614Startups: Recent Episodes
614Startups
614Startups is the fastest growing community of startup founders and investors in Columbus, Ohio. We use media and educational events to connect startup founders with the investors and resources they need to launch and scale impactful startups. Our podcast, news feed, newsletter, and events reach the influential decision-makers that are driving the Columbus startup ecosystem forward.
Join our community, engage with our content, make connections, and get involved. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Join host Elio Harmon on this episode of the 614Startups Podcast as he sits down with Evan Duignan, the innovative Founder of Alphamated. Alphamated is revolutionizing the service industry with its intelligent automation solutions, making it easier for businesses to manage and optimize their operations through state-of-the-art technology.In this candid conversation, Evan delves into his entrepreneurial journey, sharing the highs and lows of building Alphamated from the ground up. He opens up about the unique challenges he faced while establishing his company, including the intricate process of raising capital. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, Evan's insights and experiences provide valuable lessons on perseverance, innovation, and the realities of startup life.Tune in to hear Evan's story and gain inspiration from his relentless drive to transform the service industry. Don't miss this episode of the 614Startups Podcast, where we bring you the stories of visionaries and trailblazers shaping the future of business.Please subscribe to our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
In this episode of the 614Startups Podcast, host Elio Harmon sits down with Tony Pietrocola, President of AgileBlue. AgileBlue is a leading AI-driven cybersecurity operations platform that empowers businesses to detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Learn more about AgileBlue at www.agileblue.com.Tony shares his insights on why cybersecurity is critical for businesses of all sizes and delves into the most pressing cybersecurity threats facing organizations today. From sophisticated phishing attacks to the ever-evolving landscape of ransomware, Tony breaks down the dangers lurking in the digital world.Discover how AgileBlue leverages cutting-edge AI technology to combat these threats, providing affordable and effective cybersecurity solutions tailored to meet the needs of any business. Whether you're a startup or a large enterprise, this episode is packed with valuable advice and practical tips on protecting your digital assets.Tune in to hear how AgileBlue's innovative approach to cybersecurity is not only making the cyber world safer but also ensuring that businesses can operate with peace of mind. Don't miss this essential conversation on safeguarding your business in the digital age!
In this episode of the 614Startups Podcast, host Elio Harmon sits down with Warner Moore, the visionary founder of Gamma Force. Gamma Force is dedicated to building a culture of excellence in cybersecurity by empowering businesses to protect their most valuable assets. Warner shares his journey as a founder and delves into the core values that guide his leadership philosophy, including putting people first, taking ownership, and always doing the right thing. Join Elio and Warner for an inspiring conversation about the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and values-driven leadership.Listen now and discover how Warner Moore is transforming the cybersecurity landscape with a people-first approach.Please subscribe to our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
Welcome to another exciting episode of the 614Startups Podcast with your host, Elio Harmon! In this episode, Elio sits down with Brock Leonti, the innovative Founder of Prescribe FIT, a full-service remote monitoring and lifestyle health coaching solution tailored for orthopedic practices and their patients.
Brock takes us through his inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from founding a home health agency and an STNA education center to spearheading one of the fastest-growing health tech companies in Columbus, Ohio.
Dive into the critical issue of orthobesity, a pandemic affecting orthopedic health, and discover how Prescribe FIT is revolutionizing patient care by empowering orthopedic practices to enhance health outcomes and surgical success.
Brock also opens up about his experience raising a remarkable $4.8 million Series A round led by Refinery Ventures, offering invaluable tips and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Don't miss this insightful conversation! Remember to like, subscribe, and share the 614Startups Podcast to stay updated on the latest in the startup ecosystem.
Please subscribe to our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
In this episode, Elio Harmon discusses the daily disciplines required to be a successful business leader or entrepreneur without sacrificing physical or mental health. He emphasizes the importance of time management, regular physical activity, mindful eating, and setting boundaries. He also highlights the significance of mental health practices such as mindfulness and seeking support from a network of peers, mentors, and advisors. The key takeaway is that taking care of oneself is essential for long-term success in both personal and professional life.
Takeaways
Effective time management is crucial for maintaining balance and focusing on what truly matters.
Regular physical activity is a powerful stress reliever and mood booster.
Mindful eating and hydration have a direct impact on energy levels and mental clarity.
Incorporating mindfulness practices and setting boundaries can help maintain mental well-being.
Quality sleep is vital for cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall health.
Networking and seeking support from peers, mentors, and advisors is important for navigating challenges effectively.
Taking care of oneself is a necessity for long-term success in both personal and professional life.
"Effective time management is crucial for maintaining balance."
"Exercise is a powerful stress reliever and mood booster."
"What you fuel your body with has a direct impact on your energy levels and mental clarity."
Chapters 00:00 Balancing Business and Well-being: Daily Disciplines for Success
02:01 Maintaining Health in High-Demand Careers
03:23 Thriving in Business and Personal Well-being
Please Subscribe our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
Self-doubt is the lack of confidence in oneself and one's abilities, which can paralyze entrepreneurs and prevent them from taking necessary risks. It can stem from past failures, fear of failure, or a lack of external validation. Self-doubt is a common issue for entrepreneurs due to the inherent risks of entrepreneurship, the pressure to succeed, and the isolation of the entrepreneurial journey. Strategies to combat self-doubt include acknowledging and accepting it, focusing on accomplishments, seeking support and mentorship, practicing self-compassion, and taking action despite doubts.TakeawaysSelf-doubt is a normal part of the entrepreneurial journey and can be managed.Reflecting on past accomplishments can boost confidence and counteract negative thoughts.Building a supportive network of peers, mentors, and advisors is crucial for combating self-doubt.Practicing self-compassion and treating oneself with kindness can reduce the impact of self-doubt.Taking small incremental steps towards goals can help overcome self-doubt and build momentum.Chapters00:00 The Impact of Self-Doubt on Entrepreneurs03:03 Strategies for Overcoming Self-Doubt
Join host Elio Harmon in this relevant and practical episode of 614Startups as we delve into the perils of Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS) and its impact on entrepreneurial success. Discover how this common distraction can derail your startup's progress and drain valuable resources. Elio breaks down why SOS is a silent killer, shares personal insights, and offers actionable strategies to combat it. Tune in to learn how to stay focused, set clear goals, and practice discipline to ensure your business thrives. Don't miss this essential guide for entrepreneurs striving to build something great.
Chapters
00:00 The Dangers of Shiny Object Syndrome
03:30 Strategies to Combat Shiny Object Syndrome
05:07 Staying Focused on Long-Term SuccessTakeaways
- Shiny object syndrome can derail progress and prevent entrepreneurs from achieving their goals.
- Fractured focus, drained resources, and perpetual starting are the consequences of shiny object syndrome.
- To combat shiny object syndrome, entrepreneurs should set clear goals, implement a decision-making process, practice discipline and accountability, and schedule regular reviews.
- Staying focused on long-term goals and resisting the urge to constantly chase new ideas is crucial for sustainable success.
Like, subscribe, and share to support your fellow entrepreneurs!
Welcome to the 614Startups Podcast, where innovation meets insight! Host Elio Harmon invites you on a journey through the dynamic world of entrepreneurship with seasoned experts Tushar Kulkarni and Morgan Koth from Big Kitty Labs.
With over 14 years of pioneering software design and development, Big Kitty Labs has been at the forefront of crafting high-performance mobile and web solutions for diverse businesses. But they're not just about cutting-edge tech; they're about empowering startup founders to navigate the intricate path towards building thriving companies, not just cool technologies.
Join us as Tushar and Morgan share their wealth of experience, offering invaluable advice on the strategic intricacies of entrepreneurship. From conceptualization to execution, they unravel the secrets behind transforming innovative ideas into sustainable ventures.
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, seasoned startup enthusiast, or simply curious about the intersection of technology and business, this podcast promises to inspire, educate, and elevate your entrepreneurial journey. Tune in to the 614Startups Podcast and unlock the blueprint for entrepreneurial success!
Please Subscribe to our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
Dive into the Columbus entrepreneurial ecosystem with the latest episode of the 614Startups Podcast, where Elio sits down with the dynamic Cindi Englefield, one of the driving forces behind Accelerating Angels.
In this insightful interview, Cindi, a seasoned entrepreneur turned angel investor, takes us on a journey through her career evolution and her passionate commitment to empowering women-led startups. As the founder of Accelerating Angels, Cindi specializes in investing in high-growth, early-stage ventures helmed by exceptional female leaders poised for rapid expansion and lucrative exits within 3-7 years.
But it's not just about the bottom line for Cindi—it's about fostering a community of innovation, resilience, and empowerment. She shares candidly why she takes her role as a fiduciary seriously, weaving together her personal experiences and professional insights to illuminate the transformative potential of investing in women-led businesses.
Drawing from her wealth of experience, Cindi offers invaluable advice for founders navigating the complex landscape of capital raising. From honing in on the core problem and crafting a compelling solution to understanding the market dynamics, she emphasizes the importance of clarity and communication in securing investment.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned investor, or simply curious about the world of startups, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to join the conversation, gain actionable insights, and be inspired by the stories of trailblazing women reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape. Don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to stay updated on the latest episodes and join our vibrant community of innovators and changemakers.
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🚀 Dive into the Columbus startup scene with the latest episode of the 614Startups Podcast! Join Elio as he chats with Naveed Iqbal, the brains behind Dolr, a game-changing fintech startup. 💰
Looking to crush your student loan debt? Dolr's got you covered! Discover how they're revolutionizing the student loan payoff game by putting extra cash in your pocket from everyday purchases. 🎓 Don't rely solely on government policies – take control of your financial destiny now!
Naveed spills the beans on his journey as a founder, the hurdles of fundraising in Ohio, and Dolr's ingenious partnerships with employers and top retailers. 💼Ready to say goodbye to student loan stress? Tune in for insights on the student loan landscape and Dolr's disruptive fintech solutions.Dolr: https://getdolr.com/614Startups Naveed Iqbal Previous Appearance: https://614startups.com/the-614startups-podcast-featuring-naveed-iqbal-dolr/Please Subscribe our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/Facebook:https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
🌟 Dive into the groundbreaking world of Columbus startups with our latest 614Startups Podcast episode! 🚀 Join Elio as he sits down with Dr. Zeenia Kaul, the visionary Co-Founder of Reheva Biosciences, a dynamic biosciences startup shaking up the healthtech scene in Columbus, Ohio. 🌿💡
Discover how Reheva Biosciences pioneers naturally occurring complex botanicals to revolutionize cancer treatment and enhance patient lives. Dr. Kaul's journey, inspired by her parents' legacy as cancer researchers, unveils a mission to offer 100% natural drugs at affordable prices, with fewer side effects compared to conventional therapies. 🧬💊
With Phase 1 clinical trials wrapped up in late 2023 and $7 million in funding secured, Reheva is poised to make waves in the biosciences landscape.
📈Ready to explore the future of cancer treatment? Tune in now for insights on cancer fundamentals, current therapies, and how Reheva plans to disrupt the status quo. Don't miss out—subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify to catch every exciting episode as it drops! 🔔✨ #ColumbusStartups #BioscienceInnovation #HealthTech #VentureFunded
Please Subscribe our channel614Startups is a podcast for early-stage tech founders raising capital in the Midwest | community for entrepreneurs and investors.Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/Facebook:https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093106463335
On this episode, Elio interviews Michael Supeck and Will Zell, Founding Partners of the Ohio Angel Collective. The Ohio Angel Collective is a vibrant network of investors and startup enthusiasts dedicated to nurturing and growing the entrepreneurial spirit of Ohio. Michael and Will explain why they decided to start the OAC, how the angel syndicate works, what they look for in investors and startups, and how they plan to be the first check into overlooked and underserved Ohio founders.
