThe early years of the Internet, we tried to replicate physical-based activitiesThe early years of the Internet, the whole industry/world-economy wasn't depending on “the next thing”The early years of AI, “the leaders” are talking about curing cancer and double human longevityCloud had “lift and shift”; AI has “get everyone a GenAI license”Where is the middle? Where is the rational discussion?Massive FundingMassive # of Consumer UsersFrom Ed to Sam, from Dario to Satya, from Jensen to Larry …. Big spectrums of opinionsUnprofitable (except NVIDIA, Broadcom)Near monopoly of GPUs by NVIDIAEvery couple months, the landscape seems to shift (OpenAI partners, Leading models, Questionable Enterprise ROI - lots of “we gave everyone GenAI, but we don't know how to measure it”Companies are laying off workers, or avoiding hiring because of promises of AIUnknown “killer” use-cases beyond chatbots, therapy, developer-assistants, writing, document handlingToday's mantra is “Rub some AI Agents on it”FEEDBACK?Email: show at the cloudcast dot netTwitter/X: @cloudcastpodBlueSky: @cloudcastpod.bsky.socialInstagram: @cloudcastpodTikTok: @cloudcastpod

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures, and Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, on what it really takes to design, launch, and evolve corporate venture capital programs that endure.They explore how corporates can balance financial credibility with strategic impact, why governance and structure matter, and how to bridge the cultural gap between startups and corporates. From KPIs and deal flow to long-term commitment, this is a masterclass in building CVCs that deliver more than returns.Here's whats covered:00:00 Building a CVC program is more than financial—it's a cultural shift.01:00 Exploitation vs. exploration — balancing today's business with tomorrow's bets.02:00 The role of funds, reserves, and acting like financial VCs to gain credibility.04:00 Gina's “CVC as a service” model — how Emerald engages with multiple corporates.05:00 Why corporates must commit resources to both financial and strategic value creation.06:00 Engagement processes — KPIs, partnerships, and designing for tangible outcomes.07:00 Mining deal flow — helping corporates benefit even from startups not invested in.08:00 Deliverables matter — deal flow, pilots, KPIs, and leadership pressure for follow-through.09:00 Investor + consultant? Or financial + strategic VC? — the real identity of CVCs.

Tựa Đề: Cầu Nguyện Và Cầu Thay; Kinh Thánh: 1 Giăng 5:14-21; Tác Giả: Mục Sư Nguyễn Thỉ; Loạt Bài: Hội Thánh Tin Lành Orange

Ever felt like you're hustling so hard that you're slowly burning out—but you keep pushing because that's what entrepreneurs are “supposed” to do?In this episode of the Happy Hustle Podcast, I sit down with Jesse's Fireside Chat, and I share my personal story of burnout, reinvention, and building what I now call The Happy Hustle.We dive into the turning point in my life when I walked away from a high-flying tech startup career in New York City, with big VC backing, partnerships with giants like Microsoft and IBM, and a public exit on the horizon because deep down, I was empty. I was “successful” on paper but completely out of alignment: no sleep, no joy, and relationships falling apart. That decision to say “no” and pivot to a life in harmony was the seed that grew into The Happy Hustle, a bestselling book, top 0.5% podcast, and thriving community that now helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs systematically harmonize ambition and well-being.In this conversation, Jesse and I talk about what it really takes to recognize burnout, the lessons I learned rebuilding my life in Bangkok, and the tools I now share with others through masterminds, events, and the S.O.U.L.M.A.P.P.I.N' system. It's real, raw, and hopefully relatable for anyone who's grinding without fulfillment.Here are a few of the big takeaways you'll hear in this episode:Burnout is a signal, not a badge of honor. Recognizing the stress, anxiety, and overwhelm for what it is can be the first step toward change.Commit to the process, not the stats. I promised myself 200 podcast episodes, no matter who listened and that discipline became the foundation of the show's success.Balance requires intention. The S.O.U.L.M.A.P.P.I.N' framework is my personal operating system for staying aligned.Community is the cure for isolation. Masterminds and retreats aren't just events—they're powerful spaces to be vulnerable, connect, and grow with like-minded entrepreneurs.Good and done beats perfect and never finished. Whether it's publishing a book, launching a business, or making a big pivot, action trumps perfection every time.If you've ever wondered how to build a business without sacrificing your health, relationships, or joy, this episode will hit home. Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a free copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance https://www.thehappyhustle.com/bookSign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Coursehttps://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventurehttps://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/“It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”Episode Sponsors:If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body actually needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all nightIf you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF.99 Designs- Need a killer logo, stunning website, or next-level brand design?Stop DIY-ing and start delegating like a boss with 99designs by Vista! Neurable- If you're looking to level up your focus, productivity, and mental well-being all at once, do yourself a favor and check out Neurable. You get a special hookup—just use the code HAPPY at checkout and get $100 off.

