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This book names people who I knew or knew of in Silicon Valley. It is a reaction to the author's time at Kleiner Perkins Caulfield and Byers. He was part of the team that financed Google and co-founded Drugstore.com during the dot-com frenzy. He was actively involved with Jeff Bezos at Amazon. The prevailing wisdom was simple: raise as much capital as possible, scale at breakneck speed, and worry about profitability later. At the heart of the book is the Evergreen model, a philosophy of building companies that last “and last and last.” Whorton outlines the Evergreen 7Ps® framework, which includes:• Purpose: A mission beyond personal wealth creation.• Perseverance: Commitment to long-term endurance.• People First: Prioritizing employees, customers, and communities.• Profitability: Growth funded through cash flow, not endless rounds of dilution.• Private: Freedom from public market pressures.• Pacience: A deliberate pace, resisting the frenzy of blitzscaling.• Philosophy: A values-driven approach to leadershipReject the false binary. You don't have to choose between hypergrowth or irrelevance. Many founders feel pressured to pursue VC funding even when their business fundamentals don't align. Evergreen offers a viable third path.--------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)
"The VC model is just fundamentally the wrong fit for Africa."In this episode of Limitless Africa, Claude Grunitzky and Dimpho Lekgeu speak with American investor Luni Libes, founder of Africa Eats and Fledge, and Tanzanian entrepreneur Haika Mtei, CEO of Golden Pot. Together, they explore how long-term thinking, patient capital, and culturally adapted funding models are reshaping business across the continent. Plus: How one woman is building the go-to cereal brand in Tanzania
Raju Patel founded eShow over 25 years ago after building a speaker portal for a magazine company and realizing he had a repeatable software product. What began as a one-man shop in suburban Chicago evolved into a robust event-management platform serving associations that needed complex, multi-module functionality. His business grew steadily as he delivered registration, booth management, speaker portals, and onsite systems for demanding event teams. Today eShow has 125 employees, more than 14 integrated modules, and supports hundreds of events each year for 300+ customers, including large association conferences with tens of thousands of attendees. The company has always been profitable, self-funded, and built through careful reinvestment, steady hiring, and deep product expansion. Raju rebuilt the platform multiple times, including a shift to a modern stack. Still independent with over $10 million in revenues, Raju is now building a VP-level leadership team, exploring practical growth capital, and planning a hybrid event model that blends in-person and virtual experiences. His story highlights long-term passion, practical growth, and a deliberate shift from hands-on founder to capable CEO after decades in the game. Key Takeaways Deep Domain Focus – Serving the most complex association events created defensible differentiation. Slow, Steady Compounding – Year-over-year growth came from incremental improvements, not big bet. Passion Over Money – Raju built for love of the work, not an exit, which sustained him through decades of change. Multiple Rewrites Needed – Long-term SaaS requires full platform rebuilds, and Raju completed two with a third underway on a modern stack. Late-Stage Professionalization – Hiring VPs, defining ICPs, and strengthening leadership came only after passing the $10M threshold. Quote from Raju Patel, founder of eShow "Looking back after 20 years running this as a small business in software, think I would have figured out how to pull a little bit more money out. It would have given me a better peace of mind." "I wouldn't have even known how to spend if I pulled a million out back then, it would have been wasted. I was very frugal and investing in my business every year." "But now I could figure out how to spend a million dollars, on savings and other personal spending that would be meaningful. It would be liberating. I deserve it, so I'm going to spend a little bit more, not be frugal. I can be frugal in my business and in my personal life not be so frugal!" Links Raju Patel on LinkedIn eShow on LinkedIn eShow website Podcast Sponsor – Full Scale This podcast is sponsored by Full Scale, one of the fastest-growing software development companies in any region. Full Scale vets, employs, and supports over 300 professional developers, designers, and testers in the Philippines who can augment and extend your core dev team. Learn more at fullscale.io. 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.
I've maybe never interviewed anyone in my entire time as a historian and podcaster who has had a career as broad and varied as Susan Lyne. Yes, I obviously wanted to talk to Susan about her role helping startup Gilt Group, and her current role as the managing partner of the VC firm BBG Ventures. But, holy how. Susan also launched and oversaw the golden era of Premiere Magazine. She was the CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia when Martha had to step away to, you know, go to prison. And she was the President of ABC Entertainment. She oversaw the development of shows like Grey's Anatomy and Lost. So, like, yeah. We needed to do two episodes. So this is part one, with the great, Susan Lyne. Chapters 00:00 From Boston to Berkeley: A Transformative Journey 08:00 The Rise of Alternative Media: Village Voice Era 16:06 Hollywood Calling: The IPC Films Experience 23:12 Launching Premier Magazine: Inside Hollywood 36:14 Navigating the ABC Landscape: A New Era 40:28 Developing Grey's Anatomy And Lost Takeaways Susan's upbringing in Boston shaped her perspective on expectations and identity. Her time at UC Berkeley was transformative, exposing her to diverse ideas. Freelancing in journalism helped her develop a passion for storytelling. Working at City Magazine under Francis Ford Coppola was a unique experience. The Village Voice was a golden era for alternative media in New York. Susan's transition to Hollywood was driven by her love for storytelling. Premier Magazine aimed to provide in-depth insights into the film industry. At ABC, she focused on creating shows that appealed to women. Susan learned the importance of having a supportive partner in leadership. Her experience at ABC taught her valuable lessons about resilience and change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
为什么在这个看似人人都在表达的时代,真正的沟通却变得如此稀缺?好的对话又应该如何开启? 借着《疯狂动物城 2》上映的契机,我们和参加了此次首映礼的老朋友东东枪、「声动活泼」创始人 Diane 一起,聊了聊我们从电影中看到的,存在于我们每个人日常生活中的一个重要议题 —— 沟通。 为什么社媒上的「标签」那么好用?为什么人群中的理解如此稀缺?从职场到家庭,怎样的沟通技巧能让我们更好地「听见」彼此?不同族群间又可以如何放下成见、重新对话? 也许我们没办法解决所有分歧,但至少可以先让对话与沟通重新发生。 本期人物 东东枪,《读库生鲜》主编,《宇宙牌电饭锅》主播 丁教 Diane,声动活泼联合创始人 徐涛,声动活泼联合创始人 主要话题 [02:25] 在 2025 年,一部动画想要讲好一个现代寓言故事有多难 [10:07] 当动画照进现实:差异、偏见、标签如何形成又如何被利用 [20:48] 再默契的最佳拍档都会彼此不同 [25:37] 一些沟通技巧和方法依然是需要的 [43:37] 即使是族群和国家层面,穿越对立也需要个人之间的真诚接触和沟通 [48:01] 贴上标签,沟通和理解就被阻断了 [53:25] 时不时强行来点儿互诉衷肠 给声东击西投稿 当下,AI 越来越多地出现在了招聘的过程中,企业在用 AI 筛简历、做面试,求职者也在用 AI 润色简历、模拟回答……AI 智斗 AI 的场景正在上演。 无论你是招人的 HR,还是正在找工作的应聘者,又或是相关 AI 技术的开发者,如果你经历过类似的场景,或者有相关的经历想要分享或吐槽,都欢迎你给我们投稿!投稿方式在节目的 shownotes 和评论区中可以找到,期待你的来信! 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 「Knock Knock 世界|秋季敲门版」上线啦! 头图 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。 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) (加入声动活泼(在招职位速览)),点击相应链接即可查看岗位详情及投递指南。 招聘 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 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! 声东击西 https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/wEYE7jJa.jpg Special Guest: 东东枪.
在刚刚结束的 2025 年第八届进博会上,大众中国展示了多项由中国团队主导研发的技术成果,包括整车平台(CMP)和电子电气架构 (CEA),并宣布将为中国市场研发设计系统级芯片(System on Chip, SoC)。在求新求变的背后,是这家全球最大的传统车企在中国市场面临的电动化与智能化困境。在传统车企的转型路口,大众集团正在中国试图重写汽车的「大脑」。 本期节目,我们邀请到大众汽车集团在华软件中心 CARIAD 中国的 CEO 韩三楚(Frank Han)。他曾在华为和长安汽车有着丰富的工作经历,2023 年加入大众后负责大众汽车在中国市场的软件与架构重构。节目中,他与我们分享了他如何看待大众在中国面临的危机与挑战,传统车企与中国车企之间的竞争与合作,以及他对未来智能汽车的期待与展望。 本期人物 韩三楚 (Frank Han):大众中国执行副总裁;CARIAD 中国 CEO,现负责大众汽车集团在中国市场的整体软件与架构重构。 丁教 Diane,「声动活泼」联合创始人、「科技早知道」主播 Yaxian,「科技早知道」主播 主要话题 [02:41] 华为 → 长安 → 大众 CARIAD,Frank 为何选择在大众「重塑汽车大脑」? [08:49] 大众的困局——在中国的新能源市场为什么举步履维艰? [12:32] 什么是 CEA 架构?它为什么重要? [14:48] 打破部门墙,整车研发与软件部门如何实现 「One Team」协同研发。 [26:31] 大众与小鹏是如何合作的?工程师被送去当「学生」,借小鹏体系加速交付 [32:09] CEA 1.0 今年落地,大众将让 CEA 成为自己的 iOS 操作系统 [38:05] 汽车将演化成一个「多智能体系统」,车内每个功能都有自己的 AI Agent [44:11] 为什么自动驾驶还未到 ChatGPT 时刻?缺少因果理解与 4D 世界模型。 [57:00] 年轻人为什么还要买大众?更安全、更智能、更大众 [59:55] 未来 3~5 年是淘汰赛,流量不是答案,产品与安全才是生死线。 中国国际进口博览会上 Frank 分享更新中国研发动态 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/7kP8dcPV.jpeg Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/QsOJEany.jpeg 延伸阅读 CARIZON (酷睿程) 由大众汽车集团旗下软件公司 CARIAD 与地平线共同出资组建,主营业务涵盖智能驾驶应用软件、智能驾驶系统及片上系统(SoC)研发,涉及人工智能算法开发、集成电路芯片设计与车载设备制造等领域。 CARIAD China 大众汽车集团在华软件中心,拥有自主、可控的软件开发团队,拥有超过1000名研发人员。 VCTC Volkswagen China Technology Company (大众汽车(中国)科技有限公司),位于合肥的大众研发中心。 CEA China Electrical Architecture (中国电子电气架构),大众专门为中国市场开发的中央计算级区域控制电子电气架构。 ACOSe 即搭载CEA架构的首款车型「与众07」, 将是首款搭载酷睿程解决方案的量产车型,搭载的驾驶辅助系统可实现 L2+ 级别驾驶辅助功能,预计于2025年底量产。 CMP Compact Main Platform,大众针对中国市场推出的新能源整车平台。 MEB Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten (模块化电驱动平台),大众集团现有的全球纯电动车平台。 ADAS Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (高级驾驶辅助系统),即常说的“智能驾驶”。 SDV Software Defined Vehicle (软件定义汽车),汽车行业转型的核心理念,即汽车的体验和功能主要由软件决定,而非机械硬件。 SOP Start of Production (开始量产),汽车研发流程中的关键节点,意味着研发结束正式投入生产。 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 科技早知道 https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/81NaqVaT.jpg 欢迎扫码添加声小音,在节目之外和我们保持联系。 Special Guest: 韩三楚 (Frank Han).