Tune in to the latest episode of the 614Startups podcast hosted by Elio Harmon, where we dive into the world of startup marketing with Jason Parks, Co-founder of The Media Captain and DermWarehouse. In this insightful conversation, Jason shares invaluable wisdom on proven marketing strategies that startups can employ to ignite explosive growth in their businesses.
Discover the core principles of marketing and marketing strategy as Jason breaks down the essential components for startup success. From defining marketing fundamentals to crafting effective strategies, this episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs seeking to amplify their brand presence and drive significant results.
But the conversation doesn't stop there. Jason unravels the mysteries of paid digital marketing, offering actionable insights on leveraging platforms like Google ads, Facebook, and Instagram to generate leads and maximize conversions. Learn how to navigate the digital advertising landscape effectively and harness the power of targeted campaigns to fuel your startup's growth.
Moreover, Jason sheds light on the often overlooked yet highly effective avenues of blogging and YouTube ads, showcasing how these mediums can be leveraged to reach and engage with your target audience in meaningful ways.
Perhaps most intriguingly, Jason reveals that startups can kickstart their journey towards growth with just a few hundred dollars per month, emphasizing the importance of smart allocation and experimentation in marketing budgets.
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this episode is packed with actionable strategies and expert advice to help you propel your startup to new heights. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain invaluable insights from one of the industry's leading experts. Tune in now to revolutionize your approach to startup marketing!
Welcome to the 614Startups podcast, where we delve into the journeys of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators shaping the future of business. In this episode, we sit down with Tim Grace, the Managing Director of Techstars Columbus powered by The Ohio State University.Tim takes us through his entrepreneurial journey, from his early ventures to his evolution into an investor. He shares insights into what it takes to build a successful career and why he decided to take the job as Managing Director.Our conversation then shifts gears as Tim provides a comprehensive overview of Techstars Columbus. He unpacks the genesis of the program, its mission, and the intricacies of the application process. Tim walks us through how companies are selected, the duration of the program, and how the curriculum is meticulously tailored to meet the unique needs of each participating founder.If you're an aspiring entrepreneur looking to accelerate your startup journey, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we explore the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation with Tim Grace.For more information about Techstars Columbus and to apply for the next cohort, visit: Techstars Columbus - The Ohio State University Accelerator
Welcome to another insightful episode of the 614Startups podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Carrie Ghose, a seasoned reporter from Columbus Business First, to delve into the riveting story of Olive, a once-thriving tech company that tragically went out of business in late 2023.
Join us as we trace Olive's journey from its promising beginnings, exploring the visionary founder, early investors, and the company's major pivot that set the stage for both success and eventual downfall. Carrie Ghose provides an in-depth look into the challenges Olive faced, including significant layoffs and ensuing legal battles.
The conversation doesn't stop there – we explore the valiant efforts made to salvage the company, shedding light on the various strategies employed and the ultimate decisions that led to Olive's closure. As we dissect the aftermath, discover the parallel narrative of Founder Sean Lane and his new project, launched even as Olive faced its final days.
But the story doesn't just end with the company's closure – we uncover the human side of Olive's demise, examining who bore the brunt of the fallout and the lessons that can be gleaned from this cautionary tale. This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone intrigued by the dynamic world of tech startups.
Tune in as we navigate through the rise, fall, and aftermath of Olive, learning valuable insights and gaining a deeper understanding of the intricate web that surrounds the world of startups. Don't miss this gripping episode of the 614Startups podcast with Carrie Ghose, offering a unique perspective on a tech company that was once a unicorn and the lessons that can be extracted from its dramatic journey.
Get ready for an electrifying episode on the 614Startups Podcast! In this dynamic conversation, Elio sits down with Keith Warren, the Senior SBA Regional Vice President at Northwest Bank. Brace yourself as they delve into the intricacies of Northwest Bank's game-changing SBA lending program, designed to empower business owners like never before.Unlock the secrets of SBA lending with Keith as he unravels the process, sheds light on underwriting requirements, and unveils the limitless possibilities these loans bring for acquiring or scaling your business. Dive deep into the discussion on interest rates and discover exclusive fee relief opportunities available in 2024.This episode is tailor-made for ambitious business owners in pursuit of the capital needed to fuel their dreams. If you're ready to take your business to new heights, join us for an exhilarating episode that promises valuable insights and actionable strategies. Tune in now and harness the knowledge that could be the key to unlocking the funding your dream business deserves!
In this dynamic episode, join us as we sit down with Melissa Dickson, a visionary entrepreneur and community advocate, to explore the art of reinvesting while preserving the essence of neighborhood identity. From the bustling streets of Columbus to the heart of real estate development, this conversation delves into key topics that are shaping the landscape of business and community building.
🏡 Episode Highlights:
- Reinvesting While Retaining Neighborhood Identity: Discover the delicate balance between growth and preservation as Melissa shares insights on how businesses can thrive while staying deeply rooted in their communities.
- Passion and Energy in Business Building: Dive into the entrepreneurial journey with Melissa and explore the role of passion and energy in the foundation and growth of a successful business.
- Pivoting in Times of Uncertainty: Learn from real-life experiences as our guest sheds light on the strategies and mindset required to navigate uncertainties and successfully pivot in the business world.
- The Importance of Advisors in Early-Stage Startups: Melissa discusses the invaluable role advisors play in guiding early-stage startups, offering pearls of wisdom for those embarking on their entrepreneurial ventures.
- Real Estate Development Through City Collaborations: Gain insights into the world of real estate development and how collaboration with the City of Columbus can shape transformative projects that benefit both businesses and communities.
🚀 Join the Conversation! Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, community builder, or simply intrigued by the dynamics of business and community collaboration, this episode is a must-listen.
🎧 Listen now on and get ready to be inspired by Melissa Dickson's incredible journey and the valuable insights she shares!
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share if you enjoyed the episode! 🌟 #Podcast #BusinessInsights #CommunityEngagement
Join us for a dynamic episode of "Conversations with Venture," recorded in front of a live studio audience at COhatch Dublin. In this 614Startups episode, our host engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Brian Zuercher, the General Partner at 1870 Ventures.🚀 About Our Guest:Brian Zuercher brings a wealth of startup experience and expertise to the table, having driven innovation and entrepreneurship as a founder and now as an investor. As a General Partner at 1870 Ventures, Brian plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Columbus startup landscape by incubating and investing in the next generation of groundbreaking ideas.🌐 Exploring 1870 Ventures:Delve into the world of 1870 Ventures, a hub for entrepreneurial growth and development. Discover how this platform is driving change, supporting startups, and creating an environment where ideas flourish.🎤 Live Studio Audience Interaction:Experience the energy of the live recording as the audience engages with Brian, asking questions and sharing insights. The palpable enthusiasm adds an extra layer to the conversation, making this episode a unique and immersive experience.🔍 Key Topics Covered:The current state of innovation and entrepreneurshipBrian Zuercher's journey and insights on the history of the Columbus startup ecosystem1870 Ventures' venture studio concept and approach to starting and scaling companiesAudience questions and interactive discussions🔗 Connect with 1870 Ventures:Explore more about 1870 Ventures and stay updated on their latest initiatives by visiting 1870Ventures.com.Tune in to this episode for an inspiring conversation that goes beyond the conventional, providing valuable insights into the world of venture capital, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your journey, this episode is a must-listen!🎧 Listen now and embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration with "Conversations with Venture"!Learn More about Brian Zuercher:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianzuercher/Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/614_startups/
Welcome to another enlightening episode of the 614Startups Podcast, where we delve deep into the world of startups and entrepreneurship. On this episode, Elio is joined by Arthi Rathi, an accomplished CFO at Book+Street, to uncover the often-overlooked connection between founder personal finances and startup success.
Discover the invaluable insights and expert advice Arthi brings to the table as we discuss how a founder's financial health can significantly impact their venture's journey. We'll explore the critical role personal financial stability plays in securing funding, making strategic decisions, and fostering a resilient entrepreneurial spirit.
Join us in this engaging conversation as we tackle questions like: How do a founder's personal finances influence their startup's growth and sustainability? What are the key financial considerations for aspiring entrepreneurs before embarking on their startup journey? Insights on managing personal finances while bootstrapping a new venture. The interplay between personal and business finances and the importance of separation. Arthi Rathi's wealth of experience in financial management and her role at Book+Street make her the perfect guide for this episode, shedding light on the financial aspects often left in the shadows of entrepreneurial discussions.
Tune in now for this worthwhile discussion and gain a newfound understanding of how your financial health as a founder can make or break your startup's success. Don't miss out on this episode of The Link Between Startup Success and Founder Personal Finances with Arthi Rathi, CFO of Book+Street
Welcome to another enlightening episode of the 614Startups Podcast! In this insightful discussion, we have the privilege of diving deep into the world of business tax credits with an absolute expert in the field, Terracina Maxwell. As the President and Co-Founder of Arvo Tech, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that can truly revolutionize the way you approach your organization's financial health.
Whether you're a small business owner navigating the intricacies of tax credits or part of a large corporation seeking to optimize your financial strategies, this episode is bound to be a game-changer. Terracina shares her extensive insights while debunking common misconceptions and providing practical tips for businesses to unlock the full potential of their tax credits. By the end of this conversation, you'll be armed with the knowledge to save money and enhance your bottom line.
So get ready to explore the secrets of claiming your business tax credits and take your financial wellbeing to new heights!
On this episode, Elio interviews Kristen Brown, Founder of Rela. Rela is an art subscription service collaborating with local artists to make any space a local art gallery, empowering anyone to host original art in their home or office. Kristen shares Rela's origin story, the role that art should play in our lives, and how Rela intends to end the starving artist trope by generating revenue for local artists on artwork that would otherwise languish in storage.
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On this episode of 614Startups, Elio Harmon interviews Asim Roy and Rob Kibler from Dianyx Innovations. Dianyx is innovating in the sleep medicine field, focusing on sleep apnea treatment. They discuss the challenges of sleep apnea, the limitations of current treatments like CPAP and surgery, and how Dianyx's technology aims to revolutionize the oral appliance therapy market. The conversation covers topics like remote patient monitoring, revenue strategies, and the importance of partnerships. The team also talks about their seed-stage fundraising journey and the milestones they're targeting for the next year. The episode showcases the importance of having diverse expertise in a startup team and emphasizes the significance of protecting intellectual property.
Tune in now to learn from one of the best in the business!
Learn more about Asim Roy : linkedin.com/in/asim-roy-5717685
Learn more about Rob Kibler :linkedin.com/in/robkibler614
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Learn more about Dianyx: https://www.dianyxinnovations.com/
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Chris Berry, President/CEO of OhioX. Chris Berry highlights the importance of collaboration and creating a supportive ecosystem for the growth of the tech sector in Ohio. Chris shares the mission and purpose of OhioX and how they leverage storytelling, events, education, advocacy, and talent attraction to advance Ohio's technology and digital industry. He explains the organization's goals and initiatives in promoting and supporting tech and innovation within the state. Chris shares his personal experiences and the insight he gained from working in government that motivated him to create an organization fostering tech growth in Ohio. With major investments from Intel, Meta, Honda, Google, and now Amazon Web Services, the world according to Chris will surely be Built In Ohio.
Tune in to the podcast episode to gain valuable insights from Chris Berry about connecting and supporting Ohio's tech and innovation communities.
Learn more about OhioX: https://www.ohiox.org/
Learn more about Chris Berry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-berry-073aa75/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/614startups/support
On this episode of 614 Startups, we are joined by Demetrius Robinson, a Tax Partner at Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP. (KJK) Demetrius shares his extensive knowledge and experience in selecting a brand name, equity, startup laws, tax laws, and forming an LLC. He emphasizes the importance of selecting a strong and unique brand name that resonates with your target audience. He also discusses the various types of equity and how to structure your startup for success. Demetrius provides valuable insights into startup laws and tax laws that every founder should be aware of. He breaks down the benefits and drawbacks of forming an LLC and how it can impact your business.