In this replay, I'm on the other side of the mic, as I'm interviewed by Joe Magyer, the founder of Seaplane Ventures. This is a wide-ranging conversation where we talk about the Fed rate cut, cover different asset classes including VC, PE, Fixed Income, and Public Equities, and my journey in building Canopy Capital. This episode first appeared on the Investing in Startups podcast hosted by Joe, which I highly recommend you check out. Please enjoy this conversation with Joe Magyer. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page HERE. ----- Making Markets is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Markets, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @makingmkts | @ericgoldenx Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes (00:00:00) Welcome to Making Markets (00:00:19) Overview of Canopy Capital (00:00:44) The Evolution of Asset Management (00:01:54) The Importance of Tax Individualized Investing (00:02:44) Starting the Podcast Journey (00:03:16) Crypto: From Skepticism to Interest (00:04:18) Exploring Various Asset Classes (00:06:08) Challenges and Rewards of Podcasting (00:11:12) Competitiveness in Different Asset Classes (00:16:38) Insights on Venture Capital (00:22:59) Building a Venture-Backed Company (00:24:18) The Founder's Dilemma: Risk and Innovation (00:25:17) A Career at Fidelity: Reflections and Decisions (00:27:17) The Transition: From Intrapreneur to Entrepreneur (00:30:21) Market Insights: The Fed and Economic Cycles (00:36:27) Investment Strategies: Observing and Predicting (00:39:40) Web3 and Crypto: Future Prospects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Morins this week—just Jess and Sam, trading Gossip Girl “dear listener” asides for a tour of tech's new power map. From Meta's in-store glasses push to Apple's “Find My” doubling as Gen Z's stealth social network, the real story is how distribution and lock-in shape the future. Sam frames “mercantilism 2.0,” where global trade routes of capital now run through Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh, with figures like Elon Musk and Sam Altman acting as brokers of $10B+ flows.In true Sam fashion, the conversation highlights why LLMs aren't true moats, pointing instead to the infrastructure layer (chips, power, data centers) and the UX layer (distribution, product polish). Nvidia's securitized GPU deals illustrate how structured finance and alliances are reshaping competition.The takeaway: early-stage VC may finally be moving past hype, becoming sober—and therefore interesting—again.Chapters:02:02 – Meta Ray-Bans: friction as onboarding strategy05:31 – Mercantilism 2.0: Tech's new trade routes07:56 – Elon's real genius: moving $10B+ into frontier tech09:27 – Sam Altman as mega-capital trade-route broker12:40 – Starlink V3 and the network-layer power shift16:08 – Could Elon own planetary communications?18:35 – Find My = stealth social network21:04 – Strategy assets over DCF: power, data centers, chips23:41 – LLMs aren't the moat; moats shift lower/higher27:44 – AI's expense revives structured finance30:56 – Nvidia as the East India Company of compute33:50 – Will a handful of players control all the assets?39:57 – Early-stage VC is sober (and exciting) again43:05 – TikTok's heat moved to AI: the attention shiftWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Colton Pace is a founder and currently the CEO of Ownwell, a Proptech company dedicated to democratizing access to real estate expertise and reducing the hidden costs of homeownership. Under his leadership, Ownwell helps homeowners and property owners identify and appeal overvalued property taxes, reduce insurance and utility costs, and manage other home‑related expenses through data, automation, and local expert teams. Before founding Ownwell, Colton served as an investor, asset manager, and venture capitalist, helping manage billions of dollars across various asset classes. He was part of funds that made early investments in companies such as Uber, Spotify, Redfin, Snowflake, UiPath, Zuora, and Grab. (01:05) - VC to PropTech Founder(03:10) - $797B Property Tax Problem(04:48) - Ownwell Traction: 700K+ Homes and SMB/CRE(06:18) - AI Plus 80 Consultants: How Appeals Get Done(08:50) - Success Rates and Savings: Residential vs Commercial(11:27) - Portfolio Case Study: 124 SFR Properties in Texas(13:45) - Valuation Methods and Local Differences(16:13) - Market Size: $50 to 60B Opportunity(17:29) - Feature: CREtech - Join CREtech New York 2025 on Oct 21-22 for the largest Real Estate Meetings program. Qualified Real Estate pros get free full event pass plus up to $800 in travel and hotel costs. (19:02) - Beyond Taxes: Insurance, Loans, Utilities, Concierge (21:30) - Building Trust with Homeowners and CRE Owners (24:03) - Advice for PropTech Founders Selling into Real Estate (26:49) - Collaboration Superpower: Matthew McConaughey