From time to time, we'll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed. During this episode, Santosh is joined by Paul-Bernard Jaroslawski, Co-Founder at FreightCaviar and ShipperCRM. Paul shares his unexpected entry into the freight brokerage industry, his journey through various roles, and the creation of his successful ventures. The discussion highlights the importance of content marketing, particularly using memes and other industry-specific tools to engage the logistics audience. Paul emphasizes consistency in content creation, balancing quality and quantity, and measuring success through engagement metrics. The episode offers valuable insights into building a strong community and driving business success in the logistics sector. Don't miss it! Highlights from their conversation include:Paul's Background and Journey in Build Freight Caviar (1:05)Experience as a Freight Broker (2:29)Starting New Ventures (5:19)Founding Freight Caviar and ShipperCRM (6:45)Audience Engagement and Product Ideas (8:06)Mentorship and CRM Development (10:51)Pivoting to Shipper Database (12:44)Content Marketing Insights (17:51)Collaboration Dynamics (19:04)Consistency in Content Creation (20:52)The Role of Quantity in Quality (21:58)Importance of Consistent Newsletters (23:56)Measuring Success in Content (25:29)Interesting Advice from Guests (30:41)Desire to Interview Industry Pioneers (32:25)This or That Segment to Close (34:43)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.
Your heroes are joined by special guest Ethan Galis to discuss Aliens Vs. Avengers. In this episode we chat about the crazy concept, what makes this story so fun, and theories on what exactly happens. As always you'll hear us cover the History of the Creators, Favorite Lines, The Art Awards, and Adaptation Alley. Aliens vs. Avengers is written by Jonathan Hickman, art by Esad Ribić, colors by Ive Svorcina, letters by VC's Cory Petit, and published by Marvel Comics. Follow ComiClub on Instagram @ComiClubPodcast.ComiClub is hosted by Blaine McGaffigan and Adam Cook.
Ep. 188 features James King, CEO & Co-Founder of Flows, for a deep dive into building a no-code automation platform powering some of the biggest operators in global gaming. Hear him discuss: His 16-year industry journey across iGB Affiliate, Clarion Events, and Gaming Innovation Group and how industry-wide tech frustration inspired the founding of Flows What Flows actually is: a no-code automation layer that ingests real-time data and lets teams build alerts, bonus engines, jackpots, omnichannel loyalty, and more all without developers How operators integrate Flows, the speed of deployment, and why its Zapier-like interface is built to handle billions of gaming events The company's commercial model, recent traction, and major U.S. launches Why the U.S. remains the biggest long-term opportunity despite slow sales cycles, and how Flows is navigating sweeps, prediction markets, and regulated operators Why Flows sees itself as a tech company in gaming and how its technology can extend to fintech, retail, and other enterprise verticals The rationale behind choosing a strategic investment from Light & Wonder over traditional VC, and how the partnership has helped accelerate growth A candid look at the overloaded conference landscape, which events actually deliver ROI, and which ones startups should prioritize What's coming in 2026, new products, AI-driven innovation tools, expanded U.S. growth, and deeper empowerment for teams to build and automate faster than ever Catch the video version of this episode here. Learn more
Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) as secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE is delighted to announce the shortlist for the inaugural All-Island Circular Venture Awards. Ten ventures will pitch to a high-profile audience of investors, industry leaders, policy makers, and media on 27th November to compete for a €10,000 prize pool. Open to late-stage start-ups and ventures across the island of Ireland, the All-Island Circular Venture Awards are designed to recognise companies pioneering the emergence of the circular economy sector by enabling or demonstrating a circular value proposition. The ten shortlisted companies include Arcology System, Biographene Innovations Ireland, BladeBridge, Circular Food Co, Ecoroots, Gemell Technology Limited, HaPPE Earth, Harp Renewable, Integrated Materials Solutions and Kinset Limited. Circular Venture Awards €10,000 prize pool, Nov 27th The selected ventures represent an extremely broad range of sectors including commercial fitout infrastructure, construction waste management, compostable PPE, biobased production and packaging solutions; repurposed wind energy infrastructure; digital enablement of circular processes; aerobic digestion; additional manufacturing for textiles; and upcycling of food residuals. Referring to the recruitment and shortlisting process, Agnese Metitieri, Circular Economy Venture Lead at IMR, said: "We are very pleased with the wide range of applications we received. Their variety and ingenuity reflect the growing momentum for an emerging and healthy circular ecosystem, with great opportunities for ventures to express transformative potential and build a zero-carbon future for the island of Ireland." To compete for a prize pool of €10,000 plus coaching with international entrepreneurship and circular economy experts, the ventures will pitch to a judging panel of leaders in circular economy innovation, venture investment, and advanced manufacturing. Mark Nodder, Joint CEO of Makers Alliance; Jamie Rowles, Partner at Regeneration.VC; Faye Walsh Drouillard, Founding & Managing Partner of WakeUp Capital; and Dr. Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research will adjudicate on the day. The 10 companies pitching on the 27th November are: Arcology System enables adaptive, circular, and waste-free interiors through a modular, sensor-enabled construction system. Bio Graphene Innovations Ireland transforms agricultural waste into bio-graphene materials that decarbonise concrete, enabling seawater use, and establishing a scalable circular manufacturing model for Europe. BladeBridge repurposes retired wind turbine blades into durable infrastructure. Circular Food Co recovers food waste to turn into high value ingredients. Ecoroots transforms agricultural waste into compostable mycelium packaging powered by a data-driven platform for scalable, zero-waste biomanufacturing. Gemell Technology Limited reduces unnecessary textile waste through data-driven 3D visualisation and analytics. HaPPE Earth makes single-use PPE into a circular solution, replacing plastics with compostable materials, converting waste into fertiliser, and delivering ESG insights cutting costs, carbon, and complexity. Harp Renewables supplies advanced, fully circular food waste solutions for all industries. Integrated Materials Solutions (IMS) accepts C&D wastes and processes them into certified low carbon secondary aggregates for reuse in the construction industry. Kinset connects supply chain, material, and lifecycle data in one trusted system, making it simple for brands to demonstrate transparency, enable reuse and recycling, and engage consumers through interactive digital experiences. The All-Island Circular Venture Awards are designed and led by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and funded by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE). About Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) IMR partners with industry to demystify emerging technologies, de-risk adoption, a...
Kevin Shtofman is the Global Head of Alliances and Corporate Development at Cherre, a real estate data platform powering over $3.3 trillion in AUM. With 20+ years of experience across real estate, finance, and consulting, Kevin leads global initiatives to integrate and contextualize data from systems, third parties, and JV partners, helping investors, operators, and asset managers make smarter decisions. At Cherre, he also oversees strategic partnerships, global expansion, and the innovation roadmap. Prior to joining Cherre, Kevin held leadership roles across the industry, including Chief Operating Officer at NavigatorCRE, and Global Real Estate Technology Strategy Lead at Deloitte, where he advised clients on emerging technologies like AI, automation, and blockchain. A recognized voice in real estate innovation, Kevin brings two decades of experience bridging data, operations, and technology across global real estate markets. Outside of work, Kevin is a golf enthusiast, occasional Ironman, and proud father of three daughters.(02:05) - Kevin's Background(05:19) - Challenges in Real Estate Data Management(06:52) - Cherre's Approach to Data Integration(13:48) - Evolution of Cherre's Platform(21:41) - Client Success Stories(24:58) - Future of Real Estate and AI(25:23) - Feature: Blueprint - The Future of Real Estate - Register for 2026: The Premier Event for Industry Executives, Real Estate & Construction Tech Startups and VC's, at The Venetian, Las Vegas on September 22nd-24th, 2026. As a friend of Tangent, you can save $300 on your All-Access pass(29:58) - Introducing Cherre AI Agent Marketplace(33:58) - AI Use Cases(40:06) - The Future of Real Estate Data(42:29) - Affordable Housing and Investment(47:37) - Collaboration Superpower: William Levitt (Wiki) & Larry Brown (Wiki)
In questo episodio di Making IT Inès parla con Francesca Hanania, che ha lasciato il mondo del venture capital per fondare Epigen Hair, il brand scientifico che lavora sulla longevità dei capelli e sulla ripigmentazione del capello grigio. In questa puntata approfondiamo: • come si valida un prodotto beauty-tech • cosa significa creare una linea haircare innovativa • il passaggio da VC a founder • le sfide del go-to-market nel settore beauty Making IT è il format di Made IT dedicato a chi vuole capire come si costruisce una startup: validazione, prodotto, strategia e primi risultati. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Venture Capital Podcast, Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris sit down with Costas Papaikonomou, co-founder of the $200M Una Terra Early Growth Fund, to unpack what it really takes to scale the circular economy.Costas shares how his background in engineering, innovation consulting, and a successful exit to Accenture shaped Una Terra's thesis: backing “drop-in” solutions that plug into existing industrial infrastructure instead of trying to rebuild the world from scratch.They get into: • Why packaging, waste and food ingredients are massive, underrated VC markets • How regulation in Europe is reshaping single-use plastics and recycling • Why Una Terra focuses on real-world unit economics first, impact second (but still runs as an Article 9 impact fund) • Case studies: pulp-based bottle packaging, Greyparrot's AI for waste sorting, and circular fashion brand Another Tomorrow • Power law vs “normal distribution” returns, and why most exits will be strategic acquisitions, not unicorn IPOsIf you care about climate, industrial innovation, and non-SaaS venture opportunities, this one's loaded.Follow the Unaterra HQ: www.Unaterra.vc Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/una-terra-vs Costas Book (Disruption Fallacy): www.re8el.com Follow the PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/venturecapitalfm/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcpodcastfmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecapitalfm/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQimY8NJ6cr617lqtRr7N?si=ftylo2qHQiCgmT9dfloD_g&nd=1&dlsi=7b868f1b72094351Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-capital/id1575351789Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/Follow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshawFollow Peter HarrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentInstagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterharris2812
Coca-Cola is… sugar water. And somehow it's also America, Christmas, summertime, friendship and happiness. Today we tell the story of how The Coca-Cola Company amazingly transmogrified a beverage into emotion in all of our collective psyches, and ALSO built one of the most incredible scale economy businesses of all-time. And oh yeah, there's also cocaine, WW2, Mad Men, Warren Buffett, James Dean, Bill Cosby, Michael Jackson, Michael Ovitz, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, McDonald's and Monsanto. So cozy up to the fire with your favorite images of Santa Claus and Polar Bears and enjoy an ice-cold episode of Acquired — always delicious, always refreshing.Sponsors:Many thanks to our fantastic Fall ‘25 Season partners:J.P. Morgan PaymentsWorkOSShopifySentry — Link to ACQ Cassette Players, use code “audiophile”Links:Sign up for email updates and vote on future episodes!The Hilltop ad / Mad Men finalePepsi Challenge commercialsPepsi's Michael Jackson commercialsCoke's Bill Cosby commercialsTwo liter bottles inflatingWorldly Partners' Multi-Decade Coca-Cola StudyFor God, Country, and Coca-ColaSecret FormulaAll episode sourcesCarve Outs:SkiErgSuper Smash Bros. UltimateClaudeNike Vomero PlusHermanos GutiérrezMore 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.