Whether you are just starting out or looking to take your startup to the next level, this episode offers practical advice and actionable tips for navigating the complex world of entrepreneurship. Tune in now to learn from one of the best in the business!Learn more about KJK: https://kjk.com/
Learn more about Demetrius Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetrius-robinson-biztaxattorney/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/614startups/support
Do you have a brand? On this episode Elio interviews Neil Wengerd, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Nonfiction. Neil explores what a brand is, how all the components of a brand work together, and the advantages of building a brand in a crowded marketplace. Listen, like, subscribe and share.
Learn more about Nonfiction: https://madebynonfiction.com/
Learn more about Neil Wengerd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-wengerd-895191b/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ira Sharfin, CEO of Continental Office. Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in the Berwick neighborhood of Columbus, exhibited entrepreneurial tendencies by selling candy, lawn care and painting services to neighbors. He pursued higher education but admittedly leaned into the party scene and had to create his own job opportunities. Rising through the ranks and eventually exiting the corporate world as a Partner at IBM, Ira acquired Continental Office in 2005 and has built the company into one of the leading providers of creative office solutions in the U.S.
Ira discusses how his grandfather inspired him to become an entrepreneur, how the pandemic change the world of work and what it takes to thrive as a leader in the workplace of tomorrow.
Learn more about Continental Office: https://www.continentaloffice.com/
Learn more about Ira Sharfin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irasharfin/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio interviews Carrington Carter, Co-Founder of Getaway Society, East Chop Capital and McKinley Carter Enterprises. Getaway Society is a luxury vacation rental home company with properties in Martha’s Vineyard, Hilton Head, the Poconos, Gatlinburg, and Orlando. Carrington discusses how reading Rich Dad Poor Dad and his Dad's experience of racism in Corporate America inspired him to become an entrepreneur. He began his entrepreneurial journey by starting McKinley Carter, a real estate investment and property management company that now has over $20M in assets under management. With the support of his network of over 100 LPs, Carrington and his Co-Founder Calvin Butts Jr. raised $15 million in private equity to invest in the $114 billion global vacation rental home market. The fund also plans to support companies in technology, financial services, media, and sports. Carrington delves into the vacation rental market, the struggles of raising funding while black, and how he is managing his own bias when it comes to investing. This and more on another edition of the 614Startups podcast. Learn more about Getaway Society: https://getawaysociety.com/
Learn more about East Chop Capital: https://eastchopcapital.com/
Learn more about Carrington Carter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carringtonmcarter/
Learn more about Carrington Carter Instagram: @carringtonmcarter
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio interviews Taylor Keene and Karima Crawford of GENESIS Downtown. GENESIS Downtown is Columbus’ newest wedding & special events venue offering 2,700 square feet of flexible space. Taylor and Karima discuss how they met and became business partners, how the post-COVID rebound of the hospitality industry is creating growth opportunities for event venues, the innovation that will help them capture market share, and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship that almost took them out. Learn more about GENESIS Downtown: https://www.genesis-downtown.com/
Learn more about Taylor Keene on IG: @taylorparie
Learn more about Karima Crawford on IG: @karimaofthecrop
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio interviews Mary McCarthy, Co-Founder of the Women's Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) and Accelerating Angels. The WSBA is a nonprofit that supports women start-up businesses and entrepreneurs through education, peer support, and mentoring. Accelerating Angels invests in high-growth, early stage, and exceptionally led, women-owned businesses that are ready to scale and exit within 3-7 years. Mary shares her insights on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, why women-led companies are an untapped gold mine of investment opportunity, and why now is the perfect time to launch an angel fund in Columbus, Ohio.
Learn more about WSBA: https://www.wsbaohio.org/
Learn more about Accelerating Angels: https://acceleratingangels.com/
Learn more about Mary McCarthy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccarthym/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio interviews Deonna Barnett, CEO and Managing Consultant of Aventi Enterprises. Aventi Enterprises is a strategic consulting firm helping small businesses access capital and government contracts to grow and scale. Deonna shares how she developed a passion for helping entrepreneurs, the layoff that started Aventi, and how the Aventi Loan Fund made possible by the Columbus Foundation's Equitable Small Business Fund is helping women and minority-owned companies service and scale contracts, create jobs and grow revenue.
Learn more about Aventi Enterprises: https://www.aventienterprises.com/
Learn more about Deonna Barnett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deonnabarnett/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio interviews Chris Phommas, Founder of Virtical. Virtical is a Columbus-based virtual assistant agency that helps startup founders and small business owners reduce stress and increase productivity by delegating administrative tasks to remote workers with corporate-level experience and training at a fraction of the cost. Chris shares how being an immigrant shaped his entrepreneurial journey, the impact of a well-trained and in-sync virtual assistant on the productivity and wellbeing of an entrepreneur, and why soft skills are the key to entrepreneurial success. All this and more on the 614Startups podcast.
Learn more about Virtical: https://www.virtical.us/
Learn more about Chris Phommas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-phommas-090b68ba/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
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On this episode, Elio Harmon interviews Bryon Murray, Founder and CEO of Enzee. Enzee helps healthcare providers save time and money on compliance management by automating quality control testing and electronic recordkeeping in radiology and radiation oncology settings. Bryon discusses how a mentor, a team of physicians and necessity launched his entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration he gets to keep going from his team and customers, and how the $1 he spent to acquire what is now Enzee might be the best dollar he ever spent. All that and more on this episode of the 614Startups podcast.
Learn more about Enzee: https://www.enzeehealth.com/
Learn more about Bryon Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryon-murray-01123718/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our 614Startups on Twitter and LinkedIn. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Matt Scantland, Founder and CEO of AndHealth. After leading Covermymeds to "The Exit" which spawned several startups led by former employees and inspired the launch of this very podcast, Matt is back with his next venture AndHealth. AndHealth helps people reverse chronic disease by providing continuous access to virtual specialists that combine behavioral and clinical care for migraine and autoimmune conditions. Matt shares his thoughts on his legacy at Covermymeds, how he is transforming the idea for AndHealth into the business of AndHealth, and his advice for founders who are raising capital. All this and much more on the 614Startups podcast.
Learn more about AndHealth: https://andhealth.com/
Learn more about Matt Scantland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattscantland/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our community @614Startups onTwitter and LinkedIn. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode Elio interviews Chad Porter, Founder and CEO of CHVD JUSTIN. CHVD JUSTIN is a retail bag and apparel company that provides innovation and function through unique handmade bags designed for active and contemporary consumers. Chad tells the story of how he launched his company in his dorm room at The Ohio State University, manufactured and sold his first bags himself, how rejection and customer feedback provided the fuel for innovation, and the choice to license and sell customizable Wearpacks to colleges and universities as his path to profitability and mass production.
Learn more about CHVD JUSTIN: https://www.chvdjustin.com/
Learn more about Chad Porter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-porter-599b1b21b/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our community @614Startups on Twitter and LinkedIn. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ryan Hale. Ryan Hale is a consultant and Metaverse enthusiast leveraging the disruptive potential of the blockchain to launch and scale Web3 projects. Ryan simplifies the underlying value proposition of blockchain technologies as a means of decentralization allowing users to transact without middlemen like banks or marketplaces. Imagine a world where buyers and sellers can engage in a fair exchange of value without a third party extracting fees for facilitating the transaction? That is the promise of cryptos, NFTs, the Metaverse and other technologies like them. So sit back and enjoy as we demystify the Metaverse.
Learn more about Ryan Hale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryannathanhale/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our community @614Startups on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Kwame Christian, Founder and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute. The American Negotiation Institute is a global consulting firm that specializes in providing training, coaching and education on applying the foundations of negotiation to any difficult conversation in life and business. Kwame shares how and why he started ANI, why most of us are bad at negotiations, and why we have so much trouble with difficult conversations like race. Kwame is the two-time best selling author of Finding Confidence in Conflict and How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race.
Learn more about the American Negotiation Institute: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/
Learn more about Kwame Christian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our community @614Startups on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Rehgan Avon, Co-founder and CEO of AlignAI and Women in Analytics (WIA). AlignAI is changing the way companies capture, share, and improve their institutional knowledge around AI and data across their organization. Women in Analytics' mission is to increase visibility to the women making an impact in the analytics space and provide a platform for women to lead the conversations around the advancements of analytical research, development, and applications. Rehgan explores a wide range of issues including how her first tech meetup prompted her to start and grow WIA into one of the largest analytics conferences in the world and how AlignAI is helping their customers succeed by turning institutional knowledge of artificial intelligence and analytics into a competitive advantage.
Learn more about AlignAI: https://www.getalignai.com/
Learn more about Women in Analytics: https://www.womeninanalytics.com/
Learn more about Rehgan Avon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rehganavon/
Learn more about 614Startups: https://614startups.com/
Learn more about Elio Harmon: linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Join our community @614Startups on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The podcast is available on our website and all major podcasting platforms.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Alicia Oddi, Managing Director at Rev1 Ventures. Rev1 Ventures provides seed-stage venture capital funding in Columbus, Ohio along with startup services, space, mentoring, and connections. Alicia discusses two Rev1 programs that are aimed at underserved entrepreneurs. The Grow To Scale Mentor Program is fueled by a $1.4MM grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) “Build to Scale” program, and paired with a $1.4MM Rev1 local match with funding secured through returns from Rev1 investments. The program aims to accelerate technology entrepreneurship for concept and seed-stage businesses by increasing inclusive access to business support and startup capital. So far, eight startups have joined the first cohort of the program, and it is available to all current Rev1 clients with diverse leadership – either women or entrepreneurs of color. Diverse founders working on a tech-enabled, high-growth idea can https://www.rev1ventures.com/grow-to-scale-at-rev1/ to get started.
The Rev1 Ventures Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Grant Fund pairs funding with educational workshops to help level the playing field for women and founders of color who are building high-growth companies. Franklin County and the City of Columbus join Rev1 in seeding the grant fund, which plans to distribute grants initially through 2023 and will have two funding cycles per year.
Early awards have been provided to three client companies: Fleri, Equitek, and Color Coded Labs. For more information visit https://www.rev1ventures.com/dei-grant/
To learn more about 614Startups visit www.614Startups.com.
To learn more about Elio Harmon, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
To learn more about Alicia Oddi, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-oddi-4a62798/
You can listen to the podcast on all major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcast.
You can follow us on all social media platforms @614Startups
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ethan Dewhurst of Vohnt. Vohnt provides on-demand, valet car detailing, oil changes and gas top-offs. Ethan and the team at Vohnt have been quietly perfecting their processes and inking major deals like the recent partnership with the John Glenn International Airport. Ethan shares the hard-won lessons of building a direct-to-consumer business while attract scalable B2B partnerships with long sales cycles. Enjoy.
To learn more about Ethan Dewhurst:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-dewvohnt-0aab6783/
To learn more about Elio Harmon:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Lindsey Michaelides, CO-founder, and CEO of Strongsuit. Strongsuit partners with you to anticipate, research, and clear home and personal to-do lists so that you can keep excelling at work without sacrificing your life. What started as a project at McKinsey & Company to stop a leaky pipeline of high-performance female employees sparked the insight that created a company; the demands of work are costing us at home, and it's not a female problem. It is a dual-career household problem. Lindsey shares her story of why she founded Strongsuit, how life-outsourcing is becoming a viable solution for some, and what's next for the company.
To learn more about Lindsey Michaelides:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseymichaelides
To learn more about Elio Harmon:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
To join our community of founders raising capital globally, visit
www.614startups.com
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ganesh Gandhieswaran, CEO and Co-Founder of ConverSight. ConverSight is on a mission to redefine the way we interact with data. Data is everywhere but data alone is not a predictor of success. Data that can be reliably converted into intelligence and insights is the key.
However, existing data intelligence platforms are missing a key component of how humans naturally communicate insights and that's through conversations. Ganesh breaks down ConverSight's approach to helping their clients gather data, convert the data into intelligence, and how through conversational AI they are increasing their customers' utilization of the insights gleaned from the data into decision-making.