From English major to billion-dollar entrepreneur, Lindsay Kaplan shares how her creativity, rebellious spirit, and refusal to follow the rules led her to co-found Chief, the premier network for executive women.Lindsay's journey is anything but traditional. She began her career with dreams of writing novels, moved into publishing and magazines, and then found herself on the cutting edge of digital marketing during the early days of Facebook and Foursquare. Her storytelling expertise eventually brought her to Casper, where she became a founding team member, built global campaigns, and helped turn a mattress startup into a cultural phenomenon. But it was her partnership with Carolyn Childers that sparked her biggest leap, co-founding Chief, now a billion-dollar company reshaping what leadership looks like for women at the VP and C-suite levels.In our conversation, Lindsay opened up about the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership path, from building credibility as a nontraditional founder, to navigating the challenges of co-founding a VC-backed company, to realizing when it was time to step into a board role to protect her own health and longevity. She emphasizes the importance of finding co-founders who share your values, the realities of burnout that often accompany leadership, and why flexibility, not perks, is the true key to retaining women in executive roles.What stands out most about Lindsay is her deep commitment to creating spaces where women leaders can both give and receive mentorship. Chief was built on the belief that even the most senior leaders need support, and Lindsay's story is a powerful reminder that community is not a luxury — it's a necessity. Listeners will walk away inspired by her candid reflections on career evolution, her practical wisdom on building and scaling companies, and her fierce advocacy for women at the top of their fields.This is an episode you won't want to miss! Tune in and hear Lindsay's incredible story of creativity, resilience, and leadership redefined.Chapters

Anthony Pierri and Rob Kaminski are the co-founders of Fletch, a positioning strategy firm for B2B SaaS companies. They started Fletch after observing that most founders often confuse positioning with copywriting and marketing, and built their business by helping SaaS leaders make the tough, strategic choices about who they serve and how they win. Over the last three years, Anthony and Rob have collaborated with over 400 SaaS companies, ranging from early-stage startups to rapidly growing companies. Fletch helps founders and B2B SaaS leaders clarify their positioning, sharpen their messaging, and translate strategy into effective homepage design. In our practical discussion, they help founders see that positioning is a business strategy, not copywriting, which forces clarity and tradeoffs to improve execution. They share why founders must (eventually) choose one clear path to scale efficiently and why bootstrapped SaaS leaders often make sharper bets than VC-backed peers. Key Takeaways Positioning = Strategy: Positioning is a founder/CEO choice, not copywriting or branding. Almost Universal Problem: Most B2B SaaS founders struggle with positioning clarity. Anchors Drive Focus: Use category, use case, or alternative as clear positioning anchors. Bootstrappers Move Faster: Limited capital forces clarity that VC-backed companies delay. Execution Takes Time: Positioning decisions are quick, but discipline drives results. Homepage Test: Your homepage clearly reveals whether positioning is working or not. This Interview Is Perfect For SaaS founders stuck at $1M–$10M ARR growth plateaus Bootstrapped operators needing sharper messaging to scale Founders unclear about marketing vs positioning strategy B2B SaaS CEOs rethinking go-to-market focus Quote from Dave Yuan, founder of Tidemark Capital “There is a difference between bootstrappers and VC-funded startup founders in successfully positioning their startups. Bootstrappers are willing to see a narrow opportunity and tackle it with focus, because almost every market is big enough to sustain a $10 million company. “I don't care how narrow you get, the world's a big place. So even with a hyper-focused, verticalized niche, or use case play, there's plenty of money if you do it well and that's very appealing to bootstrappers. “Most VC-funded founders don't focus as well, which creates problems. But the founders who truly understand positioning and the idea that it can evolve over time, whether they're venture backed or not, they start with a very narrow practice to start and succeed as a leader. “ Links Anthony Pierri on LinkedIn Rob Kaminski on LinkedIn Fletch Website Podcast Sponsor – Cypress Growth Capital This podcast is sponsored by Cypress Growth Capital, an alternative to equity, royalty-based growth capital provides funding in exchange for a fixed percentage of your company's future monthly revenues. Learn more at https://www.cypressgrowthcapital.com/ The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com. Practical Founders CEO Peer Groups Be part of a committed and confidential group of practical founders creating valuable software companies without big VC funding.  A Practical Founders Peer Group is a committed and confidential group of founders/CEOs who want to help you succeed on your terms. Each Practical Founders Peer Group is personally curated and moderated by Greg Head.

如果有一天，你突然在网上听到了自己的声音，但却并不记得曾经亲口说过这些话，你的感受会是怎样的？ 这样的事情已经在发生了。不知道你有没有听过由 AI 克隆出来的人声？今天，它们听起来已经足够逼真，几乎到了可以以假乱真的程度。对一些播客主播（包括我们自己），和配音演员们来说，这也意味着他们的声音可能已经被复制、被传播，甚至被用在他们从未同意过的场景里。而普通人可能也面临同样的风险。 在这期节目里，我们就从我们自己的困惑出发，试图做一些初步探索。我们有和同行去进行一些讨论，也聊了聊发生在中国和美国的两起与 AI 声音有关的前沿案件：中美的法律在这个领域都是如何适用的？涉案的中国当事人和律师，他们的思考和行动是怎样的？最后的判决结果如何？ 声音，不只是承载信息的媒介，也是我们身份和人格的延伸。当技术的发展和规则的滞后相遇，个人能做的选择、能守护的界限，又会在哪里？ 本期人物 杨大壹，播客《文化有限》《多多指教》主播 郝元，美国加州大学伯克利分校法学院讲师，伯克利亚洲知识产权法中心联席主任 Ivy，配音演员 任相雨，北京市中勤律师事务所律师 赛德，「声东击西」后期制作人 Mengyi，「声动早咖啡」主播 徐涛，声动活泼联合创始人 主要话题 [07:30] 当被提问是否要把自己的声音交给 AI 时，我们在思考什么 [10:28] 中国播客声音 AI 化，谁是第一个吃螃蟹的人？ [18:07] 当配音演员听到 AI 使用自己未经授权的声音：发生在中美的两起诉讼 [24:16] 中国的 AI 声音第一案：当事人、律师采取的行动和案件的结果 延伸阅读 - 案件一：OpenAI 与 斯嘉丽·约翰逊（Scarlett Johansson） - 澎湃新闻：美国演员斯嘉丽称 OpenAI 未经同意刻意模仿其声音 (https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27451985) - 《纽约客》的一篇文章：Faux ScarJo and the Descent of the A.I. Vultures (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/faux-scarjo-and-the-descent-of-the-ai-vultures) - 《大西洋月刊》的一篇文章：OpenAI Just Gave Away the Entire Game (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/05/openai-scarlett-johansson-sky/678446/) - 《连线》的一篇文章：What Scarlett Johansson v. OpenAI Could Look Like in Court (https://www.wired.com/story/scarlett-johansson-v-openai-could-look-like-in-court/) - 案件二：Lovo 与 配音演员 Paul Skye Lehrman 和 Linnea Sage - 法律基础 - 版权侵权和商标侵权的诉讼请求被驳回。 - 但基于纽约州州法 Civil Rights Law 中的 Right of Publicity（公开权）的诉讼请求被审理：Right of Publicity（公开权），每个人固有的权利，即控制姓名、肖像、声音、签名或其他个人识别特征的商业价值的权利。 - BBC 的一篇文章：「一家科技公司窃取了我们的声音，然后克隆并出售」 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d9zv50955o) - 《纽约时报》的一篇文章：当人工智能夺走你的声音时你会做什么？ (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/technology/ai-voice-clone-lawsuit.html) - 案件三：国内首例「AI声音侵权案」 - 法律基础 - 《民法典》第 990 条：「人格权是民事主体享有的生命权、身体权、健康权、姓名权、名称权、肖像权、名誉权、荣誉权、隐私权等权利。」 - 《民法典》第 1023 条：「对自然人声音的保护，参照适用肖像权保护的有关规定。」也就是说，对自然人声音的保护参照适用肖像权的保护，明确将声音权益作为特殊的人格利益予以保护。 - 《民法典》对肖像权的部分规定： - 第 1018 条　自然人享有肖像权，有权依法制作、使用、公开或者许可他人使用自己的肖像。 - 第 1019 条　任何组织或者个人不得以丑化、污损，或者利用信息技术手段伪造等方式侵害他人的肖像权。未经肖像权人同意，不得制作、使用、公开肖像权人的肖像，但是法律另有规定的除外。未经肖像权人同意，肖像作品权利人不得以发表、复制、发行、出租、展览等方式使用或者公开肖像权人的肖像。 - 北京政法网：全国首例 AI 生成声音人格权侵权案一审宣判 (https://www.bj148.org/yck/zzdt/202405/t20240510_1664690.html) - 人民日报：全国首例「AI 声音侵权案」宣判带来何种警示 (https://paper.people.com.cn/zgcsb/html/2024-04/29/content_26055200.htm) 往期节目 #280 美国权力的运转，奥本海默，中东冲突和一位传记作家 | 中文版 (https://etw.fm/2082) 「Knock Knock 世界｜秋季敲门版」上线啦！ Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/hlqVv_ii.png 新学期伊始，我们特别推出了「Knock Knock 世界｜秋季敲门版」，每期 10 分钟，和青少年一起解读一个全球新鲜事，话题涉及社会、科技、商业、文化。 - 更新时间：整个秋季学期，从 9 月 1 日开始到 1 月 30 日 - 期数：60 期 - 售价：179 元 前三期依然可以免费收听，其中包括我们在线下选题会和少年听友们一起制作的两期正式节目。点击收听 (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/6899a9e12540fdafbd245d41) 已经购买了「Knock Knock 世界」的朋友们无需重复购买，秋季敲门版里的节目是全年节目的一小部分。不过，也欢迎把秋季敲门版分享给更多志同道合的新朋友，我们也为每一位帮助我们成功邀请的老听友准备了一份专属礼物！感兴趣的朋友可以点击链接收听。 给声东击西投稿 「声东击西」一直在寻找来自不同社会和群体的真实声音。我们曾经采访过为特朗普竞选生产 MAGA 帽子的中国制造商、记录过七位在美国大选中经历起伏的华人个体，也讲述了签证突然被取消的在美留学生的故事。 如果你也有一些特别的经历、观察或想法，不论是亲身体验的故事，还是你在某个行业、社区中的所见所闻，都欢迎你向我们投稿。 你的声音可能出现在未来的节目当中，我们非常期待你的分享！ 投稿入口 (https://eg76rdcl6g.feishu.cn/share/base/form/shrcne1CGVaSeJwtBriW6yNT2dg) 你也可以直接通过邮箱直接联系节目组：kexuan@shengfm.cn 加入我们 声动活泼目前开放【商业发展经理、节目监制，以及内容实习生（可远程）、早咖啡实习生、商业实习生和运营实习生】岗位，详情点击招聘入口：加入声动活泼（在招职位速览） (https://eg76rdcl6g.feishu.cn/docx/XO6bd12aGoI4j0xmAMoc4vS7nBh)，点击相应链接即可查看岗位详情及投递指南。 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/1TCNqViU.jpg 幕后制作 监制：可宣 内容实习生：飞扬 后期：赛德 运营：George 设计：饭团 商务合作 声动活泼商业化小队，点击链接可直达商务会客厅（商务会客厅链接：https://sourl.cn/QDhnEc ），也可发送邮件至 business@shengfm.cn 联系我们。 关于声动活泼 「用声音碰撞世界」，声动活泼致力于为人们提供源源不断的思考养料。 我们还有这些播客：不止金钱（2024 全新发布） (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/65a625966d045a7f5e0b5640)、跳进兔子洞第三季（2024 全新发布） (https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/podcast/666c0ad1c26e396a36c6ee2a)、声东击西 (https://etw.fm/episodes)、声动早咖啡 (https://sheng-espresso.fireside.fm/)、What's Next｜科技早知道 (https://guiguzaozhidao.fireside.fm/episodes)、反潮流俱乐部 (https://fanchaoliuclub.fireside.fm/)、泡腾 VC (https://popvc.fireside.fm/)、商业WHY酱 (https://msbussinesswhy.fireside.fm/) 欢迎在即刻 (https://okjk.co/Qd43ia)、微博等社交媒体上与我们互动，搜索 声动活泼 即可找到我们。 也欢迎你写邮件和我们联系，邮箱地址是：ting@sheng.fm 获取更多和声动活泼有关的讯息，你也可以扫码添加声小音，在节目之外和我们保持联系！ 声小音 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/hdvzQQ2r.png Special Guests: Ivy, 任相雨, 杨大壹, 赛德, and 郝元.

This week, Peter is joined by Yohei Nakajima, founding partner of Untapped VC and one of the most forward-thinking investors in the AI space. Known for his public experiments with AI agents and automations, Yohei shares his radically different approach to venture capital: investing from the top down.Yohei explains how he uses the social networking site X and his AI community, Baby AGI, to map market trends, develop a unique conviction, and source founders, flipping the traditional referral-based VC model on its head. He also dives deep into his personal quest to automate the mundane parts of the investor workflow, what he's learned from building an AI version of himself, and what parts of the job can never be replaced by a machine.This episode is a look into the future of venture capital, packed with insights on building a differentiated brand, why founders should lean into their strengths, and how AI is changing what it means to be an early-stage investor.Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/00:00 – Intro: A top-down approach to VC01:45 – Why top-down investing is Untapped's core thesis02:24 – How to build unique conviction as an investor04:15 – Using a public audience to source and vet founders05:02 – Why don't more pre-seed VCs do outbound sourcing?06:29 – How defensible are today's fast-growing AI companies?08:00 – The "hobbyist" VC: How genuine joy becomes a differentiator09:15 – The surprising bottleneck of automating your own job10:48 – What is a VC's core value when tasks are automated?11:45 – The parts of the VC job that should never be automated13:20 – Lessons from building an AI version of yourself to advise founders14:12 – How much of VC advice is standardized?15:40 – Why innovating on portfolio construction is so difficult17:18 – How AI experiments can provide value back to LPs19:03 – Pitching an AI-native VC: How to stand out20:31 – Why are so many founders building the same thing?22:24 – Does a "breakout" launch signal a company's potential?23:56 – Should founders focus on their strengths or weaknesses?25:18 – A pre-seed take on today's frothy AI valuations26:49 – Inside the VC mindset: Why investors can be surprisingly risk-averse28:04 – Are accelerators still useful for early-stage founders?30:15 – The San Francisco question: Do you still need to be there?32:48 – How pre-seed founders are thinking about their capital strategy37:25 – Why haven't more VC funds automated their own operations?38:52 – Acting as a one-man R&D department for the VC industry41:28 – The next big trend in AI: Context management and memory44:23 – The future of Untapped: From a single fund to a VC platform?47:11 – Who should be a VC that isn't one today?49:10 – The most creative way an investor can add valueThis presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2025 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

Bridging Home, Family, and Health Plans: Avanlee Christine on Caregiver-First Health Innovation StartUp Health community member Avanlee Christine, CEO & Co-founder of Avanlee Care, joins Unity Stoakes on StartUp Health NOW to share how a pivot from fundraising to customer development unlocked product traction, investor interest, and partnerships with innovative health plans. From Billings, Montana, Avanlee explains why integrating unpaid family caregivers into care workflows improves outcomes, raises satisfaction, and helps Medicare Advantage plans do more with less. In this episode: How shifting focus from pitching to building sparked inbound VC interest, including the first venture investor Why 60% of Medicare Advantage members rely on informal caregivers, and how formalizing that communication closes gaps Practical ways caregiver engagement boosts stars, adherence, annual wellness visits, and CAHPS Lessons from scaling a health tech company in Montana, with support from mentors and investors like Esther Dyson Real talk on resilience, motherhood, team building, and staying alive through tough cycles What health plan leaders, quality and risk teams, and investor partners should know about Avanlee Care right now Listen for: Simple, structured steps health plans can take to bring caregivers into the loop A founder's playbook for surviving early years, finding product-market fit, and creating momentum outside traditional tech hubs     Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world's biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you're mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and apply today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Welcome to the first episode of Let's Grow with It! I went from being a full-time influencer to building a profitable, multi-million dollar SaaS company in under a year — but it didn't start that way. In this first episode of Just Grow With It, I'm walking you through the full story of how I turned an idea into a real business. From creating content in high school, to launching a failed product, to raising VC funding and relaunching with clarity — this is the real, unfiltered version of the journey.If you're a founder, creator, or someone sitting on an idea, this one's for you. We'll cover the lessons I learned about finding cofounders, making your first hire, building the wrong thing, pivoting quickly, and why being naive might actually be your biggest advantage.This episode is here to break down the growing pains of entrepreneurship — and how sometimes, you just need to grow with it. 00:00 - Introduction and Overview 02:39 - Journey from Influencer to Entrepreneur 03:53 - Squarespace 05:21 - My Early Business Ventures 07:38 - Transition to Full-Time Influencer 09:40 - Starting My Social Media Agency 11:22 - Birth of Rella 17:29 - Building the Team and Raising Capital 20:42 - Pivoting to Rella 2.0 24:38 - Closing Thoughts Sign up for my newsletter: https://thegrowthlist.beehiiv.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape.Welcome back to another episode of Venture Unlocked, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the business of venture capital.In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mercedes Bent about her fascinating journey from a tech-driven upbringing to becoming a leading venture capitalist. We discussed how her unique background informs her investment philosophy and the importance of originality and non-consensus thinking in today's VC landscape. Our conversation also covered the challenges and opportunities in consumer technology, the transformative impact of AI, and strategies for portfolio construction. One of my key takeaways was the critical role of intuition in identifying exceptional founders, as well as the value of building compounding networks and staying ahead of platform shifts. It was an insightful discussion that offered practical lessons for anyone interested in the future of venture capital. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Thanks for listening to another episode of Venture Unlocked. We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Mercedes. If you'd like to get Venture Unlocked content straight to your inbox, go to ventureunlocked.substack.com and sign up, or go to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe. Thanks again for listeningAbout Mercedes BentMercedes Bent is a Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners and Co-Founder of venture firm Premise. At Lightspeed, she focused on early-stage investments in consumer, fintech, multicultural markets, and Latin America. She began her career at the Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs before moving into the education technology sector with General Assembly. At General Assembly, she helped expand one of the company's key product lines from $2M to $100M in revenue over four years. She joined Lightspeed in 2019 after developing a strong investment perspective in areas such as edtech, VR, and multicultural consumer products. At Lightspeed, she has invested in and worked with companies including Stori, Honeylove, Forage, Magic Eden, Outschool, and Flink. She has also been recognized in industry publications for her contributions to venture capital and efforts to broaden access to entrepreneurship.Lightspeed Venture Partners, founded in 2000, is a global venture capital firm managing over $25 billion in assets with offices across the U.S., Europe, Israel, India, and Southeast Asia. The firm invests from seed to growth stage across enterprise, consumer, fintech, healthcare, and emerging tech. Over the years, Lightspeed has backed more than 500 companies, including Snap, MuleSoft, Affirm, Carta, and Anthropic, and has been part of notable exits like AppDynamics and Nest. With a strong record of helping founders scale and succeed, Lightspeed is recognized as a leading partner for building category-defining companies.During the conversation, we discussed:* Mercedes's Background, Upbringing, and Early Career (1:45)* How Background Informed Firm Values/Culture (4:19)* The Gap in Consumer Technology Investing & Identifying Founders (8:40)* Non-Consensus Investing in Early Stage VC (10:01)* Startup Mentality and KPIs in Fund Management (15:06)* Sourcing vs. Winning Seed Deals – What Matters? (16:19)* Seed Manager vs. Large Fund Business Models (21:21)* Gifted TVPI vs. Earned TVPI, Portfolio Philosophy (26:22)* Consumer Sector's VC Downturn & New Tech Cycles (32:21)* The AI Consumer Technology Wave & Opportunity (35:33)* Identifying Product-Market Pull and Early Leading Indicators (37:08)* Shifts in Distribution Channels in AI (40:09)* Future-casting, Platform Shifts, and AI Companions (43:50)* Lessons from Years in VC & Trusting Intuition (44:27)* Final Thoughts and Takeaways (47:46)I'd love to know what you took away from this conversation with Mercedes. Follow me @SamirKaji and give me your insights and questions with the hashtag #venture unlocked. If you'd like to be considered as a guest or have someone you'd like to hear from (GP or LP), drop me a direct message on X. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ventureunlocked.substack.com