This episod is brought to you by Cured Nutrition, Caldera Lab and Joi & Blokes. Dr. Jessica Shepherd—OB/GYN, clinical advisor for P-Volv, and author of Generation M—breaks down everything women need to know about perimenopause, menopause, and longevity. She explains why mindset is the foundation of midlife health, how declining estrogen affects every organ system, why only 8% of symptomatic women ever receive a diagnosis, and how common comorbidities rise 45% or more between ages 40–59. Dr. Shepherd shares science-backed strategies for navigating symptoms, improving metabolic and mitochondrial health, understanding the truth about hormone therapy after the flawed WHI study (which led to an 82% decline in prescriptions), and using exercise, protein, and muscle-building to protect cognition, heart health, and overall vitality. Whether you're a woman entering midlife—or a partner wanting to better support her—this conversation is a masterclass in women's health, empowerment, and aging well. Follow Jessica @jessicashepherdmd Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:01 - Intro & shocking stats: women live longer but spend more years in poor health; HRT prescriptions dropped 82% after 2002 00:28 - Muscle as the organ of longevity; women lose 3–5% per decade, accelerated after menopause 01:18 - Why estrogen decline shifts the whole body; Dr. Shepherd introduces herself and her mission in women's health 02:15 - Redefining women's health & longevity; why women aren't thinking about longevity soon enough 04:23 – Mindset, habits, and community as the foundation of midlife health 07:13 - Barriers to staying well: socioeconomic factors, upbringing, access, and misconceptions about wellness 09:33 - Women's current wellness landscape; societal expectations, caregiving burden, and systemic gaps 12:46 – Major healthcare gaps: lack of research, exclusion of women from clinical studies until the '70s, and only 3% of VC health funding going to women 17:30 – Pharma eliminating women's health divisions; downstream effects on innovation and access 19:10 – Perimenopause 101: defining terms, symptoms vs. cycles, 34+ possible symptoms, and why diagnosis is trick 24:45 – The cardiovascular danger of estrogen decline; heart disease as the #1 killer of women 27:02 – Stress vs. perimenopause symptoms; mood disorders peak between 45–55 29:48 – How HRT has evolved in the last 10–20 years; symptom relief and longevity benefits 32:32 – Why only 5% of women are on hormone therapy today; misconceptions and new guidelines 34:20 – WHI study deep dive: media panic, misinterpretation, lack of statistical significance, and lasting fear 39:06 – Risk vs. benefit: how to think about HRT decisions with your provider 41:51 – Chase shares his TRT story; quality of life, fertility considerations, and hormone literacy 45:16 – Dr. Shepherd's personal hormone story: cognition issues, testosterone, and starting estrogen at 46 48:12 – Supplements Dr. Shepherd uses: Vitamin D, creatine, CoQ10, Urolithin A 50:10 – Muscle, mitochondrial health, sarcopenia & glucose control: why resistance training is non-negotiable 52:25 – Movement, neuroplasticity, balance & cognition: why staying active protects the aging brain 55:12 – How partners can best support women in perimenopause: emotional support & shared routines 57:52 – The science of emotional support: social connection decreases pain, inflammation, and improves outcomes 59:22 – Menopause explained: average age, symptom timeline, and the hidden cellular changes 01:02:39 – Nutrition, glucose control, protein needs, alcohol & sugar intake, and metabolic health 01:07:07 – Protein requirements (1.0–1.2g/kg), resistance training, and why women must build muscle 01:09:37 – U.S. data: 55%+ of women report symptoms; only 8% diagnosed; why doctors miss it 01:12:34 – Which providers are best for menopause care & what certifications to look for 01:15:31 – Comorbidities rise 45% between 40–59: hypertension, thyroid, arthritis, sleep disorders & estrogen's role 01:18:25 – Is biohacking menopause possible? Current limits + ovarian longevity research 01:22:24 – Exercise as the ultimate biohack; sustainable movement for aging wel 01:23:19 – Final Q: How Dr. Shepherd lives Ever Forward — flexibility, pause, and growth ----- Episode resources: 20% off DREAM gummies with code EVERFORWARD at CuredNutrition.com/everforward 50% off any product or diagnostic labs with code CHASE at JoiAndBlokes.com/chase 20% off any men's skincare product with code EVERFORWARD at CalderaLab.com Watch and subscribe on YouTube
In today's episode, Kyle and Kevin from Coltrain Onsite Fleet Care share how their people-first, mobile fleet maintenance model is reshaping the trucking industry! We dive into how their on-site repair approach reduces downtime and total cost of ownership, why customized preventative maintenance schedules beat traditional mileage-based PMs, and how investing in top-tier technicians and best-in-class tooling helps them achieve near-zero turnover. We also talk about the growing demand for mobile maintenance, the impact of the technician shortage, and why their customer-centric, no-VC, slow-and-steady growth strategy is winning trust with fleets! About Kyle and Kevin Coltrain Kyle Coltrain is the Executive Officer of Coltrain Onsite Fleet Care, leading the company's vision to establish Coltrain Onsite as the nation's most trusted mobile fleet maintenance provider by prioritizing quality, safety, and the exceptional performance of their skilled mechanics. With extensive experience driving growth and transformation in the fleet maintenance and repair industry, Kyle has held senior leadership roles at Epika Fleet Solutions, Cox Automotive, and Dickinson Fleet Services. He holds an MBA from Indiana University and a BBA from the University of Central Florida. Kevin Coltrain is Co-Founder and Executive Officer of Coltrain Onsite Fleet Care, leading the company's mission to empower mobile technicians and elevate fleet care. With extensive experience in operational leadership and strategic growth, Kevin has built and lead high-performance teams of more than 250 employees. A cum laude graduate of the University of Miami's Herbert School of Business, Kevin combines academic rigor with real-world expertise. His values-driven leadership earned him the national Patriot Award for his support of military service members. Connect with Kyle and Kevin Website: https://coltrainonsite.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecoltrain/ / https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincoltraincaneforhire/
with @cdixon @illscienceWelcome to web3 with a16z crypto. Today's episode digs into the forces shaping the next generation of consumer software — from AI-driven tools to the new economics of apps.Joining is Chris Dixon, a16z crypto founder and managing partner and one of the firm's original consumer investors. He sits down with a16z General Partner Anish Acharya to explore how exponential forces — like Moore's Law, composability, and network effects — help determine which products ultimately win.They talk about what it takes to build enduring consumer apps, how tools evolve into networks, and why niche communities like early crypto and open source movements can trigger massive technological shifts.Topics covered:- What exponential forces define tech progress- Moore's Law, composability, and network effects- How tools evolve into networks- The new economics of paid consumer software- Investing in “movements” — from 3D printing to crypto- What makes niche communities powerful- AI as a platform shift and the “idea maze”- Native vs skeuomorphic tech — and what's next for AI interfaces- The future of open-source AI and decentralizationFollow a16z crypto on...X: https://x.com/a16zcryptoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/a16zcrypto/posts/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pMZvsNXEnb0CYcPiDQywEApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/web3-with-a16z-crypto/id1622312549Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@a16zcrypto
Rachel Lockett is a sought-after executive coach and former HR leader at Stripe and Pinterest who now works with CEOs, founders, and tech leaders on emotional intelligence, resilience, and leadership skills. In this episode, Rachel shares powerful frameworks for coaching reports, having difficult conversations, avoiding burnout, and strengthening co-founder relationships. She also demonstrates these techniques through a live coaching session with me.We discuss:* When to coach and when to just tell people what to do [09:00]* The GROW technique for helping people figure out a solution for themselves [18:37]* Techniques for making difficult conversations less difficult [01:20:28]* Avoiding burnout and designing a more energizing career [41:55]* Building and sustaining a healthy co-founder relationship [01:06:50]* Creating a one-page plan that aligns your entire company [01:31:47]* Practical ways AI is transforming executive coaching and leadership development [01:36:50]* Why you should ask, “Would I enthusiastically rehire this person?” to clarify talent decisions [23:55]Also on Spotify and Apple PodcastsBrought to you by:Stripe—Helping companies of all sizes grow revenueVanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security.Persona—A global leader in digital identity verificationWhere to find Rachel Lockett:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhlockett/• Website: https://www.lockettcoaching.comReferenced:• One-page plan template: https://www.lockettcoaching.com/#resources• Lockett Coaching Leadership Toolkit: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/s74a9cn1ka1ebz6pglypf/Leadership-Toolkit_-Coaching-Rachel-Lockett.pdf?rlkey=yg2m9df2ziwy0fa6p0dt4gcfu&st=dgzvnf76&dl=0• Renew Your Co-Founder Vows—and Other Tactics for Strengthening the Most Important Relationship in Your Startup: https://review.firstround.com/five-practices-to-strengthen-your-co-founder-relationship/• First Round Guide to Co-Founder Check-Ins: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yUosmfMuE-8-sAwPrEPDcGqkJLVLWg5dC2_8lcXm7U4/edit?tab=t.0• Coinbase: https://www.coinbase.com• Management Time: Who's Got the Monkey?: https://hbr.org/1999/11/management-time-whos-got-the-monkey• Chuck Palahniuk's quote from Fight Club: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1338270-people-don-t-listen-they-just-wait-for-their-turn-to• Patrick Collison on X: https://x.com/patrickc• Stripe: https://stripe.com• Remind: https://www.remind.com• Zach Abrams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyabrams• Brex: https://www.brex.com• Bridge: https://www.bridge.xyz• Superhuman's secret to success: Ignoring most customer feedback, manually onboarding every new user, obsessing over every detail, and positioning around a single attribute: speed | Rahul Vohra (CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/superhumans-secret-to-success-rahul-vohra• Zigging vs. zagging: How HubSpot built a $30B company | Dharmesh Shah (co-founder/CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-30-years-of-building• The Enneagram Institute: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com• How to build deeper, more robust relationships | Carole Robin (Stanford GSB professor, “Touchy Feely”): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/build-robust-relationships-carole-robin• How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don't want? | Jerry Colonna (CEO of Reboot, executive coach, former VC): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/jerry-colonna• How Netflix builds a culture of excellence | Elizabeth Stone (CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-netflix-builds-a-culture-of-excellence• What Is PeopleFirst?: https://alpineinvestors.com/story/what-is-peoplefirst• How to break out of autopilot and create the life you want | Graham Weaver (Stanford GSB professor, founder of Alpine Investors): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-break-out-of-autopilot-graham-weaver• Granola: https://www.granola.ai• KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81498621• Loom: https://www.loom.com• Joseph Campbell's quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/21396-if-you-can-see-your-path-laid-out-in-front• Wes Anderson's short films (Roald Dahl) on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/wes-anderson-netflix-short-filmsRecommended books:• Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships: https://www.amazon.com/Nonviolent-Communication-Language-Life-Changing-Relationships/dp/189200528X• The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success: https://www.amazon.com/15-Commitments-Conscious-Leadership-Sustainable/dp/0990976904• Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life: https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321• Roald Dahl books: https://www.amazon.com/Roald-Dahl-Collection-Books-Box/dp/0241377293Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.My biggest takeaways from this conversation: To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com