To learn more about ConverSight visit https://conversight.ai/
To learn more about 614Startups visit https://614startups.com/
Join our community of founders and investors on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups
Twitter: https://twitter.com/614startups
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/614startups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/614startups
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Marques Martin, Partner at FVLCRUM. FVLCRUM is a private equity firm that leverages their expertise in business strategy, operations, acquisitions, to create increased value in the companies they invest in. Marcus shares how his passion for finance led him Morehouse College, the impetus that created FVLCRUM, how his team works with founders to create wealth and accelerate growth, and why private equity is an asset class that brings much need capital diversity to the Columbus startup ecosystem.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dan German, Founder of orthobrain. orthobrain offers a total solution, combining education and support to make it easy for general dentists to grow their practice and profits with orthodontics. But orthobrain is more than that. Dan is on a mission to make a beautiful smile accessible to people all across the world. Dan shares his journey from dentistry, to inspired entrepreneur, with the energy and passion that great podcasts are made of. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode Elio interviews Teri Sirset, Founder and CEO of DASI Simulations. DASI Simulations is a Dublin, Ohio-based startup that creates personalized medicine using simulation to transform the safety of care for structural heart disease & TAVR patients. Teri discusses her path from employee to founder, how she worked her way through imposter syndrome, the very real sexism that exists for female founders, and how DASI plans to transform heart care for patients, surgeons, and payors.
For more information on DASI Simulations visit www.dasisim.com
To connect with Teri Sirset visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-sirset/
To learn more about 614Startups visit www.614Startups.com
To connect with Elio Harmon visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Our CEO Elio Harmon sat down with Dan Snyder, CEO of Lower as he formally announced the launch of Mortgage Pass. Mortgage Pass is Lower's cash offer product aimed at helping homebuyers retain their relationship with their trusted real estate advisor while harnessing the power of cash in a competitive housing environment. True to Columbus' reputation as Test City, USA, Mortgage Pass is launching in Columbus first and the company plans to scale quickly to other areas of the country. The conversation was held in front of a live audience of some of Columbus' top real estate agents and Lower employees.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews James Rores, Founder of Floriss Group. Floriss helps startups to accelerate revenue while multiplying value. Startups are able to accomplish this by building a reliable, high-performance sales growth engine for their business. In this first installment of our series on Sales, James shares his insights into sales including why sales is a leadership competency, the sales call that made him leave a successful sales career to start his own company, and why a focus on the customer is the key to sales success.
If this content has added value to you, we ask that you kindly consider subscribing to our YouTube channel and following us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Follow James Rores at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrores/
Contact Floriss Group at https://florissgroup.com/
Follow Elio Harmon at https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Contact 614Startups at https://614startups.com/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Cheryl Turnbull, Senior Director of the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship at The Ohio State University. The Tim & Kathleen Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship works to grow and foster a culture of entrepreneurship for the Ohio State community through the creation and support of new ventures and the education and encouragement of their founders. The Keenan Center provides a campus-wide hub for collaboration and engagement with early-stage capital, startup talent and robust programming resources to maximize opportunities for social and economic impact.
Cheryl discusses how the Keenan Center helps students and faculty develop ideas and then facilitates connections with entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, and corporate partners to validate the ideas and turn research into profitable ventures. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dr. Erika Pryor of EPiC Creative + Design. EPiC Creative and Design LLC is an innovative design and strategy studio offering clients a dynamic partnership to meet your evolving and diverse needs. Erika is an Executive in Residence at Denison University where she teaches on launching and scaling startups via marketing industry expertise, hands-on workshops, and four internships. Elio and Erika discuss what it takes to wear multiple hats while leading multiple projects, why personal leadership development helps you take your business to the next level, and how organizations from across the State of Ohio are coming together to help Black founders start and scale successful companies.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Michelle Murcia, Founder and CEO of Book+Street. Book+Street provides comprehensive finance and administration services for private and pre-IPO companies, and also designs and administers equity-based compensation plans that make it easy for startups to start off right, right from the start. Michelle defines equity, breaks down the types of equity and the pros and cons of each, and why engaging a professional can save you a lot of headaches when hiring and firing, raising capital, and exiting your business. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dan Rockwell, CEO and Co-Founder of Big Kitty Labs. Big Kitty Labs is a software development agency focusing on software development for web, enterprise, and mobile applications. Big Kitty Labs has worked with a long list of Columbus startups and don't be surprised if you a fan of a platform they helped develop. Dan shares his wealth of knowledge gained from working with diverse founders building solutions for diverse industries. For the first time ever on the show, Dan goes metaphysical and we explore his tagline, Ready, Set, Manifest. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
This week we return to in-person sessions as Elio interviews LoLo Smith and George "Ski" Zarebski of the Urban Business Development Center. The U as it is commonly known envisions a world where systematic oppression is not an obstacle for Black and Brown businesses. The U fulfills this vision by bridging the access gap ensuring awareness of resources, providing culturally competent education, facilitating impactful collaboration and engagement for Owner-Operated, Lifestyle businesses and start-ups run by People of Color. Ski and LoLo share the origin story of The U, how the survived the pandemic, and the importance of creating a sense of belonging when launching and scaling companies started by People of Color.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Todd Federman, Managing Director of North Coast Ventures. North Coast invests in early-stage entrepreneurs and connects them with on-demand access to intellectual capital through their member network and deep links to corporate decision-makers, leading to game-changing opportunities. Todd discusses how North Coast came to be, the power of focus for VC funds and entrepreneurs, and how exits by portfolio companies like Able, and new two new funds raised in 2021 position them to expand beyond Ohio to build their network of startups, investors and potential customers for their portfolio companies. Enjoy!
You can find Todd Federman and North Coast Ventures at:
https://northcoast.vc/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddfederman/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.instagram.com/elioharmon/ https://www.614startups.com/
www.twitter.com/614startups
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Travis Smith, Founder and CEO of Tribevest. Tribevest makes it easy to invest with your friends, family, and other like-minded individuals. The company has coined the term tribevesting which is the process by which friends and family become business partners and invest together. Travis returns to the podcast after 3 years to share how he has grown as a founder, his experience going through the MuckerLab accelerator and nailing their customer acquisition strategy, and how their recent $3 million seed round positions them for success going forward.
Fun fact: Ryan Leslie, the founder of SuperPhone and a Grammy-nominated recording artist, led a group of investors including Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings from The Earn Your Leisure Podcast in using Tribevest's platform to participate in Tribevest's seed round.
You can find Travis Smith and Tribevest at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/travissmithmovethechannel/
https://www.tribevest.com/features-and-pricing?utm_source=614startup&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=elio&utm_id=podcast
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.instagram.com/elioharmon/ https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Mike Popadak, CEO of iVueit. iVueit provides facility managers with on-demand visual validation and compliance verification on the properties they manage nationwide. iVueit accomplishes this by leveraging Vuers who earn extra cash by completing interior/exterior site inspections (Vues) at nearby properties. Mike shares how the idea for iVueit came about, solving the chicken or the egg problem of getting properties vs. getting vuers, the state of the gig economy, and what's next for iVueit. Enjoy.
You can find Mike Popadak and iVueit at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-popadak-891a8b4/
https://ivueit.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.instagram.com/elioharmon/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Elspeth "Elle" Paige-Sack, Founder of Hunter Marketing. Hunter Marketing is a marketing communications firm that helps businesses large and small create and execute marketing strategies that work. Elle describes herself as a sales and marketing expert and former pizza pimp who decided to take the leap and start her own business. True to her values, Hunter Marketing "leads with our hearts and acts with our brains for clients with common values. In an era of increased commoditization, we exhibit unwavering integrity and compassion, both internally and externally." Elle shares her thoughts on all things sales, marketing, and branding for startups and small businesses. Enjoy.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dan Keough, CEO of Holmes Murphy and Co-CEO of BrokerTech Ventures. Holmes Murphy is an independent insurance brokerage firm specializing in property-casualty insurance and employee benefits strategy. BrokerTech Ventures leverages partnerships with brokerage firms, carrier networks, and access to early-stage investment capital to identify and scale disruptive technologies in the insurance industry.
Dan shares how Holmes Murphy's commitment to being a trusted advisor for their clients, their people-first approach, and commitment to innovation has helped the 90-year-old company serve clients in every industry and of almost every size with the ultimate goal of providing thoughtful expertise and exceptional service. With the launch of BrokerTech Ventures, Dan is focused on turning client problems into companies through the BrokerTech Accelerator which has grown valuations for participating companies $586 million. BrokerTech Ventures is also looking to invest in insurtech companies across the globe and with Columbus being the insurtech capital of the world, it wouldn't be a surprise if we see an investment in a Columbus startup soon. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Sahil Shah, Co-Founder of MESH. MESH is a cloud-based SaaS platform designed for manufacturers to streamline their sourcing and quality processes into one centralized, easy-to-use online platform. As complex and integrated as the global supply chain is, much of sourcing and quality assurance processes lack digitization.
Sahil uncovered this problem during a Sourcing and Supply Chain internship in China for his father's company MES. Sahil discusses how the team at MESH is helping manufacturers improve their procurement processes by giving them insight into supplier quality and inventory around the globe thereby speeding up the acquisition process and diversifying their supplier base all while maintaining quality standards.
To learn more about MESH
Visit https://globalsourcing.com/
To learn more about Sahil Shah
Visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahil-shah-98b677b1/
To learn more about 614Startups
Visit www.614startups.com
To learn more about Elio Harmon
Visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
In this episode, Elio interviews Kristy Campbell, Chief Operating Officer of Rev1 Ventures. Rev1 Ventures provides seed-stage venture capital funding in Columbus, Ohio along with startup services, space, mentoring, and connections. Kristy leads operations for Rev1 Ventures, the investor startup studio providing strategic services and capital to help startups scale and corporates innovate. She supports cross-team delivery of client services – including talent programs, corporate partnerships, infrastructure (via Rev1 Labs’ innovation center), and access to investment capital. Kristy also leads Rev1’s Inclusive Entrepreneurship efforts, focused on reducing bias and improving access to resources and capital for women, minority and underrepresented inventors and entrepreneurs.
Kristy provides insights into Rev1's model for engaging and supporting founders, how the organization measures success, and her prediction that startups that succeed going forward will have DE&I embedded in their business plan from day one. She also discusses highlights from the 2022 State of Startups in Ohio report including the fact that Ohio's startup ecosystem has created nearly 11,000 jobs with an average salary of over $90,000. Enjoy!
To connect with Rev1 Ventures visit www.rev1ventures.com.
Additional Information about Kristy:
Prior to joining Rev1, Kristy spent her career working within multiple high-growth, venture-backed startups, helping to build their brands, organize effective teams, grow revenue and scale. She held leadership positions at Manta Media – where she helped to grow the company into one of the largest, most trafficked websites in the U.S. – and Saama Technologies, a global leader in Big Data and analytics.
Kristy serves on the advisory board for multiple non-profits – including i.c. stars | Columbus and Cultivate SMB. She is also an advisor to the START Fund, the Columbus region’s first entrepreneur giving fund, launched by Rev1 in 2016 to encourage entrepreneurs to give back to the community that supports them. She holds a BS in Journalism from Ohio University and an MBA from Ashland University. Kristy is a frequent speaker on startup, marketing and inclusion best practices and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Axios, Venture Beat, Yahoo and other top entrepreneur media outlets.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Gloria Ware, Founder and Chief Rainmaker of Get The Bag, LLC. Get The Bag is focused on helping black female entrepreneurs access capital and build the networks they need to start and scale successful businesses. Gloria started her career in banking with an emphasis on minority small business development. Most recently she worked with organizations like Jumpstart and KeyBank to deploy over $2 million dollars in minority-led startups. Gloria's passion for helping black-owned businesses grow led her to launch Get The Bag in September 2020.