Most solo businesses are focused on getting clients—but ignore the compliance risks that can quietly wreck everything.Former tax attorney and CFO Michael Williams joins Brett to break down the ADA, privacy, and regulatory issues small businesses face—and how a $100K GDPR mistake pushed him to finally build Clym.io, an all-in-one website compliance platform.Michael also shares the remarkable story of raising a seven-figure VC round… then paying it back to regain control and stay true to his vision.In This Episode:• The hidden ADA & privacy risks solopreneurs overlook• Why most accessibility lawsuits hit small businesses• How AI-powered scans fuel compliance lawsuits• How Clym.io uses one snippet to manage 150+ regulations• Why Michael left a cushy CFO role at 38• The identity shift from employee → builder• What it's really like to take VC money—then give it back• Why taking action beats waiting for the “right” timeConnect with Michael & ClymWebsite: https://clym.ioMore From BrettEscapee Starter Kit, resources & links → https://linktr.ee/bretttrainor
Laudetur Jesus Christus - Ngợi khen Chúa Giêsu KitôRadio Vatican hằng ngày của Vatican News Tiếng Việt.Nội dung chương trình hôm nay:00:00 Bản tin16:14 Bước Từng Bước - Truyện Công Giáo: Đường Về Của Con Sóng Lạc
AI Startup Funding Models Gerry Hays, a professor of venture capital with 21 years of experience and a history of investing in 75 startups, discussed his work in supporting founders to create AI-focused startups through a grant-based funding model. He explained their "Venture Staking" system, which allows individuals to invest small amounts of money in startups early on, with the potential to earn 10x returns if the company succeeds. Michael shared his experience working in IT during the dot-com era and emphasized the importance of accessible funding for new businesses, highlighting how Gerry's approach provides an alternative to traditional VC funding by building a community of potential investors. Community-Driven Investment Transformations Michael and Gerry discussed the transformative power of community-driven investing, emphasizing its potential to foster genuine interest and engagement in ventures beyond mere financial returns. Michael highlighted how such investments create a sense of belonging and collaboration, comparing it to cheering for a team, while Gerry stressed the future importance of community and networks in startups, contrasting them with easily replicable software. They agreed that early participation in ventures offers significant advantages, including learning opportunities and potential financial gains, as well as the chance to be part of a community that drives innovation and growth. Alternative Investments: Volatility and Returns Michael discussed the high volatility and potential for significant returns in alternative investment platforms, contrasting them with traditional stock markets where 52% of Fortune 500 companies from 2000 have since disappeared. He emphasized the transformative nature of current market shifts and the importance of active engagement in investments, which fosters community and deeper research. Michael highlighted how such platforms encourage users to delve into detailed analysis, unlike the surface-level engagement often seen on social media. AI and Entrepreneurship Growth Strategies Michael and Gerry discussed the value of experience in entrepreneurship and the importance of regular updates to investors for accountability. They highlighted how AI, like previous tools like the internet, can enhance business operations but should be used as a tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. Gerry emphasized the potential for small investments in innovative businesses to grow significantly, citing the rise of no-code tools and AI as enablers of this transformation. Adapting to Startup Challenges Michael and Gerry discussed the importance of adaptability and risk-taking in the startup world, using examples like Pets.com and Comscore Networks to illustrate the challenges and opportunities faced by early-stage companies. Gerry explained the unique features of Dorio.com, a platform that allows non-accredited investors to test the waters and gain insights into startups before making larger investments. They emphasized the value of calculated risk-taking and the platform's ability to make venture capital more accessible to a wider audience. Michael encouraged listeners to explore Dorio.com as a potential holiday gift or investment opportunity. About Gerry Hays Gerry Hays is redefining how startups are funded—and who gets to participate. As the founder of Doriot and the creator of VentureStaking™, a patent-pending investment model, Gerry is challenging the traditional venture capital system and opening the door for everyday people to invest in high-growth startups—without needing to write a five-figure check or place risky early bets. With more than 25 years of experience as a serial founder and startup investor, Gerry has successfully launched, scaled, and exited multiple companies. He's taught entrepreneurial finance and venture capital at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, where he mentored hundreds of emerging founders across the globe. Gerry is also the author of the 5-star-rated book, The First-Time Founder's Equity Bible, a practical guide that demystifies equity structures and funding for new entrepreneurs. He created Fantasy Startup®, the world's #1 startup investing simulation with over 14,000 downloads. And in his push to democratize access to private markets, he developed the QAI (Qualified Accredited Investor) Certification, empowering non-traditional investors to confidently and knowledgeably enter the world of private equity. But Gerry's mission goes far beyond credentials. Through Doriot and the VentureStaking™ model, he's flipping the script on startup investing. Instead of gambling early like traditional angels or waiting for IPO access on Wall Street, investors can now earn the option to invest in startups once they've begun to succeed—radically lowering risk and broadening participation. This isn't crowdfunding. It's a smarter, more inclusive, and capital-efficient way to back innovation—and benefit from it. What your audience will take away: How to begin startup investing with as little as $10 Why VentureStaking™ may be the most game-changing asset class since crypto How access to private markets is being reimagined for the 99% What it really means to own equity in the next unicorn—before Silicon Valley gets in If your show dives into entrepreneurship, disruption, financial empowerment, or emerging investment trends, Gerry Hays will bring bold, practical insights—and a roadmap for how your audience can take a real stake in the future. IG: https://www.instagram.com/doriot/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryhays/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doriot_venture Website: https://www.doriot.com/
Welcome back to Trailblazers by Park Rangers Capital!In this week's solo episode, host Erica Wenger dives into Starting a VC Fund 101, breaking down the real reasons why you might want to start a fund, what it actually takes to launch one, and the lessons she's learned from being in the trenches herself.From structuring your first fund to navigating LP conversations and finding your unique edge, Erica shares insider tips and hard-earned insights that every aspiring fund manager should hear.If you've ever thought about building your own VC fund or just want to understand how the process really works behind closed doors, this episode is your practical and honest guide to getting started in venture capital.✨ This episode is presented by Brex.Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspodThis episode is supported by Rocketreach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazersGusto: gusto.com/trailblazersQuo (formerly OpenPhone): Quo.com/trailblazersAthena: athenago.me/Erica-WengerFollow Us!@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTokErica Wenger: @erica_wenger
For episode 634 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Mitchell Nicholson, Core Contributor to the Sierra Protocol.Sierra Protocol is the issuer of SIERRA, a liquid yield token (LYT) that offers the best risk-adjusted yield in a freely tradeable ERC20 token on Ethereum and Avalanche. SIERRA enables holders to earn passively accrue 6-12% APY compounded daily and does not require staking or claiming, holding periods or lockups, paying hidden fees or providing KYC. SIERRA will be going live in October followed by several exciting partnerships that offer additional yield and utility. Its reserves are managed by OpenTrade, an institutional-grade market leader offering stablecoin yield products and is backed by a16z, Circle, Mercury, Notion and other leading VC firms. ⏳ Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction(1:12) Who is Mitchell Nicholson?(2:02) What is Sierra?(2:44) What are Liquid Yield Tokens?(9:56) Underlying yield sources(12:56) Regulations & Compliance(15:40) Sierra exchange listings(17:30) Liquidity for Sierra(20:13) Partnerships(25:35) Prediction Markets(30:05) Sierra Roadmap(32:50) Sierra website & socials
Sharon Ayalon is the co-founder and CEO of UrbanMix, a next-gen platform using AI and 3D to streamline real estate operations. An architect by training, she previously taught at Columbia GSAPP and led advanced housing simulations at Cornell Tech. Sharon pioneered Roosevelt Island's Digital Twin and XR transit experience. Her Ph.D. was awarded the President of Israel's Grant for Scientific Excellence. This is episode was recorded live at Blueprint Vegas 2025. Sharon has been helping shape Gowanus Wharf, a groundbreaking Brooklyn development led by Charney Companies turning a former Superfund site into over 1,000 apartments, parks, and public waterfront. It's one of the most ambitious examples of how environmental cleanup, zoning reform, and innovative tools can unlock transformative urban development.
Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.comToday, we'll be discussing Episode 1 of Start-Up, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Bae Suzy as Seo Dal-mi, Nam Joo-hyuk as Nam Do-san, Kim Seon-ho as Han Ji-pyeong, Kang Han-na as Won In-jae, and Kim Hae-sook as Choi Won-deok. We discuss:The songs we featured during the recap: “Future” by Red Velvet and “A Small Post Box of Hope” by Park Se-jun.The heartbreaking and hopeful relationship between Han Ji-pyeong and Choi Won-deok, who gives him a place to stay and helps launch his future.The idea that sometimes, people don't fall on soft sand—they fall on concrete—and what that means for those who risk everything to start a business.The many business concepts introduced in this episode: startups, angel investors, venture capitalists, incubators, and accelerators.The heartbreaking story of Seo Dal-mi's father, who dies just as he achieves the first step in scaling his business.The metaphor and origin of the name “Sandbox” and what it means for entrepreneurs.The painful separation of sisters Seo Dal-mi and Won In-jae, who make opposite choices after their parents' divorce.How letters from a fictional Nam Do-san helped a lonely Dal-mi through the darkest period of her life.Why Han Ji-pyeong's role in writing those letters may have brought healing to him as much as it did to Dal-mi.A powerful early reveal: Han Ji-pyeong is now a wealthy VC who may hold the future of many young entrepreneurs in his hands.The moving reunion between Choi Won Deok and Han Ji-pyeong after 15 years.The harsh confrontation between Dal-mi and her sister, where In-jae mocks Dal-mi's struggles and claims she has no regrets about choosing to stay with their mother.Dal-mi's bold lie that she's in business with Nam Do-san—and the fallout as she must now find him and make the story real.The cliffhanger introduction of the real Nam Do-san, who's quietly working on groundbreaking AI recognition software.What we're watching now, including The Uncanny Counter, Under the Queen's Umbrella, Typhoon Family, and more!ReferencesWikipedia: Chang Yŏngsil
Dharshan Rangegowda, founder of ScaleGrid, left a decade-long engineering career at Microsoft to solve a painful database operations problem he had lived firsthand. After early missteps selling to enterprises, he shifted to helping developers manage MongoDB, Redis, and Postgres on the cloud, bootstrapping the business from scratch. ScaleGrid grew steadily through product depth, technical support, and Dharshan's mastery of SEO—becoming the top organic result for many key searches. The company expanded into multiple database engines, added a distributed engineering team, and reached 20 employees by 2021, serving both SMB developers and some enterprise teams. Dharshan sold a majority stake to Spotlight Equity Partners during the pandemic after receiving an unsolicited offer, later stepping out of day-to-day operations while remaining on the board. In this conversation, Dharshan shares hard-earned lessons about product-led growth, support as strategy, SEO as a long-game advantage, and how bootstrapped founders can build meaningful outcomes in massive markets. Key Takeaways SEO Power: SEO remains a long-term growth engine for bootstrappers because big VC-backed companies rarely have the patience to compound it. Support as Strategy: Deep, responsive technical support became ScaleGrid's differentiator and directly informed product innovation and content. Start at the Edges: Enterprises won't buy from a one-person startup, but edge users with urgent problems will — and they become your early beachhead. Bootstrap Constraints: Founder over-frugality can limit growth; strategic delegation and early team building prevent burnout and plateauing. This Interview Is Perfect For Bootstrap SaaS founders Technical founders selling to developers Founders stuck in early traction or slow growth Anyone considering a PE exit or multi-year acquisition process Quote from Darshan Rangegowda, founder of ScaleGrid "You can't take random people and make them an entrepreneur. You have to want to be an entrepreneur and want to be on your own. You have to enjoy the freedom and the risk and the upside that comes with it and the unmitigated downside as well. You have to accept and be comfortable with it. "You want to be on your own so you can try things. You are constantly looking at problems and new solutions. You want to be around people who like that sort of process: Here's a new problem and here's a new solution. "But the most important thing you have to do as an entrepreneur is you have to add value to your customers. And most people forget that." Links Dharshan Rangegowda on LinkedIn ScaleGrid on LinkedIn ScaleGrid website Spotlight Equity Partners (acquirer) Allied Advisers (M&A advisor) AngelPad Accelerator Podcast Sponsor – Designli This podcast is sponsored by Designli, a digital product studio that helps entrepreneurs and startups turn their software ideas into reality. From strategy and design to full-scale development, Designli guides you through every step of building custom web and mobile apps. Learn more at designli.co/practical. 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.
Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast — and today, a special Venture Beyond edition.Joining Mike Reiner of 432 Legacy and Andreas is Dave Bailey — one of Europe's most in-demand founder coaches, the brain behind FounderCoach.com, and a voice shaping how CEOs grow into their role.Dave's journey has been anything but linear: from co-founding startups like Delivery Hero, to a stint in venture capital, to now coaching Europe's most ambitious CEOs. Along the way, he's built a results-driven coaching methodology that balances competence, curiosity, and conviction.If you're a founder, VC, or operator wrestling with scaling leadership, navigating founder psychology, or turning board meetings into actual strategic levers — this episode is for you.Here's what's covered:01:10 | From Delivery Hero to VC to founder coach: Dave's unorthodox path05:00 | Why competence always comes before confidence09:15 | The five pillars of Dave's coaching methodology13:40 | Founder Mode: planning and executing with quarterly rhythm18:25 | Why visual clarity often beats verbal reflection22:10 | The hidden link between trauma, ego, and founder drive27:45 | Product launches as a culture-shaping mechanism32:30 | How to transform board meetings into true strategic accelerators38:50 | The founder's mindset: obsessive curiosity + conviction
Today, we have a special guest on the podcast, Kate Lowry, CEO coach, author and comedian. She is a long time startup founder, spent time in VC, is leading a values driven coaching and advising firm called Scaleheart, and recently, just published a book. The title of the book is Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders, and is a tactical guide to help smart, caring people get unstuck to they thrive under fear based leadership.In our conversation today, Kate is going to enlighten us on what fear based leadership is, how to use the predictability of fear based leaders to your advantage, and why its having (another) moment in the tech ecosystem today.Questions:Tell me about your startup journey as a serial founder.You've been around the block in the tech industry. From your vantage point in startups, big tech, and VC, why is this new leadership style hitting now?How does this type of culture show up in startups, versus larger companies like Meta?How does it manifest in investing?Why is fear-based leadership antithetical to innovation?If it's so bad for innovation, why do people keep choosing it anyway?What makes leaders like this so predictable?How can people use that predictability to their advantage?How has the type of issues you work on with your CEOs changed as this leadership style comes into vogue?What are the most common ways that you help founders in your coaching practice?What are three ways CEOs can make sure fear-based leadership doesn't take root in their corner of the tech ecosystem?How has the AI boom affected all of this?Linkshttps://www.katelowry.com/https://www.scaleheart.co/https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinejlowry/https://a.co/d/bwmLGASOur Sponsors:* Check out Incogni: https://incogni.com/codestory* Check out NordVPN: https://nordprotect.com/codestorySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/code-story-insights-from-startup-tech-leaders/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
AI 有可能是一种类人的生物吗? 在这期节目里,我们把这个看似科幻的问题,拆开、放大,再一层层往下追问。 当我们从进化、生物学、认知科学一路谈到模型的训练方式,会发现 AI 的变化速度、迭代方式,乃至判断力与偏好,都和「生命体」的许多特征惊人地相似:它会在环境压力下被「选择」,会在无数微小的演变中不断进化,甚至开始展现出自己的一套品味和判断逻辑。 如果 AI 的确正在成为一种新的生命形态,那它的生态位是什么?会如何影响人类?而我们又该如何重新思考自己的生存方式? 欢迎收听本期声东击西,一起走进一个比科幻更贴近现实的未来边界。 本期人物 宋睿华,中国人民大学高瓴人工智能学院长聘副教授 徐涛,声动活泼联合创始人 主要话题 [03:14] 从「脸盲」到类生命体,AI 的跳跃如何实现 [15:31] 或许从某些角度出发,AI 也是一种生物? [30:00] AI 在何处「生活」?又如何影响到人类 [52:07] 不要像对待 AI 一样对待自己和他人 [01:04:27] 孩子们需要再加一门 AI 通识课吗 延伸阅读 AI 生成的符合它审美风格的图片 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/VXPTIMfb.png Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/OtAJbn37.png Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/2uALqdDH.png Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/8/8dd8a56f-9636-415a-8c00-f9ca6778e511/oEkRo37M.png 节目中提到的播客 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zXSrsKlm5A) 给声东击西投稿 当下,AI 越来越多地出现在了招聘的过程中,企业在用 AI 筛简历、做面试,求职者也在用 AI 润色简历、模拟回答……AI 智斗 AI 的场景正在上演。 无论你是招人的 HR,还是正在找工作的应聘者,又或是相关 AI 技术的开发者,如果你经历过类似的场景,或者有相关的经历想要分享或吐槽,都欢迎你给我们投稿!投稿方式在节目的 shownotes 和评论区中可以找到,期待你的来信! 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 「Knock Knock 世界|秋季敲门版」上线啦! 头图 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。 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) (加入声动活泼(在招职位速览)),点击相应链接即可查看岗位详情及投递指南。 招聘 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 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: 宋睿华.
这期是与 Yaxian 一起探索最新最前沿科技的「深科技」系列 过去一年,「 虚拟细胞」(Virtual Cell)成为了生命科学和 AI 交汇处最热门的词汇。全世界的科研机构和科技巨头都纷纷押注,共同推动着一场「虚拟细胞革命」。 DeepMind CEO 诺奖得主 Demis Hassabis 在多次采访中说「虚拟细胞」将是 deepmind 重要的研究方向,他将致力于构建能够模拟整个细胞的AI系统。马克·扎克伯格与妻子普莉希拉·陈共同发起的科研机构 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) 也是在今年高调宣布,他们将要在 未来十年在虚拟细胞上投入数亿美元,开发开放数据集与计算工具。就在上个月,NVIDIA 宣布了与 CZI 的合作,通过提供 AI 基础设施,共同推动虚拟细胞的开发和应用。 我们今天的节目请到了上海交通大学医学院教授、万乘基因创始人施威扬老师。一起来聊一聊究竟什么是「 虚拟细胞」?我们要如何将细胞数字化? 以及虚拟细胞将如何改变疾病治疗、药物研发,甚至我们理解生命的方式? 本期人物 Yaxian,「科技早知道」主播 施威扬,上海交通大学医学院教授、万乘基因创始人 主要话题 [00:35] 从 DeepMind、CZI 到 NVIDIA,为什么科技巨头纷纷押注「虚拟细胞」? [02:29] 什么是虚拟细胞?它是一个试图模拟真实细胞行为的超级大模型 [06:46] 生物学曾被视为「天书」,AI 如何解构这种极度复杂的高维系统? [09:24] 从「90%实验+10%计算」到「10%实验+90%计算」,AI 带来生物学研究的范式转移 [15:57] 科技大厂追求通用基座模型,药企更务实于垂直专有模型,谁能跑赢? [18:17] 虚拟细胞进化史:从 「规则模型」到「数据驱动」 [29:47]|如何构建虚拟细胞?统一表征 → 多组学数据 → 模型 → 实验验证(lab-in-the-loop) [36:53] 模型幻觉与黑箱:生物模型的可靠性和可解释性 [46:32] 虚拟细胞的应用:药物发现、合成生物学、细胞与基因治疗(CGT) [53:27] 数据量的匮乏与维度的缺失——为什么我们需要千万级的多组学数据? [01:09:12] 「图谱计划」的争议:为什么大规模测序是 AI 时代的必要基础设施? 北美增长大师班(硅谷站) 我们的老朋友「出海同学会」为关注出海的小伙伴们开发了一个含金量很高的课程—— 北美增长大师班(硅谷站),第一次把这么多重磅北美增长专家聚在一起:像陈唱、张蓓老师都是大家比较熟的操盘过很多明星项目像gamma、heygen、tanka这些的,Hila Qu、Ron他们都是第一次出来给AI圈讲课。 感兴趣的小伙伴可以在小红书 (https://sourl.co/B9wfUj)页面查看更多信息,也欢迎点击链接 (https://scnf164xl92o.feishu.cn/share/base/form/shrcnh478w1PcdZWvogEwHMuqMh?wxwork_userid=15355423744)直接报名 Untitled https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/4/4931937e-0184-4c61-a658-6b03c254754d/9mfsglWu.png 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: 施威扬.