Get The Bag partners with black female entrepreneurs to curate a quarterly Get The Bag Seasonal Subscription Box. The subscription helps consumers become more socially conscious in their buying by using their purchases to make a positive impact in the world. The box features 4-6 items ranging from educational seminars to snacks, books, and self-care items. Community members also receive coaching on how to prepare to access capital across a wide spectrum of funding options including venture capital, bank funding, and grants.
Gloria shares her Why and why now is the time to close the wealth gap by supporting aspiring black female founders. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Elio interviews Jay Clouse, serial entrepreneur, Founder and or Co-Founder of upside.fm, Freelancing School, and Unreal Collective. In addition, he is a course creator on LinkedIn Learning and the producer of the groundbreaking feature-length film Test City, USA. With so many topics and businesses to cover this episode is a roller coaster ride peppered with humor, real-world experience, and love for Columbus that is uniquely Jay. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ilya Bodner, Founder of Bold Penguin. Bold Penguin is a Columbus, Ohio insurtech startup that helps businesses, insurance agents and insurance carriers streamline the commercial insurance buying experience by making it effortless to quote and bind insurance. Bold Penguin was acquired in February 2021 by American Family Insurance. Ilya discusses his immigrant roots, early business failures, and how Bold Penguin is revolutionizing the commercial insurance space. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Bianca Caban, Principal at Heartland Ventures. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Heartland Ventures is a Midwest-based venture capital firm connecting large Middle America companies with vital technology being developed on the coasts. Bianca breaks down the role of the Principal, how she evaluates companies for potential investment, and why the Heartland Ventures model gives their portfolio companies a competitive advantage. Enjoy!
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Can't Stop Creatives with Joe Chekanoff, Chek Creative
On this episode, Elio interviews Joe Chekanoff, Founder of Chek Creative. Chek Creative is a full-service web design agency that helps startups and small businesses maximize ROI on websites, eCommerce shops, mobile apps, and other digital platforms. Joe shares Chek Creative’s approach to curating digital identities that translate into strategic assets for his clients. Joe also provides practical advice on how startups can use web design and development, social media, and advertising to attract their ideal client. In addition to building a company, Joe is committed to giving back to the community. When the pandemic started in early 2020, Joe as part of Can’t Stop Columbus, decided to put his web development expertise to work by building a tool to track COVID case counts even before the State of Ohio deployed their tool. Lots of practical tips in this one. Enjoy!
You can find Joe Chekanoff & Chek Creative
https://twitter.com/jchekanoff
https://instagram.com/jchekanoff
https://linkedin.com/in/jchekanoff
https://instagram.com/chekcreative
https://pixel.facebook.com/chekcreative/
https://linkedin.com/company/chekcreative
https://chekcreative.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dr. Tim Miller, Co-founder, President & CEO of Forge Biologics.
Forge Biologics is a gene therapy development engine, enabling access to life-changing discoveries by bringing them from concept to reality. They partner with innovators in the gene therapy community: scientists, physicians, biotech and pharma companies, and patient groups. Forge Biologics will develop and manufacture their treatments as well as offer manufacturing as a service to other companies developing treatments for rare genetic diseases. Forge is poised to make Columbus a leader in gene therapy research & development, and a manufacturing hub for gene therapy treatments. Enjoy!
You can find Dr. Tim Miller & Forge Biologics at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-j-miller-ph-d-he-him-5a387486/
https://www.forgebiologics.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/forge-biologics/
https://twitter.com/ForgeBio
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Nathan Heerdt, Co-Founder & CEO of Healthy Roster. Healthy Roster helps safety, HR and financial leaders prevent & triage workplace injuries as well as ATs and Sports Medicine Directors improve communication and injury documentation for teams. Healthy Roster is the only sports medicine injury documentation tool that allows athletic trainers to build deeper relationships with parents and prove school outreach works for their system. The speed and efficiency of Healthy Roster let athletic trainers spend more time treating student athletes and less time using cumbersome, disconnected and outdated methods. Nathan talks about being a “geriatric tech founder” (starting after 40), how he and his co-founders proved their concept with customers before building it, and the pivot that is taking them from market leader in sports medicine documentation to a disruptor in the workplace injury industry. Enjoy!
You can find Nathan Heerdt & Healthy Roster at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanheerdt/
https://www.healthyroster.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Noah Weisblat, Chief Operating Officer at Klout Machine. A single rule change allowed college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), thereby creating a new industry. Klout Machine has created a marketplace that uses a common currency to value NIL. This currency is called the Klout Score and it ranges from 0-100. This score explains how performance on & off the field relates to the strength of an athlete’s brand - which then translates to a dollar value based on the engagement brands can expect when partnering with an athlete. Klout Machine is helping college athletes profit off their name, image, and likeness while giving brands a new marketing channel into hyper-local college sports markets . Enjoy!
You can find Noah Weisblat & Klout Machine at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahweisblatkm/
https://www.kloutmachine.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/klout-machine/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Luke Buchanan,Co-Founder & CEO of Redi.Health. Redi.health believes every patient has the ability to overcome today’s healthcare barriers if they are given the right tools. Redi.health empower patients to thrive in all aspects of their health journey but focus on three primary barriers: Adherence, Access, and Understanding. Luke shares his journey from philosophy to data analytics, from startup employee to startup founder, and how Redi.health is helping patients lead healthier lives. Enjoy!
You can find Luke Buchanan and Redi.Health at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-buchanan-161283182/
https://www.redi.health/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/redi-health/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ed Porter, Chief Revenue Officer of Blue Chip CRO and Co-Founder of HCRpath. Blue Chip CRO helps founders and executives align their revenue organization to accelerate growth through your buyer’s journey. By aligning marketing activities with sales, Ed helps his clients remove the silos in their company and increase collaboration toward achieving revenue targets. Ed recently launched his newest company HCRpath taht helps healthcare providers and patients on their path to better preventative health. Ed shares his best ideas on sales, marketing, brand positioning and growing revenue. Enjoy!
You can find Ed Porter and Blue Chip CRO at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/edporter/
https://bluechipcro.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluechipcro/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Monique Dorsainvil, Public Policy Director at Facebook. Facebook is a household name with 3.5 billion users worldwide. As the issue of race and its corresponding inequities continue to challenge corporations to respond, Facebook has launched several programs aimed at supporting and training small business owners with one initiative specifically targeting black-owned small businesses. Monique shares her professional journey from the White House to Facebook and why corporate activism that supports small businesses may be one of the keys to addressing the equity gap in the short term and potentially the racial wealth gap in the long run. Enjoy!
Facebook Small Business Initiatives Facebook Season of Support
Facebook Blueprint program
Black Business August
Supporting Black and Diverse Communities
Facebook Resources * Facebook Elevate Scholarship – Free training and resources that can help business owners build the digital skills they need to succeed. * Small Business Funding – Find and apply for a loan with purpose-driven lenders that want to help fund your business. * Facebook Invoice Fast Track – Get your pay. Skip the delay. Get paid on your outstanding customer invoices immediately. * Facebook Blueprint Program – Facebook certification. Set yourself apart in digital marketing by becoming a Facebook Certified Professional.
Monique Dorsainvil served in the Obama White House for seven and a half years, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff to Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett. In this position, she worked with grassroots advocates, private sector leaders, celebrity influencers, and local and federal elected officials to advance policy priorities for signature issue-based initiatives including criminal justice reform, health care access, women’s leadership, LGBTQ rights and stem education.
Monique currently works in Public Policy at Facebook, leading engagement to third party think tanks and advocacy organizations and was a part of the core team that spearheaded the company’s Civil Rights Audit, which looked at policy and product from an anti-discrimination lens. Monique is an Operator Collective Limited Partner and serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation. A native of Los Angeles, she earned a B.A. in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Global Health from Emory University.
You can find Monique Dorsainvil at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monique-dorsainvil-7a1a956
https://www.instagram.com/mdorsainvil/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/modorsainvil?lang=en
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this special mini-episode, Elio interviews Jason Cook, Director, Sales Engineering for Rubrik. Based in Palo Alto, California, Rubrik is the market leader in cloud data management, helping companies protect their data and applications from ransomware, natural disasters, and operational failures. Jason gives Elio a crash course in cybersecurity and ransomware and why Rubrik’s approach gives them the confidence to offer a $5 million ransonware recovery warranty. Enjoy!
You can find Jason Cook and Rubrik at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharpfive/
https://twitter.com/CookJason
https://www.technologent.com/
https://www.rubrik.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Brent Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of Clarus R + D. Did you know that the federal Research and Development Tax Credit is worth up to 15% of qualified research expenditures? Clarus’ tax credit software is used by CPAs to help streamline R&D studies, ensure compliance, and create meaningful value for clients. Clarus has helped hundreds of companies maximize their R&D tax credit including innovative Columbus-based startups like Olive, Nikola Labs, and PriorAuthNow. Brent breaks down his journey to entrepreneurship, how to exit the corporate world gracefully, and why a consultation with Clarus should be on your to-do list this tax season. Enjoy!
You can find Brent Johnson at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-johnson-3469729
You can find Clarus R + D at :
https://clarusrd.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clarusrd/
https://twitter.com/ClarusRD
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Jay Harkrider, Managing Partner at Foxen. Foxen provides innovative insurance solutions and financial services to property owners, property managers, and residents. Foxen was launched to solve the problem of rental insurance compliance by automating the policy verification process. Many multi-family apartment complexes and rental properties require tenants to carry renters insurance. Before Foxen’s rental insurance compliance product was launched, property managers had to manually verify their tenants’ rental insurance policies at the time of application and intermittently to ensure the policies remained in force.
Unfortunately, the tedious nature of verifying insurance policies manually means that the task often goes undone or is inaccurate exposing property owners to a great deal of risk if an incident occurs and the tenant’s policy is not in force. Jay experienced this firsthand when his real estate investment firm Coastal Ridge was on the hook for an incident involving a tenant whose policy had lapsed.
Jay and the team at Foxen leverage their extensive expertise as property managers to deliver technology-driven products that seamlessly meet the needs of their customers. Foxen's products solve for flawed and antiquated processes, while simultaneously creating property revenue and financial wellness for residents. Enjoy!
You can find Jay Harkrider at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-harkrider-35233a5/#
https://www.facebook.com/jay.harkrider
You can find Foxen at :
https://www.linkedin.com/company/foxeninsurance/
https://www.foxen.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Steve Flaherty, CEO of necoTECH. necoTECH helps governments, citizens, and corporations divert their plastic waste from landfills and waterways into beneficial reusable products. Only about 9% of the materials that go into the recycle bin actually get recycled. Steve and the team at necoTECH are changing that by using their collection of technologies to transform recyclables into sustainable infrastructure and more eco-friendly building materials solutions. For example, their Hot Patch on Demand product is a technology that is focused on improving pavement repair solutions for both the USAF and DoD, as well as the private sector's airports and DOT's globally. Additionally, necoTech solutions can convert waste plastics into an aggregate to replace the stone in asphalt and concrete, which, can make our infrastructure stronger, lighter, and more durable. Enjoy!
You can find Steve Flaherty at:
https://twitter.com/fluhoo
linkedin.com/in/steve-m-flaherty
https://www.facebook.com/fluhoo
You can find Neco TECH at :
https://www.necoplastics.com/
https://www.facebook.com/necoplastics/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/necotech-usa/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614startups/?viewAsMember=true
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Dan Snyder, Co-Founder and CEO of Lower. Lower is a Columbus, Ohio-based startup that uses technology to make the process of saving for, financing, insuring, and buying or selling your home simple, fast, and enjoyable. Dan shares his insights into what it takes to build a great product, the value of a team, bootstrapping to profitability, and building a brand you are so proud of that you put your company's name on the side of a stadium.