This week on The Data Minute, Peter sits down with Vivek Ladsariya, Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs, for a deep dive into the Seattle startup ecosystem and the evolving world of venture studios.Vivek breaks down why Seattle has become the quiet giant of AI infrastructure, holding the second-highest concentration of AI talent in the US, and explains why the "locked up" talent at Amazon and Microsoft is finally breaking free. He also gives a candid assessment of the venture studio model, why many studios are "zombies," how AI is forcing them to pivot to a holding company structure, and why he actually encourages his Seattle founders to move to San Francisco.They also discuss the economics of small funds vs. mega funds, why signaling risk is real for follow-on rounds, and the "unscalable" things emerging managers must do to compete. Plus: a look at an investment fighting the loneliness epidemic and a rare story of a VC voluntarily taking dilution to save a cap table.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/Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Seattle, Studios, and AI01:10 – Welcome Vivek Ladsariya02:22 – How mega funds warped the SF market05:08 – Inside Pioneer Square Labs06:40 – The "Bar Test": Speed of funding in SF vs. Seattle09:23 – Is Seattle talent trapped in Big Tech?11:46 – The "Cracked Kid" vs. The Seasoned Exec15:50 – Why Seattle is the #2 AI hub in the US17:02 – Why Vivek wants Seattle founders to move to SF20:10 – The case against remote work for startups21:53 – Why Seattle is the infrastructure capital of AI24:11 – The Venture Studio model: Why do VCs hate it?27:10 – How AI is disrupting the studio model29:00 – The HoldCo future: Hims & Hers and Liquid Death31:22 – Using a studio to compete with mega-fund platforms33:45 – Why PSL will never raise a mega fund36:16 – The psychology of follow-on reserves38:56 – Signaling risk: "Why didn't Andreessen invest?"41:30 – Secondaries vs. holding onto winners45:28 – Are LPs tired of mega funds?46:31 – Why you can't be a solo GP forever48:56 – Investing in the loneliness epidemic (Tin Can)50:43 – The most value-add thing a VC can do52:07 – OutroThis 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.
After 20+ years at some of the most important Silicon Valley tech companies like Yahoo, LinkedIn, Oracle, Informix and NerdWallet, Bhaskar today leads investment of enterprise infrastructure companies at 8 VC.Bhaskar Ghosh spent 20+ years at some of the most important Silicon Valley tech companies before moving into venture capital as a Partner at 8VC.After completing his PhD in computer science from Yale, he worked across Yahoo, LinkedIn, Oracle, Informix and NerdWallet. He brings this experience to founders building the next generation of enterprise infrastructure companies.In this episode Bhaskar explains how IT services are being reimagined for India, a country that over the last 25 years turned its skilled workforce into a global services engine. We discuss the shift happening inside workflows most people do not think about: mid-office ops, call centers, insurance, travel and HR. These are areas where thousands of people move information every day, and where AI is now good enough to take over entire workflows.Bhaskar talks about the founders already building in this space, including those buying traditional services companies and rebuilding them with AI at the core. He also explains why this new wave will not behave, scale or be valued like SaaS, because this is no longer pure software. It is the reinvention of services.If you are a founder making engineering decisions, someone curious about the less visible layers of software, or interested in people who move technology forward, this conversation with Bhaskar is for you.00:00 –Trailer03:03 – How India will reimagine IT services (TCS, Infosys)04:32 – “why now” of services06:07 – How unstructured data became easier to handle?07:53 – What LLMs can do today with high precision10:35 – Use of GenAI will increase margins in services11:54 – Front & mid offices will become more productive and lean14:30 – Will a pure services business scale anymore?15:55 – Legacy service businesses + AI-first software20:04 – Real challenge to operate and scale such businesses20:33 – 3 reasons on why SaaS companies get higher multiples?22:06 – Network-effect players win big in SaaS24:18 – Replacing software v/s replacing services26:16 – Business without inherent network effects (yet)28:22 – Is AI unlocking TAM larger than Software era?30:57 – How prosperity of a country influences growth of Co's32:50 – India's tech talent is key to India-US corridor39:36 – Deeply disruptive AI Co's will come from India43:04 – How new-age AI services companies of India should grow in US?44:39 – Current BPOs have an unfair advantage47:21 – Will older BPOs understand the importance of AI?49:22 – A Moat in outcome-based pricing can replace old businesses51:50 – Has the US ever been sensitive to cost?55:23 – The new AI-enabled services have a Palantir-risk flavour58:47 – Where to build when model Co's eat forward & backward revenue?01:06:10 – What type of founding teams are needed?01:08:10 – How founders think about GTM is changing-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonSend us a text
What if everything we thought we knew about loyalty, leadership, and the future of work is about to be rewritten? In this episode of Start With a Win, Adam Contos sits down with Steve Cadigan - LinkedIn's first-ever Chief Human Resources Officer and one of the most respected minds in global talent strategy - to explore the shifting realities of today's workforce. From the rise of a restless generation to the untapped power of learning and mobility inside organizations, this conversation challenges leaders to think beyond old models of retention and success. It's a provocative look at how businesses can thrive amid constant change - and why the key to keeping your best people might be the very thing that sets them free.Steve Cadigan is a globally recognized talent advisor and founder of Cadigan Talent Ventures, a Silicon Valley firm that has worked with top organizations like Google, Intel, and the BBC. As LinkedIn's first CHRO, he guided the company through its IPO and shaped its culture, which later became the foundation for a Stanford University course. With over 25 years of HR leadership, he has advised leading VC and consulting firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, McKinsey, and Deloitte. A sought-after speaker and media expert, he frequently appears on Bloomberg, CBS, and CNBC and teaches at major universities. His book, Workquake, debuted as a #1 Amazon Hot New Release in 2021. Recognized annually since 2021 as a top 100 thought leader in talent, he serves on multiple boards and advisory panels, helping leaders craft innovative talent strategies. Having lived and worked in Singapore, Canada, and the U.S., he brings a global perspective to the future of work. Based in California, he enjoys coaching basketball and playing tennis.00:00 Intro02:15 This is my moment…have you found yours? 03:40 This is the last thing companies think about!05:05 Ways of winning without a team that has been together for a long time08:25 The need for this has accelerated! 11:01 A person is loyal to this13:30 CEOs need to do a better job in removing the silo thinking18:30 Would you rather…?20:50 Advice, listen up!23:30 I do this for my twinshttps://stevecadigan.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadigan/ steve@cadiganventures.com https://www.tiktok.com/@stevecadigan?lang=en===========================Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:
During this episode, Santosh is joined by Wayne Usie, EVP of Market Development at Blue Yonder. Wayene shares his journey into supply chain software and discusses how Blue Yonder leverages AI, automation, and data to power next-generation supply chains. The conversation also covers the importance of domain-specific solutions, the development of AI-powered agents for warehouse and logistics management, the evolving workforce, and innovations in returns management. Key takeaways include the growing impact of AI on operational efficiency, the vital role of trust and transparency, the industry's shift toward more autonomous, data-driven supply chains, and so much more. Highlights from their conversation include:Introduction and Wayne Usie's Journey to Supply Chain (0:11)Blue Yonder's Evolution and Embracing AI in Supply Chain (3:00)Interoperability, Data, and the Power of Agents (6:27)Building Trust and the Scale of AI Predictions (9:27)The Importance of Domain-Specific Solutions (13:27)Business Outcomes and AI Value in Retail (16:27)Workforce Transformation and Human-AI Collaboration (18:56)Returns Management and Holistic Inventory Strategies (21:48)Future Predictions: The Autonomous Supply Chain (24:58)Rapid-Fire "This or That" Closing Segment (27:27)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.
Jack Savage, Founder & CEO of Everyday Dose, built a 400,000-subscriber functional coffee brand from his dad's garage—but not before spending years as "the dumb kid" who needed extra time on tests, wore a suit on planes hoping to meet someone important, and cycled through ADHD medications that left him with facial tics and shame. In this conversation, Jack opens up about the scarcity mindset he inherited from watching his father's business collapse, the $500K investment deal that fell through at the last second (leaving him in tears), and why discovering he had the CYP1A2 gene—which makes 50% of us caffeine-sensitive—changed everything about how he formulated Everyday Dose. He also gets real about the unglamorous parts of scaling: living in his dad's garage at 33, battling a massive counterfeit crisis that cost the company customers and reputation, getting rejected by VCs who made him question his worth, and learning that friendships (even in business) have to be earned, not assumed. Through it all, Jack kept returning to one framework: Dharma. Are you good at it? Are you passionate about it? Are you making an impact? Does it make you money? This conversation is about finding that alignment—and what happens when you finally do. Key Takeaways & Topics Jack's early experiences with ADHD, shame, and overcompensating through ambition Why taste and clinical dosing became Everyday Dose's differentiator Building supply chain and formulation knowledge from scratch Moving into his dad's garage and bootstrapping the first version of the brand VC rejection, self-worth, and learning to scale without outside validation The emotional toll and operational cost of battling large-scale counterfeit products How Jack defines dharma and why alignment is a founder's most reliable compass Retention as a strategy: treating existing customers better than new ones Why "you can do anything, but you can't do everything" His weekly retro practice with 35 team members: what's going well, what's not, what needs to change The hidden gene that affects 50% of us and why Jack built a coffee specifically for slow caffeine metabolizers The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, and host of The Failure Factor. For more info, visit https://meganbruneau.com Everyday Dose on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydaydose Everyday Dose: https://www.everydaydose.com Megan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com
Check out the Video of this Episode Here! EPISODE 374 Rebecca and Rey are back...and they aren't the only one! The Wrecker turns up on Marc's doorstep to ask for help...but should the Midnight Mission trust him?...Or is there more at play? The High Priests break down the first two parts of The Haunting of the Wrecker arc... and catch up once again for a good ol' yarn! Fist of Khonshu Vol. 1 #12 & #13 "The Haunting of the Wrecker - Parts 1 and 2" Release Date September 3, 2025 Cover Date November, 2025 Writer(s) Jed MacKay Penciler(s) Domenico Carbone Inker(s) Domenico Carbone Colorist(s) Rachelle Rosenberg Letterer(s) VC's Cory Petit Editor(s) Devin Lewis Shine those idols, and dust off the cape....IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR KHONSHU ON! SHOW NOTES: Fist of Khonshu Vol. 1 #12 Fist of Khonshu Vol. 1 #13 Tales from the Stack WHERE TO HEAR US: Podcast Page Podchaser Apple Podcast Google Play Music Spotify Overcast SoundCloud Stitcher Tunein Podbean Into the Knight RSS Feed YouTube DROP US A LINE: Website: intotheknight.libsyn.com Email: feedback@itkmoonknight.com FB Page: Into the Knight- A Moon Knight Podcast Page FB Group: Into the Knight- A Moon Knight Fan Base Bluesky: Into the Knight - Bluesky X: @ITKmoonknight Instagram: ITK Moon Knight Discord ITK Server: ITK Server CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SHOWS I CO-HOST! Sons of the Dragon - An Immortal Iron Fist Podcast DCAU - The DC Animated Universe Podcast Capes & Lunatics Sidekicks To Know Her Is To Fear Her: The Spider-Woman Podcast Predator & pREY - a Yautja Podcast Rey Plays Games! OFFICIAL ITK MERCHANDISE @ DASHERY - BUY HERE! Thinking of starting your own podcast? Check out our special offer from Libsyn! CREDITS: ITK Logo Graphic Design by The High Priests of Khonshu ITK Graphic Design produced and assisted by Randolph Benoit ITK Opening Sequence for video by Chris Kelly Music Written, Performed and generously provided by Deleter Co-Producers Wayne Hunt Josh Johnson Anthony Sytko Matthew Howell Jonathan Sapsed Dan Newland Executive Producers Justin Osgood Derek O'Neill Daniel Doing Mario Di Giacomo Odin Odinsword Produced by Reynaldo Gesmundo The music for this episode contains excerpts from various songs and music copyrighted by Deleter and Brian Warshaw. The music agreed for use on Into the Knight - A Moon Knight Podcast is licensed under an Attribution License;
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Jay Rongjie Wang, Founder and CEO of Primitiva Global, shares her journey from her pioneering upbringing shaped by her mother's tech entrepreneurship to becoming a leading venture investor bridging Silicon Valley, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Jay discusses the importance of authenticity and “congruence” in investment decisions, her “impossible triangle” theory for evaluating AI opportunities, and cross-border fundraising strategies. Listeners will gain actionable insight into aligning personal strengths with business practices, understanding global LP/GP dynamics, and balancing boundless curiosity with focused execution in the rapidly evolving world of tech and venture capital. Also, don't miss our insider segment as Idan Netser and Jason Kropp from Sidley discuss key tax incentives for venture funds, including carried interest treatment and Qualified Small Business Stock benefits, as well as recent FDA regulatory changes impacting biotech and medtech startups, offering timely guidance for VC investors and founders.Highlights from this week's conversation include: Welcoming Jay to the Episode (0:22) Impact of Parenting on Risk, Creativity, and Early Career Choices (5:24) Lessons Learned from Running Community Website: Career Preparation (7:17) Discussion of Gender Dynamics, Over-Preparation, and Confidence (10:00) Traits for Successful Fund Managers: Concept of Congruence (11:38) Practical Framework for Identifying "Winner Energy" and Reference Checks (17:55) Consistency in Feedback About GPs (21:46) Regulatory Topics: Carried Interest, Tax, and FDA Insights (23:54) Energy Management, Executive Capacity, and Inner Focus (28:48) Impossible Triangle Theory on AI Progress and Investment Filtering (30:27) Applying the Theory: GPU and Data Center Investments (36:06) Fundraising Successes Outside the US and Motivations of International LPs (39:09) Balancing Curiosity with Focus for Investors (41:20) Personal Advice on Career Methodology and Venn Diagram Specialization (44:24) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (45:15) Primitiva Global is a family office and investment platform operating across Silicon Valley and Hong Kong. Primitiva backs first-check venture managers and invests in companies expanding the frontiers of artificial intelligence, deep technology, and global innovation. The firm combines deep research, top-down analysis, and hands-on partnership to support the next generation of builders and allocators. Learn more at www.primitivaglobal.com 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.
Red to Green - Food Tech | Sustainability | Food Innovation | Future of Food | Cultured Meat
When you are working on a technical or scientific innovation, pitching a specialized VC firm may seem like the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, someone who will get it. Or… will they?Today's guest, Steve Molino, is Principal at Synthesis Capital based in New Jersey. And today's episode asks: How can founders with complex tech craft pitch decks that help them get there, past the initial interest? Ironically, having cutting-edge technology may make it harder, not easier.Steve Molino works across food tech and biotech. Previously, he led investment activity at Clear Current Capital as Partner and Head of Investments. He focused on early-stage investments and now covers Series A, B, or later.You are listening to Scaling Nerds, the podcast covering all things communications for science and tech founders. LinksConnect with Steve Molino:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenmolino/Check out Synthesis https://synthesis.capital/Connect with me:https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/marina@r2g.mediaResources Mentioned:Granola AI SlidebeanSlidesgoCanva
In recent weeks, OpenAI faced seven lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT contributed to suicides or mental health breakdowns. To spotlight the controversial relationship between AI and mental health, host Bob Safian is joined on stage at Innovation@Brown Showcase by Brown University's Ellie Pavlick, director of a new institute dedicated to exploring AI and mental health, and Soraya Darabi of VC firm TMV, an early investor in mental health AI startups. Pavlick and Darabi weigh the pros and cons of applying AI to emotional well-being, from chatbot therapy to AI friends and romantic partners. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Stephen Wemple, Principal at Spero Ventures, shares how he backs mission-driven founders building enduring companies aligned with purpose and profit. From investing in hardware startups like Telo Trucks to backing social impact ventures such as Juno, Stephen explains why conviction and alignment between founders and investors matter more than ever. He reflects on his journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, the lessons he's learned from working with founders, and how smaller, concentrated funds like Spero bring focus and depth back to early-stage investing.In this episode, you'll learn:[01:00] - Stephen's journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist at Spero Ventures[04:30] - How Spero spun out of Omidyar Network to back purpose-driven founders[08:10] - Investing early—with proof points that show real-world traction[11:10] - Why mission and authenticity matter more than hype in founder evaluation[14:00] - The story behind Spero's investment in Juno and the value of long-term relationships[17:00] - How founders should work with junior investors inside VC firms[19:00] - Why conviction and alignment matter when founders choose their investors[22:00] - Stephen's take on the concentration of capital and the future of small, focused fundsNonprofit highlight: AchieveKidsAbout Stephen WempleStephen Wemple is a Principal at Spero Ventures, where he invests in mission-driven founders building companies for a healthier, more sustainable, and fulfilling future. He has led investments across sectors such as healthcare, climate, and frontier technologies, backing founders who combine purpose with commercial ambition.Stephen began his career in early-stage venture capital, investing in emerging markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. A Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam, he worked with the U.S. State Department to support entrepreneurship initiatives before joining Spero Ventures in its formative years. Stephen believes the best entrepreneurs are those who find and stay true to their mission.About Spero VenturesSpero Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm that backs mission-driven founders building companies for a healthy, sustainable, and fulfilling future. The firm leads or co-leads seed and Series A rounds with $2–4 million investments and maintains a concentrated portfolio to closely support each founder. Its team, which includes former operators from Tesla, eBay, and Stripe, has invested in companies like Juno (child disability insurance), Telo Trucks (electric pickup trucks), Tiny Health (gut health solutions), Euclid Power (renewable energy software), and Gencove (genome sequencing platform), reflecting its belief that purpose-driven startups can create both outsized impact and venture-scale returns.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.
In recent weeks, OpenAI faced seven lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT contributed to suicides or mental health breakdowns. To spotlight the controversial relationship between AI and mental health, host Bob Safian is joined on stage at Innovation@Brown Showcase by Brown University's Ellie Pavlick, director of a new institute dedicated to exploring AI and mental health, and Soraya Darabi of VC firm TMV, an early investor in mental health AI startups. Pavlick and Darabi weigh the pros and cons of applying AI to emotional well-being, from chatbot therapy to AI friends and romantic partners. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Randy Komisar is an entrepreneur and investor at Kleiner Perkins.Previously, he was a co-founder of Claris Corp., served as CEO for LucasArts Entertainment and Crystal Dynamics, and acted as “virtual CEO” for such companies as WebTV and GlobalGiving. Randy also served as CFO of GO Corp. and as senior counsel for Apple Computer, following a private practice in technology law.Randy is a founding director of TiVo and serves on the Roadtrip Nation Advisory Board and Orrick's Women's Leadership Board. He is the author of the best-selling book,The Monk and the Riddle, as well as several articles on leadership and entrepreneurship. He is also the co-author of Straight Talk for Startups, the insider best practices for entrepreneurial success, Getting to Plan B, on managing innovation, and I F**king Love that Company, on building consumer brands.This conversation with Randy Komisar is just spectacular! We dive right into how he turned his interview with Neil Young from disaster to success, why growing up with a professional gambler sharpened his communication skills, the way that luck factors into your career, and the way to maximize your chances of serendipity coming your way.You'll learn pearl after pearl of wisdom from Randy in our conversation, including a crucial question he asks as an investor to any entrepreneur to assess what they're made of.Randy's such a great storyteller, and this discussion is not to be missed!Where to find Randy:Kleiner and PerkinsTimestamps:(00:00) The Neil Young interview disaster—and how Randy saved it(02:00) Throwing away the script and learning to “follow the spark”(03:15) Reading people: Randy's people-sense and street upbringing(04:00) Growing up with a salesman and professional gambler father(05:20) Lessons from watching gamblers: losing stories, tells, and ego(07:00) How his father's instincts shaped Randy's BS-detector in VC(12:35) Self-awareness, delusion, and Buddhism's core teaching(13:40) Coaching as holding up a mirror(14:20) Randy's winding path: from upstate NY to Brown University(15:55) Finding paradise at Brown: curiosity and lifelong learning(21:30) How meaningful small acts of encouragement can be(23:00) Enter Bill Campbell: how they met at Apple(34:00) The inner conflict: purpose vs. title(37:00) Managing through influence, not authority(39:30) Bringing the virtual-CEO model into venture capital(40:50) Success, skepticism, and earning trust at Kleiner(43:10) Why this? Why you? Why now?(44:30) “Is this worth failing at?”—the most important founder question(46:00) The gambler's wisdom: inviting luck(48:30) How to make yourself luckier (excellence, flexibility, humility)(50:10) Most great companies succeed with Plan B, not Plan A(51:30) A painful miss: the Juicero story(53:00) PR mismatch, press backlash, and the fatal Bloomberg articleConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
Scott's conversation with Freestyle Capital's Maria Palma ranges from venture capital hype cycles to ethics, engineering creativity, venture regret, and even the art of naming startups (“Cluster Fudge” stays). Palma also offers a personal take on her own journey—from GE supply chain to Harvard Business School to eventually discovering she was built for venture—all while keeping an engineer's mindset and a founder's empathy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
About Harpaul Sambhi:Harpaul Sambhi is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Magical, where he's building Agentic AI for healthcare to transform how people and systems interact in one of the world's most vital industries. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Harpaul combines a deep technical background with a passion for human-centered innovation. Before founding Magical in 2020, he built and sold Careerify to LinkedIn, where he later led product initiatives within LinkedIn Talent Solutions and Microsoft, helping shape the future of talent acquisition and HR technology.Alongside building companies, Harpaul has served as Entrepreneur in Residence at Bain Capital Ventures, Advisor at On Deck, and a Limited Partner in leading VC funds, including Bain Capital Ventures, iNovia Capital, and OnDeck. Earlier in his career, he authored Social HR (published by Thomson-Reuters) and lectured at the Schulich Executive Education Centre on innovation, technology, and the evolving workplace.At his core, Harpaul is guided by simple principles—striving to be a good human and a dedicated father, husband, son, brother, and friend—while working with great people to build great products that make a difference. A graduate of the University of Waterloo with a degree in electrical engineering, he continues to live by curiosity, humility, and the drive to create technology that serves people, not the other way around.About Doug Hires:Douglas Hires is a seasoned healthcare executive, consultant, and entrepreneur with over 35 years of leadership experience across the healthcare and information technology sectors. Based in Dallas, Texas, Douglas has built a distinguished career driving operational excellence, business transformation, and financial performance for some of the nation's leading healthcare organizations. His expertise spans providers, payers, government, and life sciences, and his track record includes accelerating growth, restructuring operations, and guiding organizations through strategic reinvention.Currently, Douglas serves as Executive Advisor at Magical, Managing Partner at JD Hires Advisory Group, and Founder & President of New World Wine Designs, where he combines his business acumen with his passion for fine wine and craftsmanship through bespoke wine cellar design and building. He also advises healthcare and sales organizations through roles with Healthcare IT Leaders and SalesSparx LLC, lending his strategic insight to help teams scale with precision and purpose.Previously, Douglas held multiple senior leadership roles at Optum, including Chief Operating Officer for OptumInsight Provider and COO of the Hospital Services Division, overseeing end-to-end revenue cycle operations for Dignity Health's 36 hospitals. His earlier career includes executive roles at Santa Rosa Consulting, 3M Health Information Systems, SoftMed Systems, and First Consulting Group, where he earned recognition as a respected thought leader and sought-after industry speaker.Things You'll Learn:Agentic AI surpasses automation by reasoning, adapting, and executing end-to-end workflows, thereby freeing healthcare workers from repetitive tasks.Healthcare organizations are already seeing results, such as doubling prior authorization volume while cutting staff needs and decision times in half.The shift from RPA to agentic AI mirrors the evolution from MapQuest to autonomous vehicles, smarter, smoother, and self-correcting.Successful AI adoption requires attention to change management and staff reallocation, not just technology deployment.Evaluating AI vendors using six key pillars (reasoning, adaptability, interoperability, agility, scalability, and fault tolerance) helps cut through the hype and identify real solutions.Resources:Connect with and follow Harpaul Sambhi on LinkedIn.Connect with and follow Doug Hires on LinkedIn.Follow Magical on LinkedIn.Visit Magical's website.