Lower recently raised a $100M Series A round of funding, the largest Series A round ever in Ohio. Lower also announced that they are the naming rights sponsor of the new Columbus Crew stadium.
You can find Dan Snyder at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/snyderdan/
You can find Lower at: https://www.lower.com/
You can find Elio Harmon and 614Startups at:
linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/614s...
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Ray Bajaj, CTO of Cardinal Health and Leader of Fuse, Cardinal Health's innovation engine and product development center. Fuse is on a mission to reimagine healthcare delivery by harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology, human-centered design, and clinical expertise to create compelling customer experiences and improve patient outcomes. Ray shares his lessons learned from building transformative solutions in the financial services industry and the leadership skills necessary to take products from idea, to scale, to profits, and on to vibrant and sustainable business lines and or companies. Ray and the team at Cardinal Health are focused on using technology to transform health and as an example, Ray shares how Fuse's product development process turned a customer's need to schedule and track COVID vaccine appointments into a platform that has so far helped to administer one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. You don't want to miss this episode. Enjoy!
You can find Ray Bajaj on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-bajaj-2111a35/
https://twitter.com/ray_bajaj?lang=en
You can find Elio Harmon on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://twitter.com/614startups
614Startups | LinkedIn
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Building an enterprise solution is one thing. Selling to enterprises and getting them to buy is another. The rubber really meets the road when the proverbial question comes up, do you integrate with our existing suite of software solutions? Ryan Lunka and his team at Blended Edge are helping software teams deliver product integrations faster, easier, and more cost-effectively while address the security implications of being part of an enterprise’s suite of applications. Enjoy!
Please subscribe and write a review.
You can find Ryan Lunka on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlunka/
https://twitter.com/ryanlunka
https://www.blendededge.com/
You can find Elio Harmon on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.614startups.com/
https://www.instagram.com/614startups/
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.linkedin.com/company/27007418/admin/
https://www.facebook.com/614startups/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
With the post-pandemic reopening ramping up, Kevin Lloyd, Co-Founder and CEO of MYLE and his team want to Make Your Life Entertaining. The restaurant, entertainment, and tourism industries were hit hard in 2020, which had the benefit of giving MYLE an opportunity to pivot and position themselves for growth in 2021 and beyond. The app helps users find fun and memorable entertainment options while helping entertainment venues, restaurants, and cities compete for the highly coveted and competitive discretionary spending of consumers. Enjoy!
Kevin Lloyd is also the Co-Founder of ColumbusBlack.com and Director at Venture Suite.
You can find Kevin Lloyd on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinlloydtheleader
https://twitter.com/kevinllloyd?lang=en
https://columbusblack.com/
You can find Elio Harmon on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elio-harmon-ba4a8747/
https://twitter.com/614startups
https://www.614startups.com/loyd
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
The global professional hair care market is projected to grow to over $26 billion by 2026. The black hair care market specifically is valued at over $2 billion. Maurice Womack, Founder of HairDrop is helping barbers, beauticians, and stylists get the hair, beauty, and styling products they need in one hour or less. No need to leave the shop or wait a whole day to get what you need, HairDrop is like the DoorDash of hair care. Maurice discusses the idea behind HairDrop, how he and his team are solving for inventory and logistics, and why HairDrop should be on your startup watchlist. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Brands have always striven to be part of their customers' lives. Think Tide, Dawn, Nike, and all the other brands that help us make it through our day. Ron and the team at Huumanize help brands tell their stories in ways that resonate with their customers and drive early adoption and lifetime customer value. Over the next decade, brands will not only have to compete to be part of our lives, they will have to compete to become part of our reality. Are you and your company ready for a fully augmented world? Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
Why does health insurance cost what it costs? Why does the cost go up every year? And with the ever rising cost of health care why do health outcomes for Americans still lag behind the rest of the world? On this episode, Elio interviews Ross Klosterman, Co-Founder of UnifiHealth, a health insurance company working to transform the experience of the 160 million Americans who receive their insurance through their employer. Ross discusses costs, risk, incentives, health outcomes and so much more. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
People today are busier than ever. Companies are scrambling to find ways to bring their services to us instead of us going to them. The list is long. From dinner to groceries, everything is at our fingertips. Vohnt, a Columbus, Ohio-based, automotive care company is bringing automotive maintenance and detailing to you. Well not exactly. It feels that way since Vohnt picks up your vehicle, performs the service, and then drops it back off to you. Check out our interview with Andrew Hulse, Co-Founder of Vohnt as he shares Vohnt's story and strategy as another B2C company launches in Test City, U.S.A.
Listen, Subscribe, Share and Follow.
Website: www.614startups.com
Instagram: @614startups
Facebook: 614startups Twitter: @614startups
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/614startups
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Natalie Moretz, Vice President of Bernstein Private Wealth Management. Natalie discusses why planning and management matters for non-profits especially small-to-medium sized non-profits without a full-time financial manager. Natalie also delves into the world of planning and private wealth management for founders who are building successful businesses with an exit in the near future or those who intended to keep their company in the family. Enjoy.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Lauren Parker, President & CEO of FrazierHeiby. FrazierHeiby is an award-winning PR and marketing communications agency with staff in Columbus and New York City. Lauren shares her insights into why startups need to think about marketing, communications, and PR as three very distinct disciplines that need to work together to solve business challenges. From aligning goals to crisis management, having a clear communications plan is indispensable for fast-growing companies. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Paul Reeder, Executive Director of the Center for Innovation Strategies at The Ohio State University. Center for Innovation Strategies (CIS) is an academic center housed at the Fisher College of Business. CIS collaborates across campus and in the community as a facilitator and connector to promote innovation at Ohio State and beyond. CIS programs are designed to help our students and industry partners learn from academic and industry experts, engage with and influence the talent pipeline and connect with the broader innovation ecosystem. Paul shares his experience building and exiting a swimwear company that was sued by Speedo, an encounter he wears as a badge of honor. Paul now spends his time teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs by developing innovation projects for some of the world's biggest brands. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Doug McCullough, Co-Founder of Color Coded Labs, Co-Founder of Black Tech Columbus, and CIO of the City of Dublin, Ohio. Color Coded Labs finds, trains, and sets people of color up at companies ready to innovate at a greater scale. Doug shares his passion for jazz, how musical composition translates to coding, and why Color Coded Labs is what we need to close the wage gap in this country and increase the number of people of color working, leading and founding companies in the tech industry. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Brad Hoewler, Founder and CEO of Pay Theory. Pay Theory is a FinTech company focused on how schools and other future building service providers interact with families around money. As school payments move to specialized EdTech SaaS platforms, Pay Theory helps families with challenges with the American banking system make school payments, a problem that affects about 30% of parents with school-aged children. Brad shares his experience of transitioning from being an accountant to being an entrepreneur, scaling and exiting his first company, and why using FinTech to make sure no child is left behind fuels Pay Theory. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Lacey Picazo, Founder & Principal of ZoCo Design. ZoCo Design is a user experience and brand strategy agency located in Grandview, Ohio that intensely focused on informed and effective creative solutions. Lacey shares how she went from freelancer to business owner, the design philosophy behind ZoCo and why design is more than just a pretty product or website. Design must deliver the desired result. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Matt Orr, Director at Stonehenge Capital. Stonehenge Capital is a thought leader in investment capital, producing strong returns for investors and impactful social returns for communities. Stonehenge provides tax credit, growth capital, and community development financing to businesses at various stages of maturity especially those with a special focus on low-income communities. Matt is responsible for identifying, vetting and funding qualified deals. Matt provides insights into the importance of economic development, private equity vs. venture capital, and what he looks for in a great investment. Enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Whitney Poma of Momful. Momful is an e-commerce brand that offers high-quality, effective, and convenient nutrition designed specifically for your unique needs as a breastfeeding & postpartum mom. Whitney, like many new moms, struggled with breastfeeding and was told by her pediatrician that her newborn was failing to thrive. In her quest to improve her child's health while strengthening her own, Whitney found that the right nutrition can help moms stay healthy, mentally sharp and improve lactation. Out of this experience, Momful was born.
Join us as we discuss what it's like to run a company, raise a family, and have two startup founders in the same house. Enjoy.
Momful products can be found at: https://momful.co/
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Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kelli got her start as a business owner running an experiential marketing agency in the entertainment industry. In 2013, Kelli was introduced to the startup accelerator business model and launched Be Nimble Foundation in 2016. Be Nimble is a 501(c)(3) social enterprise with the goal of advancing diversity initiatives to create fully inclusive tech ecosystems. They focus their efforts on workforce development and start-up and entrepreneurship support. Be Nimble helps people gain high-paying jobs in technology and support diverse start-up founders through our accelerators, workshops, and pitch competitions. They are there to close the economic wealth gap and create generational wealth for their community.
Through intention, planning, and some serendipity, Kelli partnered with Allos Ventures to launch Sixty8 Capital in 2019. Sixty8Capital is the first Indiana-based Venture Capital firm dedicated to investing in Black, Brown, Women, LGBTQ+, and disabled founders. They use capital, connections, and community to support scalable and investable tech and tech-enabled companies with a clear road to profitability. Kelli and the team at Sixty8 Capital are actively investing in Midwestern startups.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/614startups/support
On this episode, Elio interviews Sam Baddoo, Founder of Fleri. Fleri helps immigrants protect the people who matter most back home with health insurance. Every year immigrants in the Diaspora send billions of dollars to Africa oftentimes to pay for healthcare. Without direct insight into how the funds are being spent and whether adequate treatment is being provided, immigrants are left to worry about whether the money they are sending will contribute to their loved ones wellbeing.
Fleri is changing that by allowing immigrants to purchase health insurance for the loved ones creating a win-win-win-win situation for the policyholder, patient, doctors and insurance companies. First, the policyholder knows that they are providing access to high-quality healthcare for their loved one and they can see what treatments have been received. Next, the patient has access to vetted physicians and receives care in clinically sound facilities. The doctors are able to treat patients with the ability to pay thereby providing capital for infrastructure investment and finally, insurance companies have the premiums to build robust networks and offer more affordable plan options.
Fleri is building a commercial solution to what has been an intractable problem in the developing world by creating a robust healthcare insurance ecosystem with incentives for all stakeholders. To get regular updates to your inbox visit www.614startups.com and sign up for our newsletter.
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Student loans got you down? Well, you're not alone. According to the Federal Reserve, collectively U.S. student loan borrowers owe a total of 1.7 trillion in student loan debt. On today's episode, I talk to Naveed Iqbal of Dolr, and they have three ways for you to go from a student loan nightmare to zero debt. Enjoy.
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Nationwide is expanding its investment fund that targets high-growth startups building products, services, and technology that can benefit Nationwide customers. Nationwide’s original $100 million fund drew interest from startups looking to partner with Nationwide not only for capital but access to customers, expertise, and its Fortune 100 brand recognition.
Nationwide is looking to invest in companies innovating in digital infrastructure, home solutions, living in retirement, small and medium-sized businesses, telematics and fleet management, and cybersecurity and risk. So far, Nationwide’s venture capital team has invested in 25 companies and has helped facilitate 31 partnerships between startups and Nationwide business units.
What does this mean? Columbus has already established itself as an insurtech startup hub with recent exits like Root Insurance and Bold Penguin. However, with an extra $250 million in dry powder, Nationwide Ventures has the capital to help boost Columbus fintech and cybersecurity companies potentially adding another industry or two to the city’s startup brand story.
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Matthew Benson and the team at eFuse are not slowing down. After adding over 500,000 new users in 2020, eFuse raised $6 million in a round led by the Ohio Innovation Fund. The round also attracted investments from professional athletes Odell Beckham Jr., Ezekiel Elliot and Seth Curry. eFuse describes itself as the “LinkedIn for gamers” connecting professional esports players and gamers with job opportunities.
Why does it matter? This is excellent news for eFuse but equally important it spotlights Columbus’ gaming startup community. Companies like Multivarious and Esports Engine are doing groundbreaking work in game development and esports broadcasting. With venture funding flowing into the gaming space capturing some of that venture capital attention will bode well for gaming startups looking to scale.
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Cincinnati-based startup Resquared is joining the Winter 2021 batch of the venerable Silicon Valley seed money startup accelerator Y Combinator. With a list of unicorns like Stripe, Cruise Automation, DoorDash, Airbnb, and Twitch, Y Combinator’s program has a proven track record of identifying, funding and helping to scale high-growth startups.
Resquared provides software that helps commercial real estate firms source tenants for vacancies. With the commercial real estate market taking a hit due to the COVID pandemic the timing couldn’t be better for Resquared. In a recent LinkedIn post, Resquared’s CEO Griffin Morris stated that “The network, mentorship, and access to talent we have already received through YC has been a game changer”.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Amelia Gandara of Nationwide Ventures. Amelia is a Principal at Nationwide Ventures. She has a dual role, spending time managing the fund’s operations and investing alongside the team. She focuses on Nationwide’s early-stage investments with a passion for insurtechs. Amelia has additional experience in investing, operations, strategy and partnerships with stints at GE and a pre-seed funding program. She received a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Louisville. As a former professional ballet dancer, Amelia continues to explore all types of movement and is an avid advocate for the performing arts.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Liz Todia, Senior Associate at Mutual Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based venture capital fund that invests in software and medical device companies. Liz manages all deal flow and due diligence for the fund, as well as supporting portfolio companies and overseeing LP relations. She has been on the team since graduating from the University of Dayton where she received a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and Finance with honors. Prior to joining MCP and while at Dayton, she spent two years managing the Flyer Angels Fund, a $1 million seed investment fund investing in early stage, Ohio-based technology companies. Liz also worked as a member of the Davis Center for Portfolio Management, a student-directed organization that manages over $20 million of the University of Dayton endowment invested in equity markets. Liz currently serves as Executive Co-Chair of the young professional group VentureNext, the premier peer group of rising venture capital investors who work with, manage, and run venture capital investment funds. Under Liz’s leadership the group has grown to over 80 funds across the country with a collective $7.2B AUM, and has been responsible for over $800M of syndication in investments across the Midwest.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Densil Poretous, CEO of Pride Fund 1. Pride Fund 1 invests in early-stage and growth companies led by LGBTQ+ people, as well as companies which uplift that community. Very early in his life, Densil discovered his love for making connections. Starting by working in the admissions office of his alma mater, Kenyon College, he then transitioned to the Bay Area where he did a lot of nonprofit and community service work. Returning to Ohio, Densil felt his involvement in organizations that promote and support LGBTQ and other underrepresented communities was extremely important, which led to him becoming the Vice-Chair of the Board at Equitas Health. He continued his pursuit of connecting and serving which has ultimately manifested in Pride Fund 1.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Paul Ehlinger, Principal at Allos Ventures. Allos Ventures invests in industry-transforming businesses and partners with visionary entrepreneurs to help their companies accelerate growth and build value. Paul’s career started as a medical device engineer in Southern California and he ultimately transitioned from the corporate world to the world of venture capital as an Investment Manager at the Kentucky Enterprise Fund where he invested in pre-seed and seed-stage companies. Paul joined Allos Ventures in December 2019 to continue creating opportunities for early-stage companies. Allos recently invested in Columbus-based startup getHEALTH led by Nick Potts.
Paul is also the Managing Partner at Sixty8 Capital, a venture fund for black, brown, women and LBGTQ+ led startups.
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Drive Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders who are solving critical problems in massive markets. With Drive Capital, companies gain more than just capital, they gain coveted access to Drive’s well-documented and highly respected prowess in venture. Drive proactively seeks out founders and companies where there is founder-investor-problem-product and market fit. With a background in health care, Molly Bonakdarpour leads Drive’s health care investment strategy. Molly uses her passion for making the greatest positive impact in people’s lives and channels it into finding companies that align with Drive Capital’s investment thesis.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Max Brickman, Managing Director at Heartland Ventures. Heartland Ventures is a value-add venture investor that connects high-growth startups with new customers in the Midwest. Max’s entrepreneurial endeavors began at a very young age with him starting his first company at 14 years old. From landscaping to real estate to education, Max has garnered a wealth of knowledge that has guided him in his journey into venture capital. He delves into why he initially decided to pursue venture capital and also details why Heartland Ventures chose to focus on the coast, although not limited to the coast, as well as how and why it raises funds the way it does. Max’s story is quite impressive thus far, and this is only the beginning.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Matt Wyckhouse, Founder and CEO of Finite State. Finite State's platform detects IoT threats to networks to proactively mitigate risk. Matt takes us through his years at Battelle, coming straight out of Ohio State, where he started in software development, and then eventually helped to lead the company’s expansion into the cybersecurity space. He reveals what he discovered working with Battelle that emphasized his entrepreneurial itch and prompted him to found Finite State. The conversation evolves from “What is national security really?”, to taking on a giant multinational company, to “Is 5G out to get us?” Listen as Matt details the interesting world of cybersecurity.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Sheri Chaney Jones, President and CEO of SureImpact. SureImpact is a user-friendly case management platform that thinks like a collective impact outcomes generator. Sheri has a background in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and in 2010 she channeled her passion for doing good into starting Management Resources Company, which helped government and nonprofits measure and communicate their impact and value. This ultimately led to the development of SureImpact, which has a more social focus, allowing the social sector to be able to track, manage, measure and communicate their unique social impact. The company’s aim is to work with high performing visionary leaders who want to prove their impact, while also driving social change to improve the community at large.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Constance Borro, Co-founder of Mastery Portfolio. Mastery portfolio is a collection of web-based tools designed to improve education practices. This digital grade book is easy to maintain and was built by teachers, for teachers. Their philosophy emphasizes the unfairness of traditional grading and posits that it leads to demotivated teachers, students and parents alike. Mastery Portfolio totes a standards-based grading model that facilitates better communication and understanding between teachers and students about expectations. It involves learning each student’s unique proficiency profile and deciphering each individual’s path to mastery. Constance is passionate about serving underprivileged and underrepresented students and recounts her time at Yale University interacting with unsupported students. This served as the catalyst to her then going on to teach almost 11 years in New York high need public schools ultimately ending at Columbus School for Girls which is the birthplace of Mastery Portfolio.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Mike Holt, Advisor and Investor in Nodis. Nodis TruTint uses color coated nanoparticles that act as small light shutters that are oriented when voltage is applied, transforming windows by giving people the ability to change the tint, color, and temperature characteristics of windows instantly. Mike discusses why Nodis decided to relocate their operations to Columbus, why buildings are the nonobvious frontier for fighting climate change, and how nanotechnology and Nodis' unique process gives glass manufacturers the flexibility to meet their customers' needs.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Jonathan Poma, Founder & CEO of Loop. Loop allows Shopify brands to automate the entire return process, even exchanges. Loop improves retention by encouraging your customers to exchange rather than requesting a refund. Jonathan shares his journey from cutting his teeth at DYNAMIT to Head of Digital at HOMAGE and now CEO of Loop. Loop raised a $10 million Series A round led by FirstMark Capital in late 2019 and is poised to keep scaling in 2020 and beyond.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Ryan Frederick, Founder of AWH. AWH is a software development firm that helps companies build innovative and disruptive products for the web, mobile and IoT. Ryan discusses his new book The Founder's Manual and the lessons learned building his company and helping entrepreneurs build theirs. Ryan is an active angel investor, mentors and advises entrepreneurs and startups, as well as corporate innovation leaders.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Calvin Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Rhove. With Rhove, renters gain the opportunity to become a stakeholder, and earn a return from where they live. Calvin started his entrepreneurial journey working with the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council helping grow and foster relationships between minority business enterprises, corporations, and government entities. He then moved on to become a Director and then a Venture Partner at the venerable Columbus, Ohio based venture firm NCT Ventures. Calvin launched Rhove to tackle the problem of plummeting millennial and later generation share of homeownership by giving renters the opportunity to become owners where they live. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Matthew Benson, Founder and CEO of eFuse. eFuse is a web and mobile application that serves as the professional hub for esports and video games. Coming off a $1.4 million seed round, eFuse launched their platform in December 2019 and are growing their user base in 2020. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Peeyush Shrivastava, Co-Founder of Genetesis. Inspired by his grandfather’s health struggles, Peeyush Shrivastava and his cofounders started Genetesis out of their dorm rooms in 2013, and have since grown the company to 25 employees, with over $20 million in venture capital financing to date.
Peeyush and the Genetesis team have designed and developed an FDA-cleared novel biomagnetic imaging solution to detect, diagnose and enable treatment for the world’s most debilitating diseases, starting with the CardioFlux Magnetocardiograph, a solution to rapidly detect coronary artery disease. Enjoy.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Bernie Moreno, Chairman of Ownum. Ownum is on a mission to identify, support, and commercialize the most promising applications of distributed ledger technology. Enjoy.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Eric Jenkusky, CEO of Matrix Meats. Matrix Meats is a manufacturer of 3D nanofibrous matrices used in the production of cultured meat. Climate change is driving innovation in food production and Matrix Meats helps culture meat producers solve the challenges around cultured meat texture, shape, and taste. Eric shares his insights on the meat industry and what's next for Matrix Meats.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Shanna Dean, Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Lifestyle Cafe, a plant-based vegan restaurant located in the Olde Towne East neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Shanna discusses her journey to veganism, her family history of entrepreneurship, the hidden side of the American food industry, and how Lifestyle Cafe is changing the way vegan food is perceived and winning over hardcore omnivores.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Rodney Williams, Co-Founder of SoLo Funds. SoLo Funds connects lenders and borrowers for affordable access to loans under $1000. Seeking to revolutionize the peer-to-peer lending space while addressing the needs of the unbanked or underbanked, SoLo Funds facilitated $5 million in loans in 2019 and are projected to hit $12 million in 2020. Out of stealth and scaling, Rodney and SoLo Funds are stepping on the gas and provide a safety valve for the pressure Americans are feeling as we deal with the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. Enjoy.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Bill Baumel, Managing Partner of the Ohio Innovation Fund. The Ohio Innovation Fund provides venture capital & expertise to enable early-stage Ohio companies to grow & prosper. Bill shares his lessons learned over his 17+ year career investing in and helping to scale multiple startups in Silicon Valley and now here in Ohio. Ohio Innovation Fund's portfolio includes Complion, DOMedia, Enable Injections, Global Cooling, Spirosure, Aware, Datanchor, and eFuse just to name a few.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Alex Davessar, Co-Founder of Outern. Outern is a platform that connects companies and college talent, allowing those companies to remotely offload real work to students. Alex shares his journey as a student-founder, starting a marketing agency, Beacon Brand Identity and then pivoting to Outern. Listen and then share this with a student or young entrepreneur in your life. Enjoy!
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On this epsiode, Elio interviews Lindsay Karas Stencel, Partner in Thompson Hine's Early Stage & Emerging Companies practice. Inspired to pursue a legal career after watching Legally Blond, Lindsay's fashion sense is matched by her legal prowess and passion for startups. An attorney, entrepreneur and fitness buff, this episode is filled with practical gems that you can apply in your life, career, and business.
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On this episode, Elio interviews LoLo Smith, Co-Founder of The Urban Accelerator X and The Black Project. LoLo shares her entrepreneurial journey from starting a successful FOREX trading company to watching it fail due to lack of proper legal protections.
Not one to let failure stop her, LoLo's passion for helping black entrepreneurs succeed drove her to start The Black Project, a brand firm that helps all entrepreneurs but especially black entrepreneurs launch successful brands. Most recently, she and her co-founders launched The Urban Accelerator X, a support organization for urban businesses that provides education, co-working, and resourced for entrepreneurs of color.
This episode is full of energy with plenty of laughs. Enjoy.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Cassie Young, Co-Founder of Matter News. Matter News Matter is a digital news source from Grey Matter Media, an investigative, nonprofit news organization based in Columbus, Ohio. Elio and Cassie discuss Matter News' in-depth coverage of affordable housing in Columbus, how development is currently being incentivized by the city, and the future of long-form investigative journalism. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Jimmy Devine, Engineering Group Lead at Root Insurance. Root Insurance is a Columbus, Ohio based car insurance company that believes good drivers should pay less for insurance. Using technology the price insurance based on driving behavior and not demographics. Jimmy shares his journey from employee #3 at Root, the incredible serendipity of a Drive Capital's seed investment to help the company launch, to now heading Root's engineering department.
This episode is filled with insights that only come from real-world experience. Listen, enjoy and share.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Sam Baddoo, Co-Founder of [re]start. [re]start is reinventing how people find and grow their careers. Sam shares his story navigating from his immigration to the U.S., his time in the military, his early career and the launch of [re]start. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Jessica Kapusta, Founder of John and Jane's Sauces. Jessica's journey to entrepreneurship started with catering where her customers started raving about her sauces. Developed to meet the needs of people with food sensitivities and allergies, Jessica has bootstrapped her business and is ready to launch. Look out world, your next favorite condiment is here.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Yasmeen Quadri, Founder of ServUs, live during Techstars Startup Weekend Columbus 2019. ServUs is a mobile app that connects students and employees to philanthropic opportunities. Yasmeen's passion for volunteering comes from her upbringing a Muslim, where charity is one of the five tenets. As a freshman, she attended Techstars Startup Weekend Columbus 2018 and her idea for an app to help make volunteering easy, won third place. Since then she has attracted a team and is working on validating ServUs as a scalable business. Inspiring and insightful. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Mike Nemeth, Founder of Emblem Athletic. Emblem Athletic is a fully custom athletic apparel provider. Mike shares his journey from West Point cadet to startup founder and the ups and downs in between. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Cory Bailey, Co-Founder of SecurSpace. SecurSpace is an online marketplace that connects companies looking for parking and storage options to those with excess capacity. Cory shares his story of how we went from politics to business and why SecurSpace is poised to be a leader in the parking and storage industry while becoming a trucker's best friend.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Flavio Lobato, Co-Founder of Ikove Capital. Ikove Capital is is a venture development company founded to pursue early-stage investments with an emphasis on technology commercialization. Through its proprietary Startup Nursery, in partnership with multiple U.S. research institutions, Ikove identifies and validates developing high-impact technologies, providing capital and commercialization resources to bridge the gap between R&D and VC funded rounds. Flavio shares his journey from Harvard to funding and co-founding technology startups on the cutting edge of their respective industries.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Kathryn Dougherty, Founder of Spritz Sparkling Tea. In addition to creating delicious beverages that can be enjoyed on their own or as part of your favorite cocktail, Spirtz is committed to supporting females as they pursue their ambitions. The company donates 1% of sales to support female-focused local non-profits. Kathryn shares her path from the corporate world to starting a beverage company without any prior industry experience. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio sits down with Pat Sweetman, Founder of Voice First to discuss his vision for how to transform Columbus into the voice capital of the world. Voice First helps entrepreneurs, influencers, businesses, and artists to get found on voice-enabled devices like Amazon's Echo and Google Assistant.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Tommy Hillyer, Co-Founder of Helm. Helm's platform allows coders to take on challenges and share projects to get hired. Helm makes hiring about creativity, not just competency. Tommy tells the Helm story and how they intend to revolutionize hiring.
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On this episode, Elio sits down with Phil Osolinski, Co-Founder of Ryze Rewards to discuss bootstrapping and how Ryze Rewards uses spending to help their users get out of debt. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio sits down for a second time with Nafis Azad, Co-Founder of Waker. Waker was formed as a result of a merger between Nafis's first company GhostLab and Atlanta-based company Appify. Waker is an application development company that combines technical expertise with business acumen to advise clients on not only how to build their product but also how to turn their idea into a business. We discuss the fundamentals of evaluating a startup idea, building an MVP and finding product-market fit. Enjoy!
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Elio interviews Nick Potts, Founder of ScriptDrop. ScriptDrop provides prescription delivery by seamlessly connecting pharmacies to a network of professional couriers. Nick shares his thoughts on what it takes to go from employee to founder and how ScriptDrop intends to change the way you receive your prescriptions in the future.
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On this episode, Elio interviews Branden Jones, Co-Founder of Blk Hack. Branden shares his journey from a paper route as a kid to the Founder of Blk Hack a company that helps African Americans and people of color grow, nurture, and scale their businesses by providing access to an engaged and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Branden's path provides a brief glimpse into the early days and evolution of the Columbus startup community.
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Elio interviews Beni Gradwohl, Co-Founder of Cognovi Labs, a predictive analytics company that “quantifies how people feel, and what they will do next”. Beni started his career in the corporate world including as EVP of Citibank helping homeowners remain in their home during the financial crisis of 2008. Beni and Cognovi Labs are now on the leading edge of predictive analytics and the implications of their work will impact all our lives. Enjoy.
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Elio interviews Kyle Barger, Founder of Champion Trading Group and Make-A-Day. Champion Trading Group helps companies in the scrap metal and steel industry increase profits. Make-A-Day is spreading love positivity in our community (Columbus, OH) through random acts of kindness, charitable giving, and volunteering. Kyle shares his story on how he went from 9-5 to starting a company that now generates $10 million per year in revenues and how through Make-A-Day he is making life better one act of kindness at a time.
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Elio interviews Manny Larcher, Co-Founder of Stopwatch Creative and Collaborate and Elevate. In this wide-ranging interview, Manny shares his path from employee to Founder to an essential connector in the Columbus startup ecosystem. Stopwatch Creative is a full-service consultancy and method agency using design and creative marketing campaigns to tell your brand's story. Collaborate and Elevate's mission is to connect individuals to resources, mentors, and information that enables them to grow. Enjoy!
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Elio interviews Ben Kozberg, Director of Development of Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation's Entrepreneurs for Kids Everywhere. Ben shares how he discovered the concept of using founder pledges to help fund pediatric research at Nationwide Children's Hospital one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals, the positive response he has received so far from the Columbus startup ecosystem, and how you can use the "Kozberg" method to share new ideas. Enjoy!
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Elio interviews Angela Rucci, Co-Founder of Tego. Tego is a personal safety app that allows users to connect with friends and family and travel with them virtually. Angela's personal experience and powerful journey to founding her company are inspiring. Great company with a compelling mission led by an unstoppable entrepreneur.
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Elio interviews Hoa Pyles McManus, Co-Founder of SHARE. SHARE is a microtransit company focused on solving the transportation problems of the world's most forward-thinking companies. Hoa discusses her immigrant roots, exit from corporate America, starting a company with her husband, and the future of moving people. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Ryan Helon, Head of Investments at Rev1 Ventures. Rev1 is a venture investment firm and startup studio that serves as the hub of the Columbus startup ecosystem connecting startups and corporate innovation teams. Ryan discusses how he got his start as an investor, the array of ways Rev1 helps startups succeed, and the investment philosophy behind Rev1's impressive portfolio of funded companies. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Falon Donohue, CEO of VentureOhio. VentureOhio is a non-profit organization committed to increasing access to capital, fostering collaboration and telling Ohio's startup ecosystem story in order to accelerate innovation, job creation, and wealth generation. Falon discusses being raised on a non-functioning farm, her time in the military and how she found the drive and ambition to lead Ohio's premier startup advocacy organization. VentureOhio's VentureDinner is the biggest event on the Ohio startup ecosystem calendar. The VentureDinner honors Ohio's best and brightest entrepreneurs, companies and investors.
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On this episode of the 614Startups Podcast, Elio interviews Matt Golis, Founder of GiveGame. GiveGame is a web application that helps not-for-profits effortlessly fund-raise using sports and entertainment. On the encouragement of friends and mentors, Matt moved from Ohio to Silicon Valley in the mid-nineties to begin his entrepreneurial journey as Founder of Rent Payment. In an effort to scale Rent Payment, Matt sought to raise venture funding at the same time the tech bubble was bursting in 1999-2000. Without funding, Matt had to scale his company down and eventually joined forces with YapStone, a company in the rent payment space, where he eventually became CEO. After leading YapStone to scale, Matt has returned to Columbus to launch his latest entrepreneurial venture, GiveGame.
Thank you for joining us for another episode of the 614Startups Podcast. Enjoy!
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On today’s episode, our guest is Michelle Murcia, Founder and CEO of Book+Street. We discuss Michelle’s distinguished corporate career, her transition to working with startups and her founder’s journey of building a fractional CFO practice that helps entrepreneur’s set up financial systems that can take them from early-stage ventures to growth and beyond.
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Our guest today is Tonnisha English, Founder of TJE Communications. TJE Communications is a public relations and digital marketing firm that helps small businesses develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies to brand awareness. Tonnisha discusses her journey from a recent college graduate who couldn’t find work to the founder of a fast-growing PR firm helping startups grow.
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Today in the house we have the man himself Ashwin Rajgopal, Chief Technology Officer of NXTSTOR. We discuss what NXTSTOR is all about and the big problem they are working to solve. NXTSTOR is basically a peer-to-peer marketplace for finding and renting storage space. NXTSTOR primarily serves college students who need temporary storage solutions while away from campus housing whether returning home during the summer or while they study abroad.
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On this week’s podcast, our guest is Rodolfo Bellesi, Founder of Ikove Capital. Ikove is a venture development company founded to pursue early stage investments in the Mid-West. Rodolfo discusses the importance of taking risks in pursuit of opportunity and how the Startup Nursery model helps Ikove build great companies from ideas and research in a lab to market movers impacting the well-being of humanity.
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Today we have Jess Hellmich in the building, he is a small business owner and the Founding Partner of Dueling Axes along with his Partner Paul Sherry. Jess talks about how they came up with the idea for starting an ax-throwing lounge and some of the challenges they experienced running a startup. Check out our wide-ranging conversation about one of the most entertaining and promising small businesses in Columbus, Ohio
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Check out my awesome interview with Kevin Lloyd, Founder of MYLE. MYLE is a social activity and entertainment app, designed to Make Your Life Entertaining. Kevin discusses the transition from corporate to entrepreneurship and the impact he wants to have on the Columbus startup ecosystem and beyond.
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On the podcast we have the Boss Lady herself, Dawn Dickson, CEO of PopCom. We discuss PopCom's mission to disrupt the vending and kiosk space by making vending systems smarter. We also discuss here journey as a black female founder and the challenges and opportunities that presents. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Pat Gibson aka P-Holla of RapChat. Today he is going to share what exactly RapChat is and how it works. RapChat is an app that lets you create, share and discover beats and raps from producers and artists right on your smartphone. Pat provides a glimpse into his life and journey as an entrepreneur. Enjoy!
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On this episode, John shares his immigrant story, learning the real estate business from his father, early mistakes, and how Housing Joint Venture intends to make affordable housing accessible and real estate investing simple and purposeful.
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Today we have a 9 year old entrepreneur with us, her name is Emerson Metropoulos, the proud owner of Sweet E's Cookies. Her interest spiked in baking cookies while she was in the kitchen with her mother. She started with chocolate chip cookies and has not looked back since.
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On this episode, Dr. Jeff Terwin, Head of School of The Wellington School discusses the Wellington philosophy, why quality schools matter, and the future of education in the Central Ohio area. Enjoy!
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On this episode, Elio interviews Scott Sumi, Co-Founder, CTO of Rhove. Rhove is on a mission to close the gap between renting and home ownership. Scott discusses his early adventures in entrepreneurship including the serendipitous way he got into the technical side of business. We talk about disparities in home ownership and how Rhove's business model can and will address the needs of renters who desire to save no matter where they rent. Enjoy!
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