Hello, listeners, and welcome back to First Principles, Episode 48, or the 7th episode of season 3. This is part 2 of the conversation.The host, Rohin Dharmakumar, first crossed paths with Deepak Abbot back in April 2015, even before The Ken had been founded. Rohin was chasing down an insightful breakdown of the tech ecosystem's huge user numbers during the Free Basics debate, and Deepak, a veteran operator and former product head at Paytm, was the go-to source for his data-filled, analytical posts.That same data-driven curiosity is what led Deepak to walk away from corporate life in 2019. He was clear: he didn't want to just manage; he had years left to actively "build products, you know, with my own hands". What he built was Indiagold, targeting the massive opportunity of gold in a market VCs often dismissed as an 'old economy product'.In this episode, Rohin sat down with Deepak Abbot, co-founder of Indiagold, to discuss how they are transforming India's massive $1.5 trillion gold reserve—an asset often locked away and doing nothing—into a productive force. Deepak calls this gold a "dead asset" and explains that Indiagold's mission is to change the mindset around it. They are not just giving gold loans; they are monetising a secured asset for the 250 million Indians who are excluded from formal credit due to thin or non-existent credit scores. By enabling customers to safely leverage their gold reserve, the company helps jumpstart a formal credit history and provides essential working capital.Listen in as Deepak charts his operator-to-founder journey, shares how he navigated initial VC skepticism, and details the strategy behind turning a seemingly archaic commodity into a modern fintech solution for one of India's most fundamental credit problems. Plus, a fascinating look inside a unique company culture, including why Indiagold operates without a CEO.*****This episode was mixed and mastered by Rajiv CN.Write to us at fp@the-ken.com with your feedback, suggestions, and guests you would want to see on First Principles.If you enjoyed this episode, please help us spread the word by sharing and gifting it to your friends and family.***** Join The Ken as a Podcast Producer and work with India's most ambitious storytellers! We're creating a podcast about India's biggest companies, with each episode backed by weeks of deep research. You'll lead the workflows that turn that research into exceptional narratives and bring the show to listeners around the world. Join us to help shape something exceptional. Check out the details and apply here.
What do you do when the world starts changing faster than your ability to make sense of it?Do you hold tighter to what you know… or do you learn how to evolve, let go, and redefine who you are?In this episode, I sit down with legendary investor and True Ventures partner Tony Conrad, a man who has helped shape some of the most influential companies of the past two decades — and who is now in the most reflective stage of his life and career.We talk about the quiet side of leadership, the inner work required to stay relevant, why the AI revolution is forcing everyone to rethink their value, and how a surreal moment in a deportation jail in India woke him up to the fragility of everything we take for granted.Timestamps:00:00 — Who is Tony Conrad? Identity beyond job titles02:00 — Building True Ventures & the early days nobody saw05:00 — The J-curve years: failure, doubt, and patience08:00 — AI: the biggest shift of Tony's lifetime10:00 — How True Ventures stays mentally fit as a team12:00 — Culture > ego: why they avoid the Midas List14:00 — Travel, awareness & seeing the world clearly again17:00 — The India deportation jail story20:00 — Japan, America & the truth about cultural contrast22:00 — Why Tony stayed in San Francisco through every cycle25:00 — Reinventing his role: from “points on the board” to empowering others27:00 — Being public vs staying private: how the VC world has changed30:00 — The ancient teachers question & who Tony would speak to33:00 — Shackleton, survival & the greatest leadership example he knows****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.
Guest: Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani, Founder of ArthAum Group Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani is a global leader in venture capital, strategic partnerships, and capital formation. As the Founder of ArthAum Group, she has built a firm that helps funds and companies scale smarter—through tailored launch strategies, operational excellence, and global investor networks. In this episode, Dr. Bijna shares her journey from financial services leadership into founding ArthAum Group, and offers practical insights for fund managers, entrepreneurs, and investors navigating today's fast-moving venture capital markets. We cover: Fund launch strategies – how first-time managers differ from established funds The biggest mistakes new funds make during launch and how to avoid them The role of fund operating administration in long-term success Why strong back-office operations can make or break a venture fund How to structure partnerships for growth and diversification The KPIs she uses to identify high-value partners for clients Leveraging global investor networks to form capital and expand reach The importance of a global perspective when seeking capital Key trends in venture capital and partnerships across geographies and sectors Where the VC and partnership landscape is headed in the next five years Finally, Dr. Bijna explains what differentiates ArthAum Group from other firms, and how fund managers or companies can best connect with her team. About the Guest Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani is the Founder of ArthAum Group, a firm specializing in fund market strategy, operating administration, and capital formation. With decades of experience across global financial institutions, she is recognized for her expertise in helping funds and companies build scalable structures, forge partnerships, and unlock growth through innovation. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial or legal advice. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. #venturecapital #fundoffunds #siliconvalley #tech #investing
Goldman Sachs bought a VC and a sports talent agency… because they take a tiny % of huge $$$.Burberry's stock is up 50% on their British pivot…. They're leaning into England's bad weather.Sonder abruptly shut down, leaving thousands without hotels… It's WeWork 2.0.And RIP to the American Penny… (so we wrote a coin obituary)$ABNB $GS $BRBYNEWSLETTER:https://tboypod.com/newsletter OUR 2ND SHOW:Want more business storytelling from us? Check our weekly deepdive show, The Best Idea Yet: The untold origin story of the products you're obsessed with. Listen for free to The Best Idea Yet: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/NEW LISTENERSFill out our 2 minute survey: https://qualtricsxm88y5r986q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp1FDYiJgt6lHy6GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Linkedin (Nick): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Linkedin (Jack): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ About Us: The daily pop-biz news show making today's top stories your business. Formerly known as Robinhood Snacks, The Best One Yet is hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if your customers could talk directly to your brand, without scaling your your customer service teams to a 1:1 capacity? This episode is brought to you by Krisp.ai, the all-in-one voice AI that makes every conversation sound professional. With industry-leading noise cancellation, real-time accent conversion, accurate transcription, and smart call summaries, Krisp helps teams and individuals stay clear and productive. Trusted worldwide and powering over 75 billion minutes of conversations each month, Krisp is the easiest way to elevate every call. Try it free at krisp.ai. Agility sometimes requires fundamentally rethinking the core business assumptions around how we fund growth, build teams, and create value.Today, we're going to talk about the strategic decisions that underpin the AI revolution. It's not just about the technology itself, but about the crucial choices leaders make around how to finance innovation, how to structure teams, and how to stay ahead of the curve on what's actually possible versus what's just hype. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Arto Minasyan, Co-Founder & President at Krisp.ai. About Arto Minasyan Arto Minasyan is a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of Krisp.ai and 10Web, two successful VC-backed startups that collectively raised $28 million and achieved profitability. He leads teams of around 300 professionals across both companies, driving innovation and operational excellence. Under his guidance, Krisp was honored as one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2020, while 10Web's AI Website Builder has powered over one million websites. Arto frequently shares insights on balancing venture capital with bootstrapping, advancing AI voice technology, and building diverse global tech teams beyond Silicon Valley. Arto Minasyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artominasyan/ Resources Krisp.ai: https://www.krisp.ai This episode is brought to you by Krisp.ai, the all-in-one voice AI that makes every conversation sound professional. With industry-leading noise cancellation, real-time accent conversion, accurate transcription, and smart call summaries, Krisp helps teams and individuals stay clear and productive. Trusted worldwide and powering over 75 billion minutes of conversations each month, Krisp is the easiest way to elevate every call. Try it free at krisp.ai. Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Vivian sat down with Sophia Bush live at Tech Futures to dive deep into the money side of Hollywood stardom. Sophia breaks down what actors actually make from iconic TV shows (spoiler: those One Tree Hill paychecks weren't what you think), how residuals really work in the streaming era, and why that show you've binged 47 times barely pays the actors anymore. Sophia gets real about navigating Hollywood's pay gap, from her early days saying yes to everything to learning how to negotiate like a boss in an industry that doesn't want women asking for more. Plus, she reveals how she's built serious wealth beyond acting through podcasting, directing, producing, and becoming a GP at a VC fund, explaining why diversifying her income was the smartest financial move she ever made. She answers the big questions about balancing activism with getting paid, preparing for Hollywood's feast-or-famine cycles, what retirement looks like when you're an actor, and how coming out changed the way she thinks about money and relationships. Keep up with Sophia on Instagram and find her Work in Progress podcast HERE! Follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok! Got a financial question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at podcast@yourrichbff.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices