Going Deep with Aaron Watson: Recent Episodes
Aaron Watson, Piper Creative
The Going Deep with Aaron Watson podcast is a forum for having meaningful, deep conversations about the passions, fears and problems of people from all walks of life. Guests talk about entrepreneurship, sports, finance, comedy and lifestyle design.
Jacob Shapiro is a geopolitical analyst who helps investors and businesses navigate the complexities of a multipolar world. Jacob oversees geopolitical analysis at Cognitive Investments and hosts the Jacob Shapiro podcast.
In this episode, we question longstanding alliances, explore the intricate balance of power in the Middle East, and contemplate the future of U.S. foreign policy in the region.
We begin by tracing the historical roots of the U.S.-Israel alliance, primarily forged during the Cold War and heavily influenced by U.S. energy dependencies in the Middle East. Shapiro explains how the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of American energy independence from the shale revolution have significantly altered these dynamics, making Israel less of a strategic asset today.
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Watch this interview on our YouTube Channel.
David McCormick is the former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds. He has also previously worked in the Bush White House and as President of FreeMarkets, a Pittsburgh-based startup from the early 2000s.
He accomplished the sale of FreeMarkets to Ariba in 2004 for an estimated sum of $500 million and ensured that his team retained their jobs after the acquisition.
McCormick ran in the GOP primaries for Pennsylvania senator against Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022. It is speculated that he may run again in 2024 against Democratic incumbent Bob Casey.
In this episode, Aaron and David talk about his winding career, his book Superpower In Peril, and the major points in his game plan to renew America.
David McCormick’s Challenge; Embrace the privilege and responsibility to be born in the greatest country in the world by registering to vote.
Connect with David McCormick
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Storing Family Memories Forever & Losing $1 Billion w/ Glen Meakem
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Chris Powers is the Founder & Executive Chairman of Fort Capital. Fort Capital is a Fort Worth, Texas-based Real Estate Private Equity firm.
In 2016, Chris made the decision to focus on Class B Industrial full time and that is where the firm has dedicated the majority of its resources since.
After graduating in 2008, Chris started a leasing and property management business and flipped houses on the side. Wells Fargo gave him a $250,000 line of credit, and the plan was to keep flipping homes near TCU. Chris started buying foreclosed homes all over the Dallas Fort Worth area. From there, he started building high-end custom homes. He later got into land development and entitlement for several years, where he would assemble unentitled urban land and take the entitlement risk to develop from ground-up. He has since learned the value of focusing on a specific niche.
In this episode, Aaron and Chris talk about how he's built his team, how he balances the identity of investor and entrepreneur, and how focusing on a specific niche of real estate has led to stratospheric growth.
Chris Powers’ Challenge; if you don't have a mentor, go find someone that you trust that will pass their wisdom on to you.Connect with Chris Powers
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Brent B. Shore. His firm, Permanent Equity, specializes in buying small businesses and has built their specialty and niche focus.
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David Tobin is the Founder and Managing Partner of TobinLeff, where they help clients convert business value into family wealth.
David is a serial entrepreneur who has founded, grown, and sold four companies. David has worked with over 100 businesses to build value, retain key employees, and achieve profitable exits.
TobinLeff is an M&A advisory and exit planning firm that assists business owners in maximizing enterprise value and converting it into personal wealth. They offer consulting services to prepare companies for transactions, M&A services for acquisitions and sales to strategic buyers and private equity groups, and exit planning services such as management buy-out plans.
In this episode, Aaron and David talk about how these mergers and acquisition transactions occur, who the important parties are, what the most important terms are as a part of these deals, and a whole lot more.
David Tobin’s Challenge; Do vision planning, and make sure you have a mission that truly ties to this vision.
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode on How to Sell a Midsize Digital Agency w/ Amanda Dixon (Barney)
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Kevin Kelly co-founded Wired magazine in 1993, served as its Executive Editor for its first seven years, and was a pioneer from the early days of the internet. He is an author of several bestselling books and is a return guest on this podcast.
Kevin’s book Excellent Advice for Living is a small book of wisdom, in a pocketable format with 450 tweetable bits of advice that he wished he had known earlier. Kevin was prompted to collect these thoughts after a recent birthday caused him to reflect on which lessons he could pass to his children.
In this episode, Aaron and Kevin talk about aphorisms, why it was important for him to write this book now, and the impact he hopes he has on his family.
Kevin Kelly’s Challenge; Think about how to be a good ancestor. Work on one good thing that you think your future generation will thank you for, or thank your great grandparents for something that they have done that you’re proud and thankful for.
Connect with Kevin KellyTwitter
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Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier
If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Four Huge Startup Exits w/ Jason Wolfe
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Jason Wolfe is the definition of a serial entrepreneur. He sold MyCoupons.com for roughly $23 million in 2000, shortly before the DotCom bubble burst.
Jason rolled over his proceeds into successive wins with his companies Direct Response Technologies (acquired by Digital River for $22 million), Jambo Media (for $15 million) and Giftcards.com (by Blackhawk Network for $120 million).
Pretty impressive. Even more so when you consider how he grew up. After growing up in the Milton Hershey School, an orphanage founded by Milton Hershey, Jason was living out of his car.
He taught himself how to code by using books at the local library and CompUSA's 'Building the Perfect Web'. This led to building the first coupon website and launching his first internet business. From 1995 to 2000, Jason built the business, raising $500k in VC from Jupiter Media and garnering >$1 million in annual sales and 20 million page views per month.
Today, he is building GiftYa, GiveInKind, and PerfectGift, which have the potential to be his biggest businesses yet.
Jason’s Challenge; Give more. Be Kind. Pull someone else up.
Connect with Jason WolfeLinkedin
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jason@wolfe.com
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Lyn Askin is the founder and CEO of Raxxar Digital Marketing, a leading digital marketing agency based in Louisiana. Lyn has over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and has expertise in SEO, PPC, social media, and content marketing to create comprehensive campaigns that drive results.
Recently, Lyn’s agency has hit a new level, thanks in large part to implementing the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) outlined in the book Traction by Gino Wickman. His revenue triple, team size doubled, and profit 7xed in a short period of time.
Lyn was so impacted that he’s become a professional EOS implementer, helping business owners and leadership teams implement this powerful framework to improve their business processes, increase productivity, and drive growth.
In this episode Aaron and Lyn talk about his experience in the digital marketing industry, how he cracked the code in making his business much larger and more profitable, and how a personal health scare catalyzed change.
Lyn Askin’s Challenge; Sit with your leadership team, define and live your business’ Core Values.
Connect with Lyn AskinLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about the Million Dollar Agencies and Elite Mindsets w/ Jordan Ross (8 Figure Agency)
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Jordan Ross is the founder and CEO of 8 Figure Agency. He is a systems expert with over 15 years of experience advising startups, mid-sized companies, and Fortune 500 organizations.
8 Figure Agency is a consultancy specializing in helping agencies scale their revenue and profitability. He and his team help agencies specializing in search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and website design and development.
In this episode, Aaron and Jordan talk about how his consultancy helps marketing firms scale from 6 to 8 figures, the systems of success, what he learned from working at Amazon, and neuro linguistic programming.
Jordan Ross’ Challenge; Go all-in on yourself. Learn how to meditate and center yourself.
Connect with Jordan RossLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Revenue in Year One Selling Saas Companies with Andrew Gazdecki
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Simon Huntley is a farmer and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping small farmers succeed. He is the founder and CEO of Harvie, a company that helps farmers sell their products directly to consumers through a customizable subscription service.
Harvie is a software platform that connects small farmers with consumers in their communities. The platform allows farmers to create customizable subscription services that offer weekly or bi-weekly deliveries of fresh, locally grown produce and other farm products.
Harvie works by allowing farmers to create their own subscription services on the platform. Farmers can choose the products they want to offer, set their own prices, and customize the delivery schedule. Consumers can then sign up for the service and receive regular deliveries of fresh, locally grown produce and other farm products..
For farmers, Harvie provides a way to sell their products directly to consumers without having to go through middlemen like distributors or grocery stores. This allows farmers to earn a higher profit margin and build a stronger relationship with their customers. For consumers, Harvie provides access to fresh, locally grown produce and other farm products that are often of higher quality than what is available in grocery stores.
Simon Huntley and Harvie are making it easier for small farmers to succeed by connecting them with consumers in their communities. With Harvie's customizable subscription service, farmers can sell their products directly to consumers, which benefits both parties.
In this episode, Aaron and Simon talk about the decades of experience how he has grown his company, how they’re able to do it bootstrapped, and the lessons he learned building the logistics infrastructure to serve this function.
Simon Huntley’s Challenge; Cook a meal for yourself and think about the people that made it possible.
Connect with Simon HuntleyLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Christian Simmons who’s Changing the Liquor Landscape in Pennsylvania
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Spencer Krause is founder & Director of Product Development for SKA Custom Robots and Machines. With over twenty years of experience in executing electrical and mechanical projects, Spencer has worked on some of the hardest problems in the world of technology and led teams tackling novel and thrilling projects.
SKA Custom Robots & Machines is a contract-engineering firm that utilizes their expertise in mechatronics and hardware to solve robotics, mechanical systems, electrical engineering, design and software development problems for their clients.
Spencer is also the host of Collaborative, where he interviews other leaders in the industry and discusses the interesting challenges of building robots.
In this episode, Aaron and Spencer talk about being hired to solve bleeding edge technology problems, good client relations, and the future of autonomous robots.
Spencer Krause’s Challenge; Allot 15 minutes of your day to think about ways to make your job more efficient.
Connect with Spencer KrauseLinkedin
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Youtube
If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Robot Pioneer Saving Lives & Improving Quality of Life w/ Jorgen Pedersen.
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Andy Berman is the co-founder of Vowel, a software that allows dynamic remote teams to inject artificial intelligence into their calls. In 2021, Vowel secured a venture round of $13.5 Million to pursue the goal of making meetings more useful.
Their virtual meeting platform has an embedded set of tools that aid in the planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up of meetings. Smart summaries, transcriptions, and search are already live for their users.
Andy is an experienced entrepreneur who previously founded Nanit, an industry-leading smart baby monitor.
In this episode, Aaron and Andy talk about competing with Zoom, the potential for AI to change the way we work, and how he thinks about building a compound start-up.
Andy Berman’s Challenge; Try Vowel and see if we can make your company more productive.
Connect with Andy BermanLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about How AI Changes Healthcare Forever w/ Dr. Shiv Rao (Abridge)
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Anthony Constantino is the co-founder of Sticker Mule, one of the most popular custom sticker websites in the United States and Europe.
Sticker Mule was founded after Anthony was asked by his 72-year-old friend, his cofounder, how to use the internet. More than a decade later, Sticker Mule is one of the most popular custom sticker websites with over 100 employees world-wide and printing operations in the United States and Europe.
Anthony oversees an operation that spans 16 countries in 4 continents with customers including Google, Facebook, Twitter and many of the world’s best brands.
Anthony is also the founder of the new social media platform Stimulus and has spent most of the past four years in Mexico City, one of boxing’s biggest hubs. He became a pro boxer at the age of 39.
In this episode, Aaron and Anthony talk about how he started his company, the constraints he faced operationally, and the marketing strategy that they deployed for more than 12 years that continues to work for them.
Anthony Constantino’s Challenge; Go try something new.
Connect with Anthony ConstantinoLinkedin
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Stimulus
If you liked this interview, check out our episode about 3 Generations of Family Business w/ Scott Heeter
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Adriane Schwager is the co-founder and CEO of GrowthAssistant, a global talent solution helping marketing teams focus on brand, strategy and results. They help startups and direct-to-consumer brands accelerate the growth of their businesses by offering full-time offshore employees to handle the manual tasks of marketing campaign management, design and reporting.
GrowthAssistant was founded in February 2021 and has already scaled to over $7 million in annual recurring revenue. More impressively, they’re completely bootstrapped..
They began offering companies digital marketing assistants and then graphic designers, but have expanded their offering to sales development, email marketing, business operations, and customer success.
In this episode, Aaron and Adriane talk about how she helps companies save money, how to be a more empathetic and clear-minded decision maker as the head of an organization, and how Jesse Puji laid the groundwork for her company to have enormous success after just 2 years in business.
Adriane Schwager’s Challenge: Write down every task you do for a day, put a check mark on the tasks you do more than once a week, then ask yourself which of the tasks you can document so you can delegate it and it’ll give you more time to focus on more high-level strategic work.
Connect with Adriane SchwagerLinkedin
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Tiktok
If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Gateway X and TikTok Ads w/ Jesse Pujji
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Daniela Osio is the Founder and CEO of the procurement-focused start-up Kloopify. Daniela is a former supply chain specialist for DuPont and was a CPIM certified and ISM 30 under 30 rising corporate start.
Today, she uses her expertise in logistics procurement, supply chain management, and risk management to run Kloopify, a data platform aimed at the global supply chain.
Kloopify introduces sustainability to the procurement process with the data, analytics, and visibility into the environmental impact of all purchases.
In this episode, Aaron and Daniela talk about procurement, its desperate need for innovation, and how her platform helps companies implement sustainability goals in their procurement process.
Daniela’s Challenge: Take a look at where you’re spending your money. Do you spend your money on companies that align with your personal goals?
Connect with Daniela OsioLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about the $2 Million to $80+ Million Family Business w/ Kristy Knichel
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Steve Jobs was deeply influenced by Edwin Land, the founder of Polaroid. He took many of the top strategies that Land employed and used it to build Apple.
If you're interested in this video essay, watch the full video by clicking on the link provided: https://youtu.be/1byJCn3sPhc
If you're interested in this video essay, watch the video by clicking on the link below: https://youtu.be/1byJCn3sPhc
John Jonas is the Founder of OnlineJobs.Ph. His company has helped more than 100,000 companies successfully hire Filipino talent by simplifying the outsourcing experience.
John was extremely early to the trends of remote work, international hiring, and niche job boards. His reward has been more than 15 years in business and a day-to-day in the present that is low stress and highly impactful.
In this episode, Aaron and John talk about the origins of OnlineJobs.Ph, what he’s learned about delegating tasks to his team, and why his team members have stuck around with him for more than a decade.
John Jonas’ Challenge: “Take the leap”
Connect with John JonasLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out the episode Making Mental Wellness Remotely Available with Sara Makin.
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Kevin Gibbon is the CEO and cofounder of Airhouse, an end-to-end operations and logistics platform for modern e-commerce companies.
Airhouse works with companies to make distribution of their consumer goods products easy. They use a platform that is an all-in-one, cloud-based warehouse that maintains itself, helping direct-to-consumer companies get orders from factory to front-door.
This company is informed by Kevin’s previous experience founding Shyp, a verticalized startup tackling the same problem. He raised over $60 million for the company, but it eventually shut down.
In this episode, Aaron and Kevin talk about what he learned from Shyp’s failure, the challenges of operating a good distribution center, and the opportunity for DTC brands to expand internationally.
Kevin Gibbon’s Challenge: Go set a scary goal and act on it.
Connect with Kevin GibbonLinkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with 3PL operator Kristy Knichel on how she took her Family Business from $2 Million to $80+ Million.
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Tucker Brown is the 6th generation rancher of the R.A. Brown Ranch. He has grown his followers on TikTok to 199k+, and garnered 3.7 million likes on his videos. He went viral overnight by sharing a video on TikTok of him lassoing a cow. Since then, he’s been constantly sharing tidbits of their ranch operations content in the said platform that help grow his business.
R.A. Brown Ranch is a progressive family ranching business that has been producing some of the most superior cattle and Quarter Horses in the industry since 1895. They raise and sell four breeds of cattle: Angus, Red Angus, SimAngus, and Hotlander.
In this episode, Aaron together with Hannah and Tucker talked about how he transformed his family ranching business using video marketing.
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Shawn Allen is the co-founder of M@C Discount. Previously, he was President and GM of Asset Auctions, COO of AssetNation and Senior Product Manager of Giftcards.com which were all successful internet marketplace businesses.
M@C Discount stands for Merchandise at Cost. The company buys truckloads of closeouts merchandise and customer returns from major retailers. They receive "New" and "Used" items that are sold individually at aggressive discounts, in-store and online. What’s great is that all items in their online auctions start at $1 with no reserve price.
His background in reverse logistics started by working at another company that was acquired by FedEx. The shipping company lost interest in that portion of the business, which was dealing with the returned items many retail stores accumulate. Shawn used his background in auctioneering and his partner Kellen’s expertise in buying products in designing their current business model.
In this episode, Aaron and Shawn talk about the rapid growth of his company, how they have done it profitably, and why auctions are such a great model for selling online.
Shawn Allen’s Challenge: When you have the opportunity, give people you’re on the fence with a second chance
Connect with Shawn Allen Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode about Storing Family Memories Forever & Losing $1 Billion w/ Glen Meakem
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Justin Welsh is a solopreneur that has made more than $3 million running from a collection of digital products. He has leveraged a large boutique advisory firm for entrepreneurs and creates digital products for creators.
He has a decade of experience building two $50M+ ARR businesses, teams of 150+, and helping raise over $300M in capital from VC firms like HLM Ventures, Leerink Transformation Partners, Vivo Capital, Toba Capital, and athenahealth. Over that period, he played the role of Chief Revenue Officer and SVP of Sales at high-growth transactional SaaS companies.
His company is an early-stage start-up sales consulting firm that drives revenue growth from an experienced SaaS revenue operator and start-up consultant with proven go-to market strategy and playbooks for scale to $50M+.
Justin Welsh’s Challenge: Make one Dollar, then go to https://carrd.co/
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Marshall Haas: Peel, Shepherd, Need/Want
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In 2019, Joe Cardosi founded Free Market Health to tackle the complicated specialty pharmacy marketplace. In less than four years, the firm has raised over $13 million, grown to 50+ team members, and scaled revenue into the millions.
Free Market Health is a healthcare technology platform focused on fixing the company dedicated to improving the specialty pharmacy ecosystem with a care-driven marketplace platform. They support forward-thinking payers and specialty pharmacies of all sizes who need to operate in a complex and opaque market.
Previously, Joe worked in specialty pharmacy for 15 years and saw the market opportunity firsthand.
In this episode, Aaron and Joe talk about what drives the enormous costs in specialty pharmacies, why Joe was perfectly positioned to found the company, and why patients win when pharmacies compete.
Joe Cardosi’s Challenge: If you have an opportunity or a great idea, where you can create a job around it, take a chance, say yes, and just do it.
Connect with Joe Cardosi Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode on Building a Billion Dollar Company Treating Rare Diseases w/ Dr Gordon Vanscoy
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Austin Rief is the CEO and cofounder of the Morning Brew. In 2020, the Morning Brew was majority acquired for a $75 million dollar valuation, just five years after being founded by two University of Michigan students.
Morning Brew is a media company with an email list of over 3 million people. Their content informs, educates and empowers readers on the business world, money and their career. They bring informative and digestible daily news and information about businesses from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.
In this episode, Aaron and Austin talk about the metrics that matter to the Brew, what Austin learned about hiring and scaling, and how they implemented the EOS model to get outstanding results.
Austin Rief’s Challenge: Harness the power on the internet and learn from it. Leverage technology to make money.
Connect with Austin Rief Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode on How Sam Parr Builds Businesses.
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Dr. Shiv Rao is the CEO and cofounder of Abridge. He was previously a senior executive at UPMC Enterprises and serves as a cardiologist at the Heart and Vascular Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Abridge is an Artificial Intelligence app that listens to the doctor-patient conversations, provides a transcription, and categorizes specific details such as medications, symptoms, diagnoses, procedures, and the care plan.
Dr. Rao and his team have cataloged more than five million medical next steps for users. Abridge is focused on the rich data in the conversation beyond the required information and providing it to medical professionals and patients.
In this episode, Aaron and Dr Shiv talk about artificial intelligence, how little we remember from our medical visits, and the rise of doctor burnout.
Dr. Shiv Rao’s Challenge: Make it a habit of going to sleep grateful.
Connect with Dr. Shiv Rao Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Dr. Timothy Wong where he shared why He Won't Take Health Insurance
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Bill Hauser is the CEO of SMB Team, the Fastest Growing law firm growth company in the US. The firm currently has more than $20 million in annual revenue and a team of 60 full-time employees.
SMB team uses digital marketing, staffing, and coaching, to help law firms grow. Their mission is to help 10,000 law firms double their revenue and grow to $256 million in revenue within 10 years.
Bill also shares how (and why) he spends over $600,000 annually on personal development. From personal coaches to high-level masterminds, he is committed to becoming the executive capable of leading his company to their lofty goals.
In this episode, Aaron and Bill talk about why it is important to have resolve when setting a goal for yourself, his difficult upbringing, and how he overcame his addiction to anxious thinking.
Bill Hauser’s Challenge: Take the most direct path to your goal. Keep writing that goal down so you don’t stop believing in yourself until you achieve that goal.
Connect with Bill Hauser Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode on Pivoting from Bankruptcy to Financial Freedom w/ Jim Shorkey.
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Hitting a small reset button.
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Po-Shen Loh is the Founder and CEO of Expii, a free personalized learning website with thousands of math and science lessons.
Po-Shen Loh is a social entrepreneur and inventor, working across the spectrum of mathematics, education, and healthcare, all around the world. He is a math professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and the national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team. He has also pioneered a scalable way to learn challenging math live online and a new way to control pandemics by leveraging self-interest.
Expii supports crowdsourced lessons to encourage peer to peer learning. It is an online learning platform that lets students choose how to learn high school level math and science by providing multiple learning styles, and encourages students to learn in their own way.
In this episode, Aaron and Po-Shen Loh talk about why conventional remote classes fail, how he creates win-win for everyone, and the business model of education.
Po-Shen Loh’s Challenge: Take the uncomfortable step of learning a new skill.
Connect with Po-Shen Lo Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with Sam Parr where we discuss compounding skills and selling the Hustle for tens of millions.
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Andrew Herr is the founder and CEO of Fount, a health and performance advising platform trusted by the world’s top performers. He started Fount to make cutting edge performance insights more widely available and change the quality of health outcomes for all.
Fount is backed by Founders Fund, Elysian Park, and Allen & Co to apply, and scale, their expertise from optimizing the minds and bodies of US Military, professional sports teams, and leading business executives.
Andrew is a graduate of Health Physics, Microbiology & Immunology, and Security Studies from Georgetown University. He was honored as a Mad Scientist by the U.S. Army (twice) and as a Fellow by the Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Program, the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative, and others.
In this episode, Aaron and Andrew talk about how he can change human health and performance at scale, how he helped the Department of Defense allocate millions of Dollars towards the optimization of the military, and how structures, data & machine learning make this the perfect time to build a disruptive personalized health company.
Andrew Herr’s Challenge: Run experiments on yourself. Pick an experiment for the next two weeks – nutrition like decreasing sugar, cutting down meat, or wearing blue light blocking glasses before bed – and observe if it affects you.
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If you liked this interview, check out the episode How Sam Parr Builds Businesses and the biggest sales of his career.
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Jacob Hanchar is the CEO of Digital Dream Labs. He is a neuroscientist by training who loves entrepreneurship,video games, and learning.
Jacob started out as an angel investor for Digital Dream Labs,an ed-tech company founded in 2012. They are the makers of AI robotic companions such as Cozmo, Vector, Puzzlets, InfiniDrive, and Butter Robot. They lead the field of assistive technology that improves the lives of all ages and backgrounds.
In this episode, Aaron and Jacob talk about selling robots as companions, they also break down how he bought IP associated with his robots for pennies on the dollar, and why robots of all shapes and sizes need to be designed to be a little more cute.
Jacob Hanchar’s Challenge: Volunteer a couple hours in your local library or museum to get young people more interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
Connect with H. Jacob Hanchar, Ph.D. Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out the episodes GPT-3 & Robotics w/ Tom Galluzo and Ice Cream Empire Secrets w/ Chad Townsend (Millie’s Ice Cream).
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David Brumley is the founder and CEO of ForAllSecure, a startup spun out of Carnegie Mellon University, that has raised over $36 million.
The company provides cutting edge cybersecurity solutions to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, including the Department of Defense.
Straight out of college, David Brumley worked in IT at Stanford University fixing and securing issues with the university’s open network. His challenges motivated him to pursue towards a decade-long research quest to solve the problem of real-time, automated testing and security compliance.
This research led to the founding of ForAllSecure and their first product “MAYHEM”, which scans software for bugs, generates exploits, and fixes vulnerabilities.
In this episode, Aaron and David talk about selling security to the Department of Defense, how he raised millions of dollars from Tier 1 VCs, and how his startup is the culmination of more than a decade of academic research.
David Brumley’s Challenge: Look at what you’re good at and pay it forward.
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If you liked this interview, check out the episode Naval Ravikant’s Wisdom w/ Eric Jorgenson where they talked about the power of leverage and how to use more of it.
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JT Garwood is the CEO and cofounder of bttn – a healthcare product distribution platform.
Bttn has modernized the healthcare distribution system, to provide doctors easy, reliable access to high-quality, brand-name medical supplies.
JT has scaled the company quickly due to their ability to save medical offices lots of money. In this episode, Aaron and JT talk about how bttn raised $20million from Tiger Global, their edge as a distributor, and the benefits of hiring his dad to be his company’s COO.
They also talk about the essential role that sales has played in scaling their two-sided marketplace.
JT Garwood’s Challenge: Choose positivity today.
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If you liked this interview, check out episode $35 to Visit a Doctor When You Have No Insurance w/ Dr. Timothy Wong (iHealth Clinic)
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Wesley Gray is the founder and CEO of Alpha Architect, an investment platform for building custom, low-fee ETFs.
Wes is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Economics at The Wharton School, served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, has an MBA and PhD in Finance from the University of Chicago.
His interest in bridging the research gap between academia and industry led him to found Alpha Architect, an asset management firm dedicated to empowering investors through education.
In this episode, Aaron and Wes talk about strategies to “beat the market”, how being a professor is the best gig as an entrepreneur, and his biggest advice to entrepreneurs.
Wes’ Challenge: Register at https://alphaarchitect.com/mftf/ to join the March for the Fallen 28-mile ruck march
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If you liked this interview, check out episode Index Funds, Bitcoins, and Telling the Truth with Mike Green.
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Wesley Gray is the founder and CEO of Alpha Architect, an investment platform for building custom, low-fee ETFs.
Wes is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Economics at The Wharton School, served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, has an MBA and PhD in Finance from the University of Chicago.
His interest in bridging the research gap between academia and industry led him to found Alpha Architect, an asset management firm dedicated to empowering investors through education.
In this episode, Aaron and Wes talk about strategies to “beat the market”, how being a professor is the best gig as an entrepreneur, and his biggest advice to entrepreneurs.
Wes’ Challenge: Register at https://alphaarchitect.com/mftf/ to join the March for the Fallen 28-mile ruck march
Connect with Wesley Gray (Alpha Architect) Wesley Gray's Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out episode Index Funds, Bitcoins, and Telling the Truth with Mike Green.
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Ali Moiz previously founded and sold Streamlabs and Peanut Labs, for a combined enterprise value over $180 million.
Currently, Ali is the founder, CEO, and meme Dealer at Stonks, which aims to help founders save time in fundraising so they can focus on the business.
Stonks is a platform for virtual Startup Demo Days. It has quickly become popular in helping startups find their angel investors with the help of event organizer.
Join Aaron and Ali on this episode as they discuss how he got it up and running so quickly with over $15 million monthly investments, while avoiding lessons from past startups, and what he is doing with the wealth he had acquired from his past companies.
Ali Moiz’s Challenge; Clean up your calendar, remove things that don’t need to be there and use that time for personal development.
Connect with Ali Moiz Linkedin
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Twitter: Stonks
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If you liked this interview, check out Naval Ravikant’s Wisdom w/ Eric Jorgenson and Billionaire Henry Schuck just IPO’d ZoomInfo during a Pandemic.
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Jim Shorkey built his family’s auto business into more than 9 dealerships, over 800 employees and 15,000 new & used car sales per year. This podcast explores how he did it.
In 1996 Jim Shorkey Jr.’s father died and left him the Jim Shorkey Auto dealership. With his experience as a sales manager, Jim Shorkey was arrogantly sure he was going to be successful in growing his business. Instead, he brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.
Jim had to grow his skillset and discipline quickly to save the family business. He credits mentors and the book Think And Grow Rich for how he was able to turn things around.
Join Aaron in this episode as he finds out how having a mentor and reading a book multiple times helped to pivot Jim’s perspective and why he plans to live to 122 years old.
Jim Shorkey’s Challenge; Buy Think And Grow Rich, read it at least three times, and disagree with him.
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If you liked this interview, you’re gonna love our episode Don’t Marry Your Business, Commit to Your People w/ Jason Wolfe.
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Scott Heeter is the CEO of Heeter, a third-generation commercial print firm that has been running for 75 years.
Heeter is one of the largest commercial marketing firms in the country, with over 140 full-time employees in Pittsburgh and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Duke Print and Graphics, in Cleveland.
Heeter has evolved from the commercial print company that it was to a more customized provider that include mailing fulfillment, digital marketing and other innovative services.
In this episode, Aaron and Scott discuss the challenges that Heeter overcome to attain regional dominance in the printing industry, how he has built their corporate culture, and how they’ve retained valuable employees for the long term.
Scott Heeter’s Challenge; Don’t rush through difficult decisions.
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If you liked this interview, check out the episode Blow Up Your Business Plan w/ JD Ewing
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Sara Makin has built Makin Wellness into one of Pennsylvania's top online therapy platforms in just five years. She started Makin Wellness in 2017 on a mission to help millions of people heal and become happy again by providing excellent mental health care.
Today, Makin Wellness has over 50 employees and a goal of becoming a national provider of a results-based, individualized approach to online mental health care. Sara entered Psychology Grad School with a clear vision of having a multi-state Mental Health Company.
In this episode, Aaron and Sara discuss how to scale a remote mental health startup, managing millions of dollars in medical billing, and articulating a clear vision for your company.
Sara Makin’s Challenge; Take ten minutes in the morning to do something nice for yourself.
Connect with Sara Makin (Makin Wellness) Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out the episode Ketamine for Mental Health w/ Mindbloom founder Dylan Beynon.
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Justin Moore is a Sponsorship Coach & Founder of CreatorWizard, a training program that teaches creators how to find & negotiate brand deals. With his wife April, Justin has been a full-time creator for nearly a decade and has been running an influencer marketing agency for over 5 years.
Justin and April started creating content back in the days before brands reached out to collaborate with influencers. They started with a cooking channel and a family vlog channel and did daily videos for several years, eventually growing their total following to over 1,500,000.
With more than a decade of experience in content creation, it is easy to see why Justin Moore is able to help creators find & negotiate their dream brand sponsorships.
In this episode, dive deep with Aaron as he and Justin discuss how a side hustle led to quitting his 9 to 5 job, managing his influencer marketing agency, and the opportunity on Amazon Live.
Justin Moore’s Challenge; Reach out to that person. Reach out to that potential partner.
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode Men’s Fashion Reviews, YouTube, and Building a Brand w/ Jon Shanahan.
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Josh Caputo founded HumoTech in 2015 as a spin-off from his CMU research robotics department. His passion is focused on developing and commercializing cutting-edge robotics technology that addresses current societal needs like prostheses and exoskeletons.
Josh and his team have built a platform to enable the world’s top researchers to more rapidly iterate on their products and designs. This will eventually allow robotics to assist people in achieving higher levels of mobility and a greater quality of life across medicine, engineering, and business.
In this episode, Aaron and Josh discuss Humotech’s goals, how they’ve bootstrapped a hardware company, and why exoskeletons will change the way we live.
Josh Caputo’s Challenge; Go on a hike, turn off the cellphone and ask yourself what you are doing with your life.
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode The Construction Robot Revolution with Jeremy Searock where we discuss how Advanced Construction Robotics applies robotics technology in the rebar industry.
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After years as a chef in the fast-paced world of fine dining, Chad Townsend decided it was time for a change.
He purchased an expensive Swiss-made food processor that would finely puree frozen foods such as ice cream or sorbet. His wife, Lauren, allowed him to make this purchase under one condition: he had to have it paid off by the end of the summer.
What started as a fun summer hustle turned into a 10,000 sq. ft. Ice Cream Manufacturing and Franchising business. Growing his homemade Ice cream Business, he had to put processes in place and hire people he can trust.
In this episode, Chad and Aaron discuss what it takes to scale-up food manufacturing, how to find good franchise partners, and their strategy for coming up with new flavors.
Chad Townsend’s Challenge; Spend some dollars (buying products) from somebody who lives within 50 miles of your house.
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If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Bill Sarris where we discuss how he turned his family business into a Candy Powerhouse.
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Dr. D. Lansing Taylor is the Director at the University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute and an expert on Computational Biology. He has translated that expertise into more than 29 patents and multiple successful startups
His companies include Biological Detection Systems (now owned by GE Life Sciences), Cellomics (acquired by ThermoFisher), and Cellumen (now part of Cyprotex).
Dr. Taylor’s current companies are Spintellx and BioSystics. Spintellx focuses on computational pathology, using machine learning to identify abnormalities in tissue samples. BioSystics is a database and analytics firm that creates digital twins from complex data for research institutions and Big Pharma clients.
In this episode, Dr. Taylor and Aaron discuss the potential of precision medicine, the application of digital twins, and how doctors will work with data in the future.
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If you liked this interview, check out Building a Billion Dollar Company Treating Rare Diseases w/ Dr Gordon Vanscoy
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Brett Randall is the President and CEO of Aliner, a manufacturer of folding campers and travel trailers.
After selling a family business, Brett was brought in to consult on turning around the 30+ year old RV company. Eventually, his experience in manufacturing optimization, market channel development, and growth led to him being recruited to run the company.
A few years ago he bought out a majority of the shareholders and is building Aliner into a larger part of the growing RV market.
In this episode, Brett and Aaron discuss how he turned around the company, their distribution through select retailers, and how he evolves the product lineup.
Brett Randall’s Challenge; Every month, pick one thing to get done.
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Aliner Website
If you liked this interview, check out our episode with JD Ewing where we discuss how he transformed one of the largest office furniture business, the values he instilled in the culture and his method of financial forecasting.
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Aarthi Ramamurthy has had a long and successful career in technology. She has lead product teams at Microsoft, Facebook, and Netflix. Aarthi has also built two startups, including Lumoid which went through YC Combinator.
In the midst of the pandemic, Aarthi started a show w/ her husband Sriram on the social audio app, Clubhouse. On the show, they’ve interviewed some of the biggest names in business and popular culture including Elon Musk, Calvin Harris, and Mark Zuckerberg.
In this episode, Aarthi and Aaron discuss why we should be optimistic about tech, lessons from leading teams, and practical startup advice.
Aarthi Ramamurthy’s Challenge; Build something. Separate it from your identity.
Connect with Aarthi Ramamurthy Linkedin
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Good Time Show YouTube
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Tony Greer, editor of the Morning Navigator, filters a chaotic global landscape through 30 years of macro trading experience and his own analysis to provide regular insight and risk/reward for each trading day.
Tony Greer’s Challenge; Explore the difference in the fundamentals of oil and tech.
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Tyler Denk is the cofounder and CEO of Beehiiv, a newsletter platform company that recently raised $2.6 million.
Tyler was the 2nd employee at Morning Brew, where he worked on engineering, product, and growth. He was responsible for building the renowned referral program and bespoke tech ecosystem that facilitated the company to scale to a successful $75m exit in 2020.
Now, he and his team are working to develop all the same capabilities and features for anyone to use on the Beehiiv platform.
In this conversation, Tyler and Aaron discuss the key capabilities most newsletter platforms are missing, the lessons he’s taken from Morning Brew, and the success of the Milk Road.
Tyler Denk’s Challenge; Always leave the house with a few dollar bills to donate to the homeless.
Connect with Tyler Denk Linkedin
Beehiiv Website
Big Desk Energy
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Jon Shanahan where we discuss Shark Tank, men’s cosmetics, and selling in large retailers.
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Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical analyst, author, and speaker who makes bold and startlingly accurate projections on the basis of geography, demography, and global politics. He has authored 5 books about geopolitics; A Crucible of Nations, The Accidental Superpower, The Absent Superpower, Disunited Nations, and his latest, The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization.
Peter takes a somber, yet realistic, view of what the short to medium term future holds for countries around the globe. Decades of relative piece, secure routes, and economic integration represent an extreme outlier in the course of human history.
In this episode, Peter and Aaron discus how demographics and globalization will affect changes, trouble ahead for China, and how leaders can prepare.
Peter Zeihan’s Challenge; Donate to the AFYA Foundation.
Connect with Peter Zeihan Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Doomberg where we discuss energy shortages, food shortages, and how to prepare.
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Jon Shanahan is the cofounder and Chief Marketing Officer for Stryx, a cosmetics and skincare company focused on serving men.
Jon has helped the company earn over 120 million organic views on TikTok, scale to millions in revenue, and launch in major retailers including Target, Nordstrom, and CVS.
Prior to founding the company, Jon built a brand and YouTube channel called The Kavalier focused on men’s fashion where he reviews menswear and helps his viewers look great.
In this episode, Jon and Aaron discuss the vision of Stryx, how he’s blended skills to market & sell, and how he pitched on Shark Tank.
Jon’s Challenge; Try something new that makes you uncomfortable.
Connect with Jon Shanahan TikTok
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 386 with Jon where we discuss his first breakthrough on tastes, trends and style through his website The Kavalier.
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Jake Thomas is an expert at writing YouTube video titles. He has parlayed his experience writing more than 4,000 titles into his company, Creator Hooks.
Prior to founding Creator Hooks, Jake helped build a channel from 70 to 200k subscribers
After leaving to start his firm, he landed clients that include Hubspot cofounder Dharmesh Shah's personal channel and The Infographics Show.
In this episode, Jake and Aaron discuss his framework for writing a title, how to create more curiosity, and the power of owning a niche.
Jake Thomas’ Challenge; Develop your Model 100. Create a spreadsheet of the hundred channels with a similar style to yours.
Connect with Jake Thomas Twitter
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 386 with Jon Shanahan where we discuss YouTube strategy and men’s fashion.
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Listen to Adam Haritan, founder of Learn your Land, discuss getting lost in a bog and hearing your calling.
Adam Haritan is the founder of Learn Your Land, as well as a wild food enthusiast, researcher, and forager. He is launching a new course, Trees in All Seasons.
He learned the value of wild food foraging while studying nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh, where he discovered just how beneficial wild foods could be in optimizing human health.
Wild plants, on average, are more nutritious than their cultivated counterparts (i.e. wild blueberries vs. domesticated blueberries, wild lettuce vs. iceberg lettuce). The wild food diet is the diet that we, as Homo sapiens, have been consuming for the majority of our time on this planet, and it is the diet that we are most adapted to consume.
Today, very few Americans consume any wild foods, and instead subsist on nutrient-deficient products that scarcely resemble anything real or natural. It’s no wonder that degenerative diseases like cancer, diabetes, and chronic inflammation are so prevalent. We have abandoned our natural diet and are suffering as a result.
In this episode, Adam and Aaron discuss trees, his new course, and commitment to quality.
Adam Haritan’s Challenge; Find a tree growing close to your home and identify it.
Connect with Adam Haritan Twitter
Youtube
Website
Trees in All Seasons
If you liked this interview, check out when Adam visited Piper Creative to talk about business strategy.
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Matt Blocki is the founder and CEO of Equilibrium Wealth Advisors. Matt is also a co-founder of Wealth Advisor Training, which was founded in 2022 to help provide resources to the top wealth advisors around the country. Wealth Advisor Training gives advisors a comprehensive education platform to give better proactive advice and develop systems to scale their business.
Matt regularly speaks in the financial planning industry, including to top firms Thrivent and Mass Mutual.
In this interview, Matt and Aaron discuss Matt’s career trajectory, how to attract great clients, and their plans for WealthAdvisorTraining.com.
Matt Blocki’s Challenge; Rate all facets of your life and do the requisite work to improve the lowest rated pieces.
Connect with Matt Blocki Linkedin
WAT Website
If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Brent Johnson where we discuss Dollar Milkshake Theory and his early career at Credit Suisse.
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Mark Nelson is the managing director of the Radiant Energy Fund, which advises governments, nonprofits, and industry about nuclear energy. Mark works tirelessly to prevent early closures of nuclear plants around the world a nd has attended the UN climate conference in Glasgow as a delegate from the American Nuclear Society. His efforts span the globe, working to save nuclear plants from Germany to California.
Mark holds an MPhil in Nuclear Engineering from Cambridge University and degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Russian Language and Literature from Oklahoma State University.
In this episode, Mark and Aaron discuss the differences between France & Germany, the complexity of the US electric grid, and reasons for hope.
Mark Nelson’s Challenge; Find out where you get your power from, what nuclear plants are nearby, and communicate to politicans that you don’t want them shut down.
Connect with Mark Nelson Linkedin
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If you liked this interview, check out our past episodes w/ Dr. Rita Baranwal about nuclear energy and the government and Doomberg about coming shortages of food and energy.
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Eric Jorgenson is the author of the Almanac of Naval Ravikant, a GP in the seed investment-focused Rolling Fun, and the creator of the course Building a Mountain of Levers. Eric also has a podcast called Jorgenson’s Soundbox and was part of the founding team of Zaarly, proximity-based, real-time, buyer-powered market platform.
Eric has condensed the wisdom of Naval, a prolific entrepreneur and investor, into a concise and poignant book. That book has opened doors for him and represents a clever method of accelerating one’s career.
In this conversation, Eric and Aaron discuss Naval’s advice for creating wealth, how to build the skill of being happy, and how to get started creating leverage for yourself.
Eric Jorgenson’s Challenge; Find and implement one new automation to create more leverage in your life.
Connect with Eric Jorgenson Twitter
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 46 with Taylor Pearson where we discuss writing the End of Jobs and creating better career opportunities.
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Christopher Nguyen is the CEO and cofounder of Aitomatic, where he aims to redefine how companies approach AI in the context of life-critical, industrial applications.
As a multiple-time tech founder, Christopher has played key roles across a wide range of technology startups. He has also operated in large corporations where he has built the first flash memory transistors at Intel and spearheaded the development of Google Apps as its first Engineering Director.
Today, he’s become an outspoken proponent of the emerging field of “AI Engineering” and a thought leader in the space of ethical, human-centric AI.
In this episode, Christopher and Aaron discuss AI’s shortcomings, the mission of Aitomatic, and how diverse experiences keep life engaging.
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Christopher Nguyen’s Challenge; Separate the what and the why when problem solving.
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Aitomatic Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Tom Galluzzo where we discuss GPT-3, robotics, and entrepreneurship.
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Brandon Grbach is the CEO and cofounder of Steel City. Steel City is a family-owned boutique offering Pittsburgh-inspired, vintage tees, sweatshirts & accessories.
Grbach started designing t-shirts for his friend’s skate shop, but when the shop shut down, he continued on his own.
Now, he and his wife own a thriving business with over 20 employees, a distinct brand, and a habit of growing ~50% every year.
In this interview, Brandon and Aaron discuss how he has learned to drive towards simplicity for customers, opening a second location, and how the brand got big in Japan.
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Brandon Grbach’s Challenge; Ask, “what's one decision you're putting off?” Then, stop putting it off.
Connect with Brandon Grbach Linkedin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with TJ Fairchild where we discuss how to scale a coffee shop, designing soulful spaces, and how a philosophy degree prepares you for business.
Book Recommendation
Raving Fans : Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service by Ken Blanchard
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Rob Walling is an investor, writer, podcaster, and serial entrepreneur. His last startup, Drip, was an email marketing software company that was bought by Leadpages for millions in 2016.
He also has been helping bootstrapped startup founders since 2005 and now runs the first startup accelerator for SaaS bootstrappers, TinySeed.
Rob also hosts the podcast “Startups for the Rest of Us”, which has over 10 million downloads
Rob and Aaron discuss how to level up in entrepreneurship, the personal growth required to take bigger swings, and the balancing act of parenthood & entrepreneurship in this interview.
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Rob Walling’s Challenge; Consume your audiobooks and podcasts at over 1x speed. Add the video speed controller to your browser.
Connect with Rob Walling Linkedin
Personal Website
TinySeed
MicroConf
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Andrew Gazdecki about MicroAcquire, building Saas companies, and the fun of business.
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Sam Parr founded The Hustle, which he eventually sold to Hubspot for tens of millions of dollars.
The Hustle was born from a conference he started, called Hustle Con, that showcased non-technical startup founders and their strategies for success. The Hustle ended up garnering an audience of millions of subscribers and was able to operate profitably as a new media startup that was not overburdened by outside capital
In this interview, Sam and Aaron discuss the early stages of Sam’s career, his tips for selling, and finding meaning after selling your company.
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Sam Parr’s Challenge; Monday night, make a list of 50 people who you wish you could get in a room with and develop a strategy for reaching out to them consistently.
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The Hustle
If you liked this interview, check out this video we made about the Morning Brew.
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Doomberg is the anonymous publishing arm of a bespoke consulting firm. Their firm provides advisory services to family offices and c-suite executives
The firm’s principals apply decades of experience across heavy industry, private equity, and finance to deliver innovative thinking and clarity to complex problems.
They maintain their anonymity to ensure the privacy of their clients, the sovereignty of their personal lives, and the
In this episode, Doomberg and Aaron discuss the idea that energy is life, forthcoming instability in major nations, and the optimism required to make a difference. They also cover the principles of prepping your home for calamity.
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Doomberg’s Challenges;
- Tell yourself, “Something bad might happen to me, but it’s not going to be today”
- Skill development is the best investment you can make.
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Substack
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Tucker Max where we discuss Doomer Optimism and our interview with Mike Green where we discuss Bitcoin.
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Richard Aulenbach founded RPA Engineering in 1989. He has run the firm for over 30 years and expanded to a team of over 70 people.
RPA Engineering serves a wide variety of markets including pharmaceuticals, power, and government.
Richard has had extensive experience in landing large deals, recruiting technical talent, and surviving bad business partners.
In this interview, Richard and Aaron discuss lessons from 30 years in business, how to win bigger deals, and the challenges that come from growing team size.
Connect with Richard Aulenbach Linkedin
RPA Engineering
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Steve Muck where we discuss acquiring a construction company, negotiating with labor, and differentiating your construction company.
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Jennifer Smith is the cofounder and CEO of Scribe, a modern software solution for documenting and teaching company processes.
After graduating from Harvard Business School, Jennifer joined McKinsey where she helped the largest companies on the planet implement better processes. With an appetite for efficiency, she searched far and wide for a solution that reduced the friction between finding a better process and sharing it across an organization.
When she realized that the market was not producing a sufficient product, she decided to take matters into her own hands and found Scribe.
In this interview, Jennifer and Aaron discuss how her obsession led to a great product, the perspective of a former venture capitalist as a founder, and the challenges of being a parent & executive.
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Jennifer’s Challenge: Drop the things you don't want to do from your calendar.
Connect with Jennifer Smith LinkedIn
Scribe
If you liked this interview, check out episode 492 with Joe Percoco where we discuss the step-by-step process of building a fintech startup.
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Abhi Godara is the founder of Rytr, a content marketing startup that uses artificial intelligence to help marketers with their content.
He has been working in the digital marketing industry since 2006 as a writer, content strategist and SEO professional.
Previously, he worked as an operator VC at TLabs, India's biggest early-stage startup accelerator, where he recruited and assessed 1000+ transactions and oversaw portfolio investments. Because of his knowledge when it comes to sourcing, he worked with over 40 businesses and 150+ founders on product, design, growth, and business development.
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Abhi Godara’s Challenge; Come up with a business idea and launch a website where you write content about it.
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Rytr.me Website
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Eric Satz is the founder and CEO of Alto, a platform for investors to use their retirement accounts for investing in alternative assets, such as private companies, real estate, cryptocurrency, equity crowdfunding, and marketplace loans. The firm enables investors to better diversify their IRA and 401(K) accounts into higher-return, long-term alternative investment opportunities.
For a long time, IRAs have been dominated by Fidelity, Charles Schwab, eTrade, and Vanguard. However, digitization and the fintech revolution have opened the door for a wave of new upstarts.
In this episode, Eric and Aaron discuss why alternative investments are on the rise, how his company raised a $40m Series B, and the field of competitors.
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Eric Satz’s Challenge; Do some homework and diligence on your first alternative asset.
Connect with Eric Satz Linkedin
AltoIra.com Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 492 with Joe Percoco where we discuss the fundamental pieces of a fintech startup and the future of retirement investing.
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Tucker Max is a NYT bestselling author and cofounder of Scribe Media, the premier professional publishing company that has helped people like David Goggins, Tiffany Haddish and Dan Sullivan publish their books. Tucker started as a blogger on his website, tuckermax.com and has built out a substantial string of entrepreneurial wins, including some angel investments.
In this episode, Aaron and Tucker discuss moving out to a ranch, Doomer Optimism, and how to take an antifragile posture and improve your life.
Mentioned:
Tucker Max on Doomer Optimism
The Century of the Self: Edward Bernays
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Tucker Max’s Challenge; Read two books about Doomer Optimism, Prairie Fire by Clay Martin and How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It by James Wesley Rawles.
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Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interviews with Ben Hunt on COVID and narratives and Jeff Booth about the accelerating rate of technological-induced deflation.
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Joe Wynn is the cofounder and CEO of Seiso, a cybersecurity firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. His firm offers Chief Information Security Officer services to clients and other forms of penetration testing.
Joe has over 25 years of experience in information technology and uses that to help companies of all sizes organize InfoSec governance, manage risk, and align security programs to industry frameworks.
In this conversation, Joe and Aaron discuss the way their services get implemented, the mark of a good client, and why people are always the #1 risk vector.
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Joe Wynn’s Challenge; If you’re handling other people’s information, be deliberate about protecting it.
Connect with Joe Wynn Linkedin
Seisillc.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 495 with Kamron Khodjaev of Koop.AI where we discuss insurance for autonomous vehicles.
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Dr. Rita Baranwal served as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Dr. Baranwal led the office’s efforts to promote research and development on existing and advanced nuclear technologies that sustain the existing U.S. fleet of nuclear reactors, enable the deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems, and enhance the U.S.A.'s global commercial nuclear energy competitiveness.
Dr. Baranwal previously directed the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative at Idaho National Laboratory and served as Chief Nuclear Officer at ESRI. She is currently the CTO at Westinghouse.
In this episode, Aaron and Rita discuss how a nuclear reactor works, how nuclear energy is part of an energy solution, and why she dedicated her life to this technology.
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Rita Baranwal’s Challenge; Make sure your voice is heard by your political representatives. Let them know you want power to be sources from nuclear.
Connect with Rita Baranwal Linkedin
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Jeff Booth where we discuss the overall impact of technological-induced deflation.
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Jason Yanowitz is the cofounder of Blockworks, a digital media company launched in 2018 focused on the intersection of cryptocurrency and finance.
They have experienced explosive growth as they have scaled to eight figures in annual revenue, dozens of podcasts, and a rapidly growing audience hungry to make sense of crypto.
Jason and the Blockworks team have scaled while bootstrapping (not raising any venture capital) and stair stepped from events to podcasts to a full news site and email newsletter platform.
In this episode, Jason and Aaron discuss the origins of Blockworks, the best strategy for bootstrapping a media business, and what 2022 holds for crypto.
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Jason Yanowitz’s Challenge; Play the game. Don’t spend all your time reading.
Connect with Jason Yanowitz Linkedin
Empire Podcast
Jason’s Twitter
Blockworks Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Harmony founder Stephen Tse where we discuss launching a layer 2 blockchain and his plans for the future of crypto.
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Wes Kao is the cofounder of Maven, the world’s first digital platform for cohort-based courses. In just one year, the Maven team launched over 100 cohorts, saw dozens of instructors make $10K, multiple made $250K+, and raised a $20m Series A from Andreesen Horowitz.
Their course creators include Anthony Pompliano, Li Jin, Sahil Lavingia, Shaan Puri, and Sahil Bloom.
Prior to starting Maven she was the co-founder of the altMBA, which launched the modern cohort-based education movement with Seth Godin. She’s led over 150 launches for Fortune 500 brands and startups, and is recognized as a leading expert in B2C marketing.
In this episode, Wes and Aaron discuss how to go from being and outside to an insider, why MOOCs fail, and how Wes got a job with Seth Godin.
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Wes Kao’s Challenge; Figure out how you can turn bugs into features.
Connect with Wes Kao Linkedin
Wes on Twitter
Maven on Twitter
Maven.com
WesKao.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 422 with Pomp.
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Aye Moah is the co-founder and CEO of Boomerang, the most popular extension for Gmail and Outlook which enables millions of people to email more effectively with artificial intelligence.
Aye has over a decade of experience in bringing category-creating products to market. She is an innovator with multiple patents and has scaled revenue with a consumer freemium model and a bottoms-up B2B SaaS motion.
In her experience as a Chief Product Officer, Moah has grown her product lines’ revenue from 0 to $8M profitably, on $400k total investment.
In this episode, Moah and Aaron discuss how she helps her team improve productivity, the product development challenges of a Gmail extension, and how they have defended their patents.
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Aye Moah’s Challenge; Evaluate how much of your day is “I have to” vs “I get to”.
Connect with Aye Moah Linkedin
Boomerang App Website
Mentioned
Mohinga Catfish chowder
Tea leaf salad
Coconut curry noodle
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Jesse Pujji currently serves as Founder & CEO of Gateway X and as Executive Chairman of Ampush and MySubscriptionAddiction.com.
Prior to GX, Jesse co-founded and was CEO of Ampush. He grew Ampush to over 100 Ampushers, managed over $1BN of digital media spend, and partnered with brands such as Dollar Shave Club, Uber, Birchbox and Hulu.
Prior to Ampush, Jesse started his career with short stints at both Goldman Sachs and McKinsey.
Gateway X is a holding company that builds, buys and invests in market-leading direct to consumer companies.
In this podcast, Jesse and Aaron discuss experimenting with TikTok ads, lessons from joining the Red Ventures portfolio, and the DTC companies Jesse has launched.
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Jesse Pujji’s Challenge; Remove the bottom 5 things on your to-do list.
Connect with Jesse Pujji Linkedin
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Links
TikTok Ads
Happiest Baby on the Block
Jesse's Baby Sleep thread
Jesse on Invest Like the Best
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Marshall Haas about building a holding company of profitable businesses.
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Colin Huwyler is the CEO of Optimus Technologies, a firm that designs and builds EPA compliant biodiesel conversion systems (“Vector Systems”) with integrated telematics to allow medium and heavy-duty diesel engines to operate on up to 100% biodiesel in temperatures to -20F.
Colin founded the company in 2010 after previously founding Fossil Free Fuel, a renewable fuel company.
Optimus Technologies’ Vector System seamlessly integrates with existing engines or as a ship-through option on new commercial vehicle purchases. They focus on the highest efficacy solutions to carbon emissions by focusing on diesel (and biodiesel) over other forms of renewable energy.
In this conversation, Colin and Aaron discuss misconceptions about renewable energy, the Optimus Technologies business model, and how Colin retrofitted his old Volkswagen to run on vegetable oil.
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Colin Huwyler’s Challenge; Take five minutes and assess your personal energy balance.
Connect with Colin Huwyler Linkedin
Optimus Technologies Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview w/ Cetin Mericli about self-driving trucks.
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Ricky Stanzi is a professor and coach within the GOATA (Greatest Of All Time Athletes) system. GOATA’s goal is to hone in the most effective transfers of energy in the body and make those muscle movements second nature.
Ricky was formerly a football quarterback in the NFL, CFL, and Big Ten. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played college football at the University of Iowa.
Ricky and the GOATA team have studied slow motion video of crawling babies, indigenous tribes, super athletes that avoided non contact injuries, and the 55-60 year old marathon runner who still runs at a high level pain free to develop their system.
Now, they’ve built a business helping normal people recode their movements, certifying coaches to use their system, and coaching top athletes pursuing a professional career.
In this episode, Ricky and Aaron discuss the origins of the GOATA system, which athletes are the best to study, and quick wins that anyone can implement to improve their movement.
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Ricky Stanzi’s Challenge; 1) Get your feet straight, fist width apart, Inside Ankle Bone High. 2) Watch 100 non-contact ACL tear videos on YouTube.
Connect with Ricky Stanzi Ricky’s Instagram
Coach Gil
GLS_training
Load the Bow
Youtube
GOATAmovement.com Website
GOATAcoaches.com
Recode225.com
GoataShop.com
If you liked this interview, check out our interview w/ Dr. Timothy Wong where we discuss seeing patients without insurance, for just $35.
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Sara Mauskopf is the CEO and co-founder of Winnie, a marketplace for child care built on powerful data systems and backed by a trusted community of parents and providers.
Parents use Winnie to research and uncover high-quality daycares and preschools in their geography with detailed information about licensing, tuition, and photos. Sara started Winnie in early 2016 after she experienced the frustration of researching daycares first-hand as a new mom.
She has called upon her experience in product management at Google, YouTube, Twitter, and Postmates to catapult Winnie to success.
In this episode, Sara and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, the evolving market for daycare, and the business model behind the platform.
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Sara Mauskopf’s Challenge; If you have children in childcare, talk to the care provider/teacher about how you can help.
Connect with Sara Mauskopf Linkedin
Winnie Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview w/ Luke Skurman where we discuss building a platform for researching schools & neighborhoods.
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Matt Dayton is the cofounder of Pure Air Nation, a company that focuses on mold remediation and air quality around the greater Pittsburgh area.
In just two years in business, Matt and his cofounder Jake have raced to serious business success with a full calendar and loads of 5 star reviews. Beyond mold remediation, they also offer air quality testing, duct cleaning, and preventative care.
In this episode, Matt and Aaron discuss how he got started in the business, why the demand for mold remediation is growing, and the challenges in hiring blue collar talent.
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Matt Dayton’s Challenge; Grow yourself personally and give back to your community.
Connect with Matt Dayton Twitter
Pure Air Nation Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 419 with J.D. Ewing where we discuss scaling his family’s office furniture business.
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Tom Galluzzo is the founder and CTO of IAM Robotics, a mobile robotics platform to automate manufacturing and warehouse facilities. In 2018, IAM Robotics raised a $20 million Series B to build their platform.
Tom founded the company back in 2013 after developing and nurturing his robotics technology within Carnegie Mellon University and military research. He has over 15 years of experience in autonomous robotics with Carnegie Mellon University, Harris Corporation, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and Boeing.
In this episode, Tom and Aaron discuss GPT-3 technology, the IAM Robotics business model, and the skillset of being a technologist and an entrepreneur.
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Tom Galluzzo’s Challenge; Find a task that you can offload to a robot.
Connect with Tom Galluzzo Linkedin
Youtube
IAM Robotics Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview w/ Cetin Mericli about self-driving trucks.
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Steven Van Metre is a certified financial planner, the inventor of the Portfolio Shield™ trading strategy, and a financial media personality.
Steven transitioned from IT to financial services and found that he had an especially capacity to automate the systems of running a financial practice. In conjunction with producing a regular YouTube series, Steve has built a dynamic and highly-profitable practice.
The extra time he has been afforded by his commitment to automation has allowed Steve to research market structure deeply and come to some fascinating conclusions about deflation and the policies of central banks.
In this episode, Steve and Aaron discuss the risk of deflation, how small businesses can prepare, and how Steve has built his practice.
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Steve Metre’s Challenge; Find something you do repetitively and automate it.
Connect with Steve Metre Linkedin
Steve Van Metre Website
Portfolio Shielf website
If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Brent Johnson about his Dollar Milkshake Theory and our conversation with Jeff Booth about the impact of deflation.
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Diane Danforth is the founder and CEO of Americat Company, a cat products company that manufactures all of its goods in the United States.
Diane’s business blends her entrepreneurial ambition, corporate experience, and love for cats into a single company.
In this discussion, Diane and Aaron discuss how she’s built out her products SKUs, what lessons from large corporate marketing she has brought with her, and how she engages with her customers.
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Diane Danforth’s Challenge; Create something and ship it.
Connect with Diane Danforth Linkedin
Americat Company Website
Amazon
If you liked this interview, check out episode 443 with Blake Dube where we discuss selling oxygen tanks for pets, how to find a product manufacturer, and long-term use of compressed oxygen.
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Scott Absher is th Chief Executive Officer and cofounder of ShiftPixy, a platform to help business operators engage with a part-time workforce.
ShiftPixy is developing technology that balances the needs for business operators who rely on part-time labor and workers who make up the part-time workforce.
ShiftPixy is a powerful platform for leveraging the gig economy forces for both.
Scott was previously President of Struxurety, a business insurance advisory company.
In this episode, Scott and Aaron discuss the structure of ShiftPixy’s capital raises, the need for restaurants & manufacturers to leverage part-time labor, and the advantages of IPOing early.
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Scott Absher’s Challenge; Don’t ignore the service staff that you interact with every day.
Connect with Scott Absher Linkedin
ShiftPixy Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Keith Harmon where we discuss how restaurants can navigate seismic changes to the economy.
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Marshall Haas is the co-founder & CEO of Need/Want, a holding company of brands he has started and owns. Over the years Marshall has started a multitude of products and brands, including some that have been acquired and done millions of dollars of revenue.
He is self-taught and has translated his curiosity into Peel, Shepherd, ofHass, and others.
Inc. Magazine ranked Marshall’s company one of the fastest growing private companies in America and in 2018 Need/Want ranked #1 in St. Louis and the state of Missouri
In this interview, Marshall and Aaron discuss the labor market, how to successfully test & iterate a product, and why hiring overseas is such a big opportunity.
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Marshall Haas’s Challenge; Go find what can be eliminated, automated, or delegated.
Connect with Marshall Haas Linkedin
Support Shepherd Website
Need/Want Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Andrew Gazdecki where we discuss buying and selling small businesses.
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Richard Goldman has been one of the nation's top private school leaders for several decades. He currently sits on the board for Xceed Preparatory Academy, which helps the next generation’s athletes and entertainers maintain their education while traveling and performing.
Richard Goldman was the Dean of Graduate Education at Nova Southeastern University for 20 years, where he pioneered internet-based education. He then successfully launched five private education companies. In 1996, Richard co-founded The Sagemont School which grew to more than 800 students and sent graduates to universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Vanderbilt.
Richard then co-founded and held leadership positions in the University of Miami Online High School, Another Generation Preschools, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education, which is McDonald’s official high school.
In this conversation, Richard and Aaron discuss his string of entrepreneurial successes, insights about the changing world of education, and the importance of reputation.
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Richard Goldman’s Challenge; Don’t give up. Focus and put blinders on.
Connect with Richard Goldman Linkedin
Xceed Prep Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with XX where we discuss XX.
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Dylan Lew is the CEO of Ecotone Renewables, a startup dedicated to making sustainable food and agriculture systems more accessible.
Ecotone Renewables has developed the “Seahorse”, which reinvents the food and plant waste disposal system, taking food that would otherwise be wasted and turning it into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer. The Seahorse uses a process of anaerobic digestion to produce ‘Soil Sauce’ and transform methane gas emissions into less harmful CO2.
Ecotone won 2nd place at the Allegheny Cleantech Competition in 2018 and at the 2020 ACerS Humanitarian Pitch Competition. They are currently running a crowdfunding campaign to catalyze their next phase of growth.
In this episode, Dylan and Aaron discuss composting, emissions, waste management, and how many modern sustainability issues are matters of coordination, not requiring technical breakthroughs.
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Dylan Lew’s Challenge; Reduce your own food waste.
Connect with Dylan Lew Linkedin
Ecotone Renewables Website
If you liked this interview, check out these three sustainability-focused startups; Fifth Season (vertical farms) founded by Austin Webb, Sequoia Waste Solutions’ Charlie Dolan, and Mark Cuban-backed PittMoss (w/ CEO Brian Scott).
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Dylan Beynon is the Founder & CEO of Mindbloom, a telehealth psychedelic therapy startup. Dylan founded Mindbloom to help people treat mental disorders with clinically back solutions involving ketamine.
This is Dylan’s third startup and he has already raised money from some blue chip investors, including Founders Fund.
Mindbloom is on pace to deliver 100,000+ psychedelic therapy sessions by the end of 2021 and is aiming to climb from 13 to 42 states of operation.
In this episode, Dylan and Aaron discuss finding a Chief Medical Officer, ketamine’s history of use, and Dylan’s vision for a healthier future.
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Dylan Benyon’s Challenge; Take 110% responsibility for your mental health. Read a book about mental health and well-being like Awareness by Anthony de Mello, The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer, and Letters From a Stoic by Seneca.
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MindBloom Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Henry Schuck where we discuss sales and taking ZoomInfo public.
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Don Racey is Chief Executive Officer of Engage Energy & Industrial Consulting and President, Marketing for American Energy Partners.
Don’s specialty is assisting diversified energy companies to better align with sustainability and ESG initiatives.
Don’s background in corporate finance, operations, and strategy allows him to guide business transformations and Asset Lifecycle Management plans.
In this episode, Don defines ESG, talks about the energy systems that need to change, and talks about his background as a consultant.
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Don Racey’s Challenge; Go out and plant a tree.
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 458 with Mark Marmo where we discuss natural gas, business building, and company culture.
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Kamron Khodjaev is the Chief Commercial Officer of Koop. Koop is an insurance technology and specialty brokerage company focused on commercial autonomy and robotics.
Robots have different data sets, risk models, and track records of performance than machinery operated by humans. Due to this complexity, many robotics firms find themselves struggling to get insured or paying way too much.
Kamron and his three cofounders realized that they could use their own proprietary algorithms to better chart the risks of autonomy and partner with large insurers the help these companies.
In this episode, Kamron and Aaron discuss the founding of the company, different data his team looks at, and the enormous market opportunity.
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Kamron Khodjaev’s Challenge; Keep an open mind.
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Koop.Ai Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 395 with Çetin Meriçli where we discuss self-driving trucks and episode 357 Jim Gibbs about parking for self-driving vehicles.
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Michael Tam is a partner at Craft Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund known for the development of B2B Saas startups.
Based in Los Angeles, Michael sits on the boards of Bbot, Dray Alliance, Route, Trellis, and Vendr. He also works closely with notable investment companies such as Pipe, Salted, Shef, and Sync, amongst others.
Prior to joining Craft, Michael was an investor at Crosscut, where he led investments at the seed stage. As an operator, Michael managed Uber's business in Southern California markets and launched L., a direct to consumer brand acquired by Procter & Gamble.
Michael also serves on the investment committee of the USC Marshall Fund, which invests in startups in the Southern California tech ecosystem.
In this episode, Michael and Aaron discuss how to break into venture capital, his investments in Shef & Pipe, and much more.
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Michael Tam’s Challenge; Reach out to someone you’re afraid to. Send a cold email w/ intention.
Connect with Michael Tam Linkedin
Craft Ventures Website
Michael@craftventures.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 466 with Matt Harbaugh where we discuss founding a venture fund.
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Dave Fink is the CEO and cofounder of Postie, a platform for making direct mail marketing campaigns as sophisticated as elite digital marketing.
Dave Fink has been building companies for the consumer internet for over 15 years. Over the last decade Dave has launched and scaled over 20 consumer-internet businesses. During the early part of his career he created performance-marketing platforms helping brands as diverse as Walt Disney World, Procter & Gamble and The Gap adapt to the rapidly changing digital media strategies available in the internet world.
Dave also established the customer acquisition strategy that successfully launched consumer brands with celebrities including Kate Bosworth, Jessica Simpson, Rachel Bilson, and Mary- Kate and Ashley Olsen.
In this conversation, Dave and Aaron discuss some basic marketing definitions, the mission behind Postie, and how Dave coaches marketing clients to success.
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David Fink’s Challenge; Find a new hobby to get a break from work.
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Postie Website
dave@postie.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 386 with Jon Shanahan where we discuss YouTube marketing, men’s fashion, and much more.
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Joe Percoco could not stand the idea that the best financial products were inaccessible to the common person, so he co-founded Titan. Titan is a fintech startup that aims to be this century’s Fidelity Investments
The startup is growing rapidly with 500% growth in the last 12 months, 30,000+ users, nearly 1 billion in assets under management, and a recent valuation of $450 Million. Their investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr., and Will Smith.
Joe has been able to build this company so quickly thanks to his pedigree at some of the world’s top business institutions; Wharton business school, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey.
In this interview, Joe and Aaron discuss the building blocks of a fintech startup, why index funds & day trading aren’t right for everyone, and the near-death experiences Titan has survived.
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Joe Percoco’s Challenge; Answer the question; What is your personal KPI for the week?
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titan.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 231 with Andy Rachleff where we discuss Wealthfront, index investing, and a framework for successful venture investing.
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TJ Fairchild started Commonplace in 2003 with his wife in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Today, Commonplace has nine locations and TJ is consistently hired to consult with other coffee shops to help get their business established.
In addition to operating coffee shops, Commonplace also roasts their own beans which they sell directly to consumers and wholesale to other coffee companies.
TJ did not have a business background before starting his company, he majored in philosophy and avoided a career in academia to start his firm.
In this episode, TJ and Aaron discuss the equipment needed for a coffee shop, how to develop a soulful environment, and the shortcomings of ‘free trade’ coffee sourcing.
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TJ Fairchild’s Challenge; Be Grateful.
Connect with TJ Fairchild Linkedin
Commonplace Coffee Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 455 with Michael Mayer where we discuss his smart scales that automatically ship customers fresh coffee whenever they start running low. You can also check out the interview we did with Patrick Colletti.
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Howie Choset is a robotics professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a serial entrepreneur. With his students, Howie has formed several companies including Medrobotics, for surgical systems, Hebi Robotics, for modular robots, and Bito Robotics for autonomous guided vehicles.
Further, Choset co-lead the formation of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute, which is $250m national institute advancing both technology development and education for robotics in manufacturing. He is aksi a founding Editor of the journal ‘Science Robotics.
In this conversation, Howie and Aaron discuss the series of startups he has founded, how to delegate & develop teams, and the patience required to see technological innovation turn from idea to reality.
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Howie Choset’s Challenge; Have good students actively teach students that are further behind. Go into fields that seem too difficult. Find applications for snake robots.
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Biorobotics Lab Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 306 with Bryan Salesky where we discuss raising billions of dollars to develop self-driving cars.
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Charles McIlvaine is an effective operator and financier who is in the midst of a significant rebrand for Coen Oil.
After acquiring the company in the 2000s, Charlie and his brother Andy have built and spun off the company’s Energy and Transport businesses, in order to focus on their convenience store and gas station business.
In this conversation, Charlie and Aaron discuss business strategy, company culture, and how to differentiate a company’s brand.
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Charles McIlvaine’s Challenge; Evaluate your business through people, process, and technology. Also, remember you are not alone. Nobody succeeds alone.
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 415 with Bill Sarris where we discuss building a family business and candy empire.
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Will Weiner is the CEO of Xpogo, the association focused on the growth of extreme pogo sticking.
After taking over in 2018, Will has focused on expanded the sports media reach and developing a more robust event strategy.
In this episode, Aaron and Will discuss media, business models, and the athletes that make it possible.
Eli Harris is the cofounder and President of R-Zero Systems. R-Zero has raised $60 million to re-design hospital-grade disinfection solutions for day-to-day life.
In just fifteen months, R-Zero has raced to over $20 million worth of revenue and finds itself at the right place, at the right time, to take advantage of the cultural changes taking place post-pandemic.
Eli has been named a Forbes 30 under 30 and previously founded the portable energy company EcoFlow. EcoFlow has raised $100 million and has been valued over $1 billion in private markets.
In this episode, Eli talks about disrupting the disinfectant industry, his past failures as an entrepreneur, and the discipline requires to build something great.
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Eli Harris’s Challenge; Ask for help.
Connect with Eli Harris Linkedin
R-Zero Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 453 with Brock Blake where we discuss PPP loans, equity vs debt financing, and how to build a company in Utah.
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Barbara VanKirk is the CEO and founder of IQ Inc. She has spent the last 28 years creating company value by providing the vision, leadership, strategy, and general management skills necessary to grow IQ Inc into a dominant player in Pittsburgh’s tech ecosystem.
IQ Inc helps its clients with expert consulting, staffing, project management and software development services. They serve clients across financial services, transportation, and medical device with Software Design & Development, Software Q/A Testing, Product Development, System Integration, Technical Writing, and Database Design.
In this episode, Barbara and Aaron discuss how she bootstrapped the company, how to hire tech talent, and why her company has stood the test of time.
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Barbara VanKirk’s Challenge; Learn something new, Give back, Seek feedback, Stay hungry
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IQ-Inc Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 438 with Ben Wilson where we discuss building a computer software consultancy.
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Jeremy Searock cofounded Advanced Construction Robotics in 2016, aiming to bring robotic technology to construction sites around the country.
As President and Chief Technology Officer, Jeremy has overseen the development of ACR’s first two products, TyBot and IronBot. The machines dramatically enhance workforce productivity and safety by aligning and tying rebar for reinforced concrete on heavy infrastructure projects.
Prior to starting a company, Jeremy managed the autonomous systems engineering group at Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center and ran tactical leadership of a U.S. Submarine, including the detailed management of the submarine's nuclear powered propulsion plant.
In this conversation, Jeremy and Aaron discuss his military experience, why construction is ripe for disruption, and his leadership principles.
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Jeremy Searock’s Challenge; Don’t underestimate yourself.
Connect with Jeremy Searock Linkedin
Construction Robotics Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Steve Muck where we discuss buying a construction company, developing young talent, and starting new business lines.
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Gabriela Isturiz has founded two different high-growth SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) technology companies that were ultimately sold to Fortune 500 companies.
Her first company, eBillingHub, was a pioneering electronic billing solution for law firms around the world. Her product development, sales, and business strategy acumen allowed for eBillingHub to be acquired by Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) in 2011.
After that, Gaby founded Bellefield System, which rose to be a global leader in time tracking and compliance technology for lawyers. Their product was recognized as the #1 legal timekeeping solution for 5 years in a row worldwide and she led the firm to over 3,500% growth within 6 years, positioning it among the top fastest-growing companies in Western Pennsylvania.
In December 2019, Bellefield was acquired by Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ROP) (Aderant division) a constituent of the S&P 500.
In this conversation, Gaby and Aaron discuss building a Saas company in the early 2000s, how to recruit talent, and how wisdom compounds.
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Gabriela Isturiz’s Challenge; Read about Stoicism. Especially Seneca’s Letters & Marcus Aurelius.
Connect with Gabriela Isturiz Linkedin
If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Flori Marquez where we discuss her fast-growing crypto startup BlockFi.
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Shea Murtaugh is the founder and president of Hoffmann Murtaugh, the largest media-only agency in Pittsburgh.
Shea started her company in 2004 with no capital and now leads a team of 30 people. Prior to funding Hoffman Murtaugh, Shea broke into media via broadcast sales. She’s sold every major form of media over her decorated career and blends that experience into a cocktail that delivers wins for clients.
In this conversation, Shea and Aaron discuss how she got her start, when to hire vs train new talent, and the degree to which she has to be the “banker” of marketing.
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Shea Murtaugh’s Challenge; Journal for 5 minutes each day your ideal day one year in the future.
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Hoffmann Murtaugh Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 418 with Marco Marandiz where we discuss how to market in the modern age, what makes an authentic brand, and the future of commerce.
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Dr. Dietrich Stephan is a geneticist, entrepreneur, and CEO of NeuBase Therapeutics. Neubase is biotech startup focused on developing precision genetic medicines.
Dietrich previously founded or co-founded 14 biotechnology companies, was the chair of the Human Genetics department at the University of Pittsburgh, and was the CEO of LifeX Labs, a biotechnology incubator.
Neubase, his latest company, is developing technology spun out of Carnegie Mellon University that aims to address genetic diseases at the DNA or RNA level by combining the highly targeted approach of traditional genetic therapies with the broad organ distribution capabilities of small molecules.
In April 2021 Neubase went public, trading under the ticker symbol NBSE, and has raised over $100 million in less than three years.
In this conversation, Dietrich and Aaron discuss why Neubase went public earlier than most biotech startups, the vicious diseases they are fighting against, and the impact of the Human Genome Project on society.
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Dietrich Stephan’s Challenge;
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Neubase Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with Craig Markovitz where we discuss business building, university technology transfer, and life after a successful startup.
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Jonathan Steckbeck is the founder of Peptilogics, a biotechnology platform company that develops best-in-class novel peptide drugs for unmet medical needs. He also has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine.
Amongst other problems, his company Peptilogics is focused on developing a new category of antibiotics. It has been 20 years since there was a genuinely new class of antibiotics, yet bacterial cells have continued to evolve and develop into drug-resistant infections.
In this interview, Jonathan and Aaron discuss the founding of Peptilogics, why they’re focused on this new modality of medication, and the FDA approval process.
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Jonathan Steckbeck’s Challenge; If there’s something that you want to do that doesn’t exist, go do it.
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Peptilogics Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 456 with Pete DeComo where we discuss the long, arduous process of developing a medical device and episode 443 with Blake Dube where we talk about better oxygen tanks.
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Euan Guttridge is the Director of Technical Program Management at Waymo and previously held the same position with Uber’s self-driving car division.
Between these two roles, Euan developed an angel investing syndicate under the banner Reinforced Ventures. The syndicate differentiates itself for the technical proficiency of its limited partners, bringing a fresh perspective to the companies it invests in.
Euan’s portfolio includes a number of past Going Deep podcast guests including; Gridwise, Locomation, UpContent, Fifth Season, Edge Case Research, and Honeycomb Credit. While not geographically exclusive, Reinforced does focus on Pittsburgh because of its over $10 billion of academic research funded and $6.6 billion of private funding in technology over the past decade.
In this conversation, Euan and Aaron discuss a career developing autonomous vehicle technology, how an AngelList syndicate works, and how to do thorough due diligence.
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Euan Guttridge’s Challenge; Follow your curiosity.
Connect with Euan Guttridge Linkedin
Reinforced Ventures Website
euan@reinforcedventures.com
If you liked this interview, check out some of Euan’s portfolio companies like Locomation’s Çetin Meriçli, Edge Case Research’s Mike Wagner, and Gridwise’s Ryan Green.
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Steve Muck is the CEO of Brayman Construction, a heavy civil and geotechnical contractor that builds bridges, dams, and other large infrastructure. Steve is also the cofounder of construction-related robotics startups TyBot and Advanced Construction Robotics.
Steve has started or acquired twenty businesses and currently operates a portfolio of entities that in construction-related endeavors alone runs approximately $200 million in revenue annually.
Steve acquired the company over 28 years ago in a leveraged buyout and has since acquired a number of companies as he has expanded his business empire.
In this episode, Steve and Aaron discuss how Steve got started in construction, the company’s ‘Dragon Slayer’ ethos, and how he has upskilled his team in order to escape competition.
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Stephen Muck’s Challenge; Take a risk.
Connect with Stephen Muck Linkedin
Brayman Construction Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 412 with Jake Loosararian where we discuss industrial robotics and raising one of Pittsburgh’s biggest Series A financings.
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Jon Pastor is the SVP for Consumer Solutions at RealPage, a leading global provider of software and data analytics to the real estate industry. RealPage was trading publicly at over $10 billion market capitalization before being taken private by Thoma Bravo.
Jon’s entrepreneurial career started when he cofounder RentJungle with previous guest Geng Wang. That company was acquired in 2014 and Jon chose to stay on and lead the acquiring company as President.
Four years later, that company was acquired by RealPage.
In this conversation, Jon and Aaron discuss the lessons from all these acquisitions, the challenges facing the real estate industry, and the incentives that guide successful organizations.
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Jon Pastor’s Challenge; Create a list of ideas for projects or businesses that you could start.
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Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 474 with Geng Wang where we discuss three startups, social enterprise, and where to find motivation.
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Jorge Mazal is the Chief Product Officer for Duolingo. Duolingo is a free language-learning website and mobile app with over 500 million downloads, 40 million monthly active users, and a valuation of over $1 billion.
Jorge previously worked on the product for Zynga, MyFitnessPal, and Kleiner Perkins. Today he blends skills in design, gamification, and leadership to manage a product team that has 10xed in size since he joined the company.
In this episode, Jorge and Aaron discuss how Duolingo makes product decisions, the importance of interpersonal skills, and how Jorge’s background has prepared him to excel in this role.
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Jorge Mazal’s Challenge; Find some time to go help someone, with no expectation of anything in return.
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Duolingo Website
If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Jason Wolfe where we discuss tech products, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
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Marko Papic leads the strategy team at Clocktower Group, an alternative investments firm. Clocktower offers long-term strategic investment strategies to their clients, investment managers and institutional allocators.
Marko brings his constraints framework, outlined in his book Geopolitical Alpha, to analyzing the geopolitical trends of the day. His ability to accurately forecast major political events has enormous ramifications for portfolios.
In this episode, Marko and Aaron discuss how the future of China-US conflict, Turkey’s geopolitical prospects, and how to break into the geopolitical analysis field.
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Marko Papic’s Challenge; Spend time around people with the opposite political and cultural perspective of you.
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Geopolitical Alpha book
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Mike Green where we discuss Bitcoin and index funds.
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Andy Norman is a researcher focused on studying how ideologies short-circuit minds and corrupt moral understanding.
His studies have led him to develop a toolkit of methods for improving reasoning and share them in his book, Mental Immunity.
His hope is that a collection of academic research can be lassoed together to serve as the foundation of a new scientific field, Cognitive Immunology. Cognitive immunology would explore the ability of researchers to develop a mind vaccine to inoculate individuals against dangerous ideas.
In this conversation, Andy and Aaron discuss the dangers of loneliness, the importance of dialogue, and the future of viral ideas.
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Andy Norman’s Challenge; Learn to treat your ideas as houseguests. Perhaps one day they will depart, and you will be glad.
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Andy’s Website
CognitiveImmunology.Net
Books Mentioned
Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think by Andy Norman
Tribe by Sebastian Junger
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
If you liked this interview, check out episode 472 with Demetri Kofinas where we discuss epistemic truth, geopolitics, and.
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Geng Wang is the CEO and co-founder of Civic Champs, a software startup focused on creating s seamless and rewarding volunteering experience for both volunteers and service organizations
This is Geng’s third commercial venture. He’s previously co-founded two companies; RentJungle.com, an apartment search engine that sold in 2014 to The Rainmaker Group, and Community Elf (rebranded as Cosmitto), a social media management firm which we sold in 2017 to a PE firm, Topanga Partners.
Given his past successes, Geng is looking to both create financial and social impact with his latest company. He has leveraged a number of startup incubators, including TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield, Elevate Ventures, Innovation Works, TechStars Iowa, and Mass Challenge, to get it off the ground.
In this episode, Geng and Aaron discuss how motivation changes through an entrepreneur’s career, the nature of product development, and how to design a startup’s culture.
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Geng Wang’s Challenge; For National Volunteering Month, get out there and go find an avenue to help your community.
Connect with Geng Wang Linkedin
Civic Champs Website
geng@civicchamps.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 12 with Scott Rogerson where we discuss Community Elf, social media management, and their software spinout UpContent.
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Sanjiv Singh is CEO and cofounder of Near Earth Autonomy, a technology company focused on autonomous flight.
Sanjiv has 25 years of experience working on autonomous ground and air vehicles. He came to Pittsburgh 30 years ago to participate in the DARPA challenge and has spent decades exploring different applications for self-driving and self-flying robots.
Near Earth Autonomy started by developing self-flying technology for the United States Government and has expanded to bring their technological capabilities to a variety of enterprise customers.
In this conversation, Sanjiv and Aaron discuss applications for self-flying vehicles, the origins of the company, and the difference between working with the military and the FAA.
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Sanjiv Singh’s Challenge; Imagine a world in which you could autonomously fly from point A to point B.
Connect with Sanjiv Singh Linkedin
YouTube
Near Earth Autonomy Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 306 with Bryan Salesky where we discuss autonomous vehicles and episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss university technology transfer.
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Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and host of Hidden Forces, a podcast devoted to exploring the underlying forces driving the most powerful changes we see in the world.
His show covers a wide range of topics, including culture, philosophy, economics, technology, social science, and the hard sciences.
Demetri has previously co-founded Guerilla Gaming Concepts, an interactive entertainment company focused on the middleware of gaming. He has also reported on financial news and told stories to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
In addition to his show, Demetri consults blockchain and distributed ledger technology companies, helping them anticipate security vulnerabilities by building theoretical attack frameworks against token-based systems, and he consults hedge funds and venture capital firms on how to invest in and around these same emerging technologies.
In this episode, Aaron and Demetri have a far-reaching conversation about truth, technological progress, and geopolitics.
Mentioned
The Meaning of Human Existence by Edward O. Wilson
Peter Zeihan
Ian Bremmer
Grant Williams
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Demetri Kofinas’s Challenges; 1. Hold yourself to a higher standard.
-
Put space between your thoughts/emotions and actions.
-
Try not to judge people
Connect with Demetri Kofinas Twitter
Hidden Forces Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 463 with Jeff Booth where we discuss the deflationary nature of technology.
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Black Tech Nation Ventures is launching its first flagship venture fund in Pittsburgh, PA. The firm is founded by three managing partners, Kelauni Jasmyn, Sean Sebastian, and David Motley have come together to form an investment thesis focused on investing in black and other minority founders who have historically missed out on opportunities to raise venture capital.
As David outlines in this podcast, these represent an underutilized asset capable of creating outsized returns, not a charitable donation.
David brings experience from three decades in corporate America, sitting on the boards of multiple public companies, investing tens of millions of dollars into real estate, and a track record of venture investments through the Blue Tree Venture Fund. David has also raised a $207 Special Purpose Acquisition Vehicle (SPAC) called Deep Lake Capital.
David Motley has also co-founded 3 enterprises: The BlueTree Venture Fund, DLM-WCM (a real estate development company) and, MCAPS, LLC (a professional services company focused on Managed Services, Staff Augmentation, and Consulting).
In this episode, David and Aaron also discuss how to craft a fulfilling career, how to raise money from large institutions, and why SPACs are taking off.
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David Motley’s Challenge; Don’t undershoot. Set a goal and go after it.
Connect with David Motley Linkedin
BTN.vc
If you liked this interview, check out episode 265 with Kelauni Jasmyn about Black Tech Nation, episode 290 with Ned Renzi about Birchmree Ventures, or episode 405 with Matt Kesinger about his medical device startup.
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Paul Martino is a venture capital investor and has raised 5 funds totaling over $350 million in capital. That money has been deployed into FanDuel, Grove, Ipsy, and SpotHero.
Before forming Bullpen, Paul was an active angel investor and personally invested in the first rounds of Zynga, TubeMogul, and uDemy.
Prior to his investing career, Paul founded four companies including Ahpah Software (a computer security firm acquired by InterTrust) and Aggregate Knowledge (a big data advertising attribution company acquired in 2014 by Neustar). He is the holder of over a dozen core patents covering social networking and big data.
In this episode, Paul and Aaron discuss the FanDuel success, his advice for startups going through tough times, and the different space that venture capital investors make their mark.
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Paul Martino’s Challenge; Start every meeting on time
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Bullpen Capital Website
paul@bullpencap.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 231 with Andy Rachleff where we discuss how to find non-consensus investing ideas that work.
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Aubrey Strobel is the Head of Comms for Lolli, a free browser extension that lets users earn free bitcoin when shopping online.
The platform’s mission is to help make cryptocurrency more accessible to the average shopper. Founded in 2018, Lolli has over 1,000 retail partners including Expedia, Nike, and Glossier.
In this episode, Aubrey and Aaron discuss stacking sats, bringing women into crypto, and how Aubrey has modeled the Lolli brand and marketing off of Barstool Sports.
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Aubrey Strobel’s Challenge; Call an elderly person in your life.
Connect with Aubrey Strobel Linkedin
Lolli Website
Lolli Youtube
Lolli TikTok
Lolli Twitter
If you liked this interview, check out episode 426 with Flori Marquez where we discuss creating the ‘Chase Bank’ of crypto, BlockFi.
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Mike Green is the Chief Strategist at Logica Funds and has spent nearly 30 years studying markets.
These days, he calls on that experience and his proprietary research to educate the public, the Federal Reserve, the BIS, and the IMF about the shift from actively managed portfolios and investment funds to systematic passive investment strategies.
Previously, Mike has served as the portfolio manager for Thiel Macro, an investment firm that manages the personal capital of Peter Thiel, founded Ice Farm Capital, a discretionary global macro hedge fund seeded by Soros Family Management, and founded and managed the New York office of Canyon Capital Advisors, a $23B multi-strategy hedge fund.
In this conversation, Mike and Aaron discuss the popular narratives around index funds and Bitcoin, what those narratives get wrong, and how to effectively develop non-consensus views when investing.
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Mike Green’s Challenge; Vote better.
Connect with Mike Green Twitter
Logica Funds Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 427 with Ben Hunt where we discuss investing and the Coronavirus, or episode 339 with Jim DeCicco where we discuss building his healthy coffee company.
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Mark Kovscek is a mathematician, inventor, and entrepreneur. His company, Conservation Labs, builds and sells a smart water meter that provides consumption insights, custom conservation recommendations, and leak detection.
At the cutting edge of Internet-of-Things and conservation, Mark uses his experience from a career building products and delivering solutions to address multi-billion dollar challenges.
He has spent time using his mathematics skills in marketing analytics, finance, and supply chain management, but says this is the most compelling challenge he’s ever faced.
In this episode, Mark and Aaron discuss the sound that pipes make, where the idea came from, and the potential for environmental and bottomline impact.
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Mark Kovscek’s Challenges
- Consider taking less (or shorter) showers, and the potential impact on the environment.
- If you’re on the fence about starting something, go for it.
Referenced
Carlota Perez
Connect with Mark Kovscek Linkedin
Conservation Labs Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 432 with Charlie Dolan where we discuss waste management, tech, and bootstrapping a software company.
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Matt Harbaugh is a co-founder and Managing Director at Mountain State Capital. The 20 million dollar fund has invested in over 16 firms in the greater Appalachia region.
Prior to founding MSC, Matt served as CEO of a machine learning-based software company that was acquired by Facebook and was the Chief Investment Officer at Innovation Works, one of the most active seed funds in the United States.
Across his career, Matt has invested in, managed, and advised more than 100 private companies over the past twenty years. He realized that he was interested in being involved in venture capital back in 1999 as an investment banker at PNC and has spent more than a decade and a half preparing himself to succeed.
In this episode, Matt and Aaron discuss his career arc, the venture capital business model, and how startups in the region are still lacking enough funding options.
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Matt Harbaugh’s Challenge; Build the skills and find an avenue to be an entrepreneur.
Connect with Matt Harbaugh Linkedin
Mountain State Capital Website
If you liked this interview, check out our conversation with Stephen Gurgovits about private equity in Western PA and our conversation with Glen Meakem about the DotCom bubble and his experience venture investing.
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Andrew Gazdecki is the solo founder of MicroAcquire, a marketplace for buying and selling small Software-as-a-Service companies.
He has previously started two companies, Bizness Apps and Altcoin.io, which were both acquired.
MicroAcquire has reached $250,000 in annual revenue in just one year, by collecting fees from buyers in exchange for connecting with the entrepreneurs selling their business. Andrew is applying lessons that he’s learned from past successful companies to hopefully make this his best business yet.
In the episode, Aaron and Andrew discuss playing entrepreneurship on “hard mode”, the mistakes Andrew has made in the past, and how MicroAcquire has grown to more than 30,000 subcscribers.
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Andrew Gazdecki’s Challenge; Start journaling. Document your goals, memories, and experiences.
Connect with Andrew Gazdecki Linkedin
MicroAcquire Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 394 with Ryan Kulp where we discuss buying and selling small businesses.
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Chris Anderson is the founder and Chief Technical Officer of Innotescus. He leads a multi-functional team of machine learning scientists, software architects, and engineers that are innovating in the world of image annotation software.
Prior to founding Innotescus, Mr. Anderson was the Director of Software Engineering and IT for ChemImage. Here he oversaw the core innovative software products for hyperspectral data acquisition, analysis and visualization. These products range in application potential across forensics, defense, pharmaceutical and medical markets.
He joined ChemImage in 1999 as intern developing a data-driven course on “Chemical Imaging”; assuming exponentially increased responsibilities over time as the core imaging technology of ChemImage required ever more dynamic and intuitive software.
In this conversation, Aaron and Chris discuss spinning the company out of ChemImage, how Chris has taught himself the technology, and the constant curiosity needed to succeed.
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Chris Anderson’s Challenge; Learn something new every day.
Connect with Chris Anderson Linkedin
Innotescus.io
If you liked this interview, check out episode 399 with Hayden Cardiff where we discuss spinning the company out of Pitt Ohio, challenges in the trucking industry, and raising capital.
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Jeff Booth led BuildDirect, a technology company he co-founded in 1999, for nearly two decades through the dot-com meltdown, the 2008 financial crisis, and many waves of technological disruption.
BuildDirect aimed to simplify the building industry and graduated from online catalog to logistics network to artificially intelligent platform.
Last year, Jeff released his first book “The Price of Tomorrow – Why Deflation is Key to an Abundant Future” where he outlines the current state of our economy and what must happen to enable a brighter future.
Jeff believes it essential for everyone to understand the deflationary nature of technological progress and the implications of this core truth. In this episode, Aaron and Jeff discuss this idea, the story of BuildDirect, and how anyone can use this period of upheaval as an opportunity.
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Jeff Booth’s Challenge; Have empathy. Recognize that economic deflation and its symptoms are causing political polarization.
Connect with Jeff Booth Linkedin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 440 with Brent Johnson where we discuss his Dollar Milkshake Theory and its implications for entrepreneurs.
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Stephen Tse, is founder and CEO of Harmony.one. Harmony is a blockchain-based open source development project with its own cryptocurrency.
Stephen has been obsessed with protocols and compilers since high school. He reverse-engineered ICQ and X11 protocols, coded in OCaml for more than 15 years, and graduated with a doctoral degree in security protocols and compiler verification from the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to founding Harmony, he has worked a researcher at Microsoft, a senior infrastructure engineer at Google, and sold his startup, Spotsetter, to Apple.
In this conversation, Stephen and Aaron discuss how a blockchain project is like a traditional startup, the technical tradeoffs of blockchains, and how Stephen expects future projects to work together.
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Stephen Tse’s Challenge; Set up a monthly newsletter to your close friends and family to keep them updated on recent events.
Connect with Stephen Tse Linkedin
Harmony.one Website
If you liked this interview, check out our library of past episodes with blockchain innovators, investors, and entreprenuers.
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Joshua Lisec has been a ghostwriter for a decade. Public figures hire him to write compelling books, newsletters, and tweets in their voice, so that they can build their media platform.
He has helped to write best selling and critically aclaimed books and teaches the best practices publicly online. Joshua coaches his clients to offer higher-ticket services, courses, and products in conjunction with book sales to build a sustainable business.
In this podcast, Joshua and Aaron discuss the business model behind most successful books, why traditional publishing deals are hard to get, and how ghostwriters are like actors.
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Joshua Lisec’s Challenge; Use the ‘Jobs to be Done’ framework to evaluate your business offering and improve it.
Connect with Joshua Lisec Linkedin
Joshua's Ghostwriting Website
Youtube
If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with XX where we discuss XX.
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Patrick Colletti is the founder of Net Health a $100M+ cloud-based provider of specialized software that serves specialized medical facilities like wound centers, senior care, and occupational therapy.
When Patrick began his tenure as company president in 2001, Net Health was experiencing significant financial turmoil resulting in laying off all but 2 employees.
By utilizing a Refounder mindset as a framework for success, Patrick was able to spur rapid business growth and cultivate a flourishing corporate culture. He has spent two decades serving in multiple leader positions at Net Health, including the president, chief revenue officer, and
chief operating officer.
Now he wants to share what he has learned.
In this episode, Patrick and Aaron discuss selling to private equity, building a company culture, and scaling the company.
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Patrick Colletti’s Challenge; Regardless of your experience or seniority, recognize that you can be the change that you want to see in your organization.
Connect with Patrick Colletti Linkedin
Refounder.com
NetHealth.com
Book Referenced
4 Disciplines of Execution by Jim Huling Chris McChesney, and Sean Covey
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Dr. Chris Howard where we discuss leadership and the role of universities.
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Alex Berman is an actual serial entrepreneur. Before the age of 30, he has built a 7-figure agency, completed multiple movie projects, and built a 50,000 subscriber YouTube channel.
Most folks feel content to throw that title in their bio as a way to summarize some half-finished projects.
Alex, on the other hand, builds systems in a focused and brutally efficient way. He has delegated leadership of his agency, Experiment 27, to someone else and has now set about acquiring more companies for his growing empire.
Further, he has generated millions of dollars of B2B services revenue with his cold emailing skill.
In this conversation, Alex and Aaron jump around discussing how Alex got his start, what makes a good cold email, and lay out the interrelated conglomerate Alex is building.
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Alex Berman’s Challenge; Find someone that you look up to and reach out with a cold email.
Connect with Alex Berman Linkedin
AlexBerman.com
Email10k Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 394 with Ryan Kulp where we discuss avoiding competition, thinking creatively, and how he’s built a business empire through acquisitions.
Also, Noah Kagan.
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When Mark Marmo took over as the CEO of Deep Well Services, the company was losing $2 million per year on $9 million in revenue. Six years later, Deep Well Services was making $30 million in net income on $110 million in revenue.
Mark accomplished this by focusing on bringing an innovative & efficient service to the market, building a healthy company culture, and trusting his data analysts to make good decisions.
In this conversation, Aaron and Mark discuss the standard he has implemented, the challenges of 2020, and the plans Mark is making for the future.
Deep Well Services’ mission is to help make North America energy independent and his team is proud to be working toward that end.
Their clients include Ascent Resources, CNX, Chevron, Shell, XTO Energy, Hess Oil, Eclipse Resources, Range Resources, Gastar, Arsenal, HG Energy, Gulfport, Rice Energy, and Southwestern Energy.
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Mark Marmo’s Challenge; Find a mentor. Build your network. Get into a firm with a great culture.
Connect with Mark Marmo Linkedin
Deep Well Services Website
mmarmo@deepwellservices.com.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 425 with Matt Wieszczyk where we discuss land rights, gas prices, and the Marcellus Shale formation.
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Frank Augustine is the founder of ILLEGAL apparel.
Frank and his brother created the brand, and associated company, in their parent's basement back in 2013. He has spent the last 7 years scaling production, opening a store on the South Side of Pittsburgh, and learning many lessons about entrepreneurship.
He’s gotten the business off the ground via a relentless commitment to sales and a willingness to experiment with designs. Not bad for someone still in his early 20s.
In this episode, Aaron and Frank discuss the way he has positioned the brand, how Frank sold shirts in the early days, and the hard lessons he’s had to learn along the way.
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Frank Augustine’s Challenge; Be grateful and be positive. Check out Earl Nightingale and Positive Mental Attitude.
Connect with Frank Augustine Frank's Instagram
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 451 with Will Dzombak where we discuss managing Wiz, marketing in Hip Hop, and launching a cloud kitchens restaurant.
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Pete DeComo is the chairman and CEO of ALung Technologies. ALung is developing an artificial lung for patients suffering from Acute Respiratory Failure and has raised over $100 million to bring their product to market.
ALung’s Hemolung Respiratory Assist System is a dialysis-like alternative or supplement to mechanical ventilation that works by removing carbon dioxide directly from the blood. The medical device, which has been approved for use in 35 countries outside the U.S., has proven relevant during the 2020 Pandemic.
Prior to running ALung, Pete was the founder and CEO of Renal Solutions. Renal Solutions developed of similar product focused on kidney dialysis and was sold to Fresenius in 2007 for $200 million.
In this conversation, Pete discusses the arduous process of getting a medical device approved by regulators, how he has raised over $140 million for his companies, and his advice for all entrepreneurs.
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Peter DeComo’s Challenge; Dont be afraid to take some risk
Connect with Peter DeComo Linkedin
ALung Website
pdecomo@alung.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 405 with Matt Kesinger where we discuss the development of his life saving medical device and episode 413 with Dr. Gordon Vanscoy where we discuss his startup which serves as a pharmacy for treating rare diseases.
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Michael Mayer is the co-founder and CEO of Bottomless, a company that uses wifi connected weight sensors to do automatic home restocking. Their first, and only, offering is fresh roasted coffee.
Every customer pays an annual fee (like an Amazon Prime membership) and receives a coffee scale. The scale measures the amount of coffee remaining in your bag and automatically sends you the next one when you’re running low.
Over time, Bottomless learns your coffee preferences and sends you personalized selections.
This is not a paid endorsement.
Bottomless was founded by Seattle-based by Mayer and his wife Liana Herrera in 2016. In 2018, they were admitted into the Y Combinator accelerator program.
In this episode, Aaron and Michael discuss the constraints Bottomless has had to overcome, the future products that Bottomless might sell, and what he learned at Y Combinator.
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Michael Mayer’s Challenge; Curate your inputs. Unfollow anything in your information diet that is not a building block for good thought.
Connect with Michael Mayer Linkedin
Get a Free Bag from Bottomless
If you liked this interview, check out this interview with Dr. Timothy Wong where we discuss reducing the cost of visiting a doctor and fundamentally rethinking medical care.
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Teresa Whalen is the CEO of CytoAgents, a startup focused on the development of solutions to combat persistent and potentially deadly strains of Influenza, COVID19, and other viruses.
Teresa’s career spans 20 years in the healthcare industry, including health technology executive, life sciences investor, and clinical pharmacist. She has brought multiple successful life-changing healthcare products to market.
She currently leads a team of clinical drug development experts and scientific advisory board members aiming to revolutionize treatment for respiratory illnesses and viral epidemics.
In this interview, Teresa and Aaron discuss the long process of FDA approval, how Teresa came to lead the company, and the dangers of a cytokine storm.
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Teresa Whalen’s Challenge; Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.
Connect with Teresa Whalen Teresa's Linkedin
CytoAgents Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 338 with Courtney Williamson where we discuss developing a medical device or episode 413 with Dr. Gordon Vanscoy where we discuss his pharmacy that collects drugs for treating rare diseases.
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Brock Blake is the founder and CEO of Lendio, a marketplace for small business loans. Lendio offers borrowers access to loan options from more lenders than any other marketplace in the industry.
Brock has been building his company for nearly a decade and raised more than $100 million in venture capital. 2020 has stretched his team and tech to new heights, as they’ve facilitated over 100,000 PPP loan approvals and the issue of $8 Billion in funds.
In this conversation, Aaron and Blake discuss why Brock pivoted away from his first company, the challenges and constraints of scaling, and the values he’s instilled in his company culture.
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Brock Blake’s Challenge; Identify someone important in your life and go have an experience with them.
Connect with Brock Blake Linkedin
Lendio Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 434 with Henry Schuck where we discuss his recent dollar IPO and becoming a billionaire.
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Casey Gauss is the VP of Amazon SEO at Thrasio. Thrasio is one of the most interesting companies I’ve come across in years.
Thrasio was founded in 2018. It has gone on to raise $520.5 million and be valued at over $1 billion. The companies has acquired more than 70 businesses that sell products on Amazon.
By bundling the companies together, they aim to build the CPG powerhouse (think Unilever or Procter & Gamble) of the digital age. Casey leads the team’s efforts in optimizing Thrasio’s 6,000+ product pages on Amazon to ensure that they rank high.
This translates into lots of sales. Thrasio is profitable 🤯🤯🤯
In this conversation, Casey and Aaron discuss the Thrasio business model, how they acquire companies in less than 45 days, and the philosophy behind selling online.
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Casey Gauss’s Challenge; Listen to audiobooks and increase the speed that you read them.
Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman
On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins
Connect with Casey Gauss Linkedin
Thrasio Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 413 with Dr. Gordon Vanscoy where we discuss building a Billion Dollar company selling rare pharmaceuticals, and episode 414 with Glen Meakem where we discuss FreeMarkets being a unicorn during the DotCom boom.
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Will Dzombak is a Pittsburgh native and one of the entertainment industry’s top music managers. He’s helped guide the career of Grammy-nominated rapper Wiz Khalifa and cofounded Taylor Gang Entertainment.
As a student at Penn State, Will co-founded an events company, where he booked Wiz Khalifa will he was still just a rising Pittsburgh rapper. After the first show’s turnout exceeded expectations, Khalifa sought out Dzombak’s help with booking more shows for him.
Within a few years, Dzombak has helped Khalifa create one of the most successful and consistent summer tours for the last 7 years. He’s also been one of the executive producers on Khalifa’s last three full-length releases.
Together, Wiz and Will have built Taylor Gang Entertainment, invested in the e-sports team Pittsburgh Knights, and much more.
In this conversation, Aaron and Will discuss the early days of Wiz’s career, their new restaurant Hotbox by Wiz, and the marketing strategies that they’ve been early to embrace.
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Will Dzombak’s Challenge; Start a second hustle.
Connect with Will Dzombak Instagram
WillDzombak.com
Taylor Gang Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 358 with Jamilka Borges where we discuss the restaurant business, and episode 450 with Brian Scott where we discuss better planting soil.
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Planting soil hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years. Brian Scott wants to change that.
Brian is the CEO of PittMoss, a Pittsburgh startup that creates a recycled/upcycled substitute for peat moss.
Pittmoss has been proven in greenhouse trials to outgrow all current peat-based potting soil products when mixed with these products or when plants are grown in nutrient-enriched Pittmoss alone.
He is currently leading a company pivot to the retail market. Brian originally invested in the company as an angel investor, and took over the company when the founder moved on for family reasons.
In this episode, Brian and Aaron discuss leading a company through growth, the negative environmental impact of peat moss, and the company’s fundraising history, including money from Mark Cuban.
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Brian Scott’s Challenge; Let’s make Pittsburgh the first peat-free city.
Connect with Brian Scott Linkedin
YouTube
PittMoss Website
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Michael is the CEO and co-founder of Edge Case Research, a company focused on making autonomy safer. Edge Case Research’s ECR’s products and services are geared for customers who build autonomous systems.
The company’s offerings include software that tests for gaps in computer vision systems and consulting focused on prioritizing safety into an engineering department’s culture.
Michael’s experience with autonomous vehicles started twenty years ago at Carnegie Mellon University where he built lunar rovers for Red Whittaker, autonomous scientific robots that explored Antarctica, and self-driving technology for tackling harsh off-road terrain.
In this episode, Michael and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, how to translate ideas across organizations, and the multitude of industries that will be impacted by autonomous vehicles.
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Michael Wagner’s Challenge; Go see the lunar rover seminar.
Connect with Michael Wagner Linkedin
Edge Case Research Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Argo Ai founder Bryan Salesky about autonomous cars and the episode with Locomation CEO Çetin Meriçli where we discuss self-driving semi-trucks.
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Amanda Dixon is the cofounder of Barney, a mid-market M&A firm that helps entrepreneurs buy and sell digital businesses. They boast a database of more than 15,000 buyers and a dynamic portfolio of past mergers and acquisitions.
Before starting Barney, Amanda had previously started and sold two businesses. After successfully selling both businesses, Amanda became painfully aware of the challenges associated with selling a business worth less than $20 million.
Now, Amanda leverages her learnings to helping others exit their business in a way that is simple, focused, and financially advantageous. You can see the companies that are currently for sale through Barney on their website.
When she's not working, you can find Amanda with her husband and daughter at the beach or watching Frozen for the 1,000th time.
In this episode, Amanda and Aaron discuss how digital businesses get valued, why you shouldn’t share your customer list during due diligence, and what she learned selling her own businesses.
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Amanda Dixon’s Challenge; Make a stranger smile this weekend.
Connect with Amanda Dixon Linkedin
Barney Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 269 with Brent Beshore where we discuss selling family businesses and the unique models of private equity.
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Dawn Dickson is a serial entrepreneur that has launched four successful cash flow positive companies since 2002. Most recently, she splits her time between Flat Out of Heels (rollable flats for women to get relief from painful heels) and PopCom (a software solution to
make vending machines more intelligent).
Dawn has an expertise in raising traditional and non-traditional business capital. In 2019, Dawn became the first female CEO globally to raise over $1 million using equity crowdfunding. This style of fundraising was made available by the JOBS Act, which was signed into law in 2012.
In this conversation, Dawn and Aaron get into a deep discussion of the stairstep approach to entrepreneurship. By starting as a consultant, graduating to a product business, and then moving on to software, Dawn has been able to build upon the knowledge, reputation, and capital she earned in each business.
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Dawn Dickson’s Challenge; Hop on an equity crowdfunding platform and
Connect with Dawn Dickson Twitter
Medium
Follow PopCom
If you liked this interview, check out episode 445 with Pierre Laguerre where we discuss how he is using technology to improve the lives of truck drivers.
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In 2017, Amira Valliani created Backyard Cambridge, a podcast about the City Council election in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She interviewed the candidates, produced the episodes, and built a small audience.
When she attempted to turn the show into a viable business, she found that there was no easy solution for collecting subscription revenue from listeners willing to pay for content.
So, she founded Glow. Glow makes building podcast memberships easy and has raised more than $2 million in seed funding.
In this episode, Amira and Aaron discuss why podcasters can make more money from subscriptions, Amira’s experience selling ads, and how startup life compares to the Hillary State Department.
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Amira Valliani’s Challenge; Reconnect with someone you haven’t talked to in a while.
Connect with Amira Valliani Linkedin
Glow.fm
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Pierre Laguerre is the founder & CEO of Fleeting, a startup building a digital platform to increase flexibility, dynamism, and efficiency for trucking companies and commercial truck drivers.
Pierre previously built two successful trucking companies operating trucks and staffing for other trucking companies. He’s been involved in trucking for nearly two decades and has learned the industry inside and out.
Since launching Fleeting in June 2019, Pierre and the team have generated over $1.5 million in revenue and raised more than $1.8 million. Additionally, Pierre became the first black man to ever max out a crowdfunding campaign by raising the $1.07 million SEC max, via Republic.
In this conversation, Pierre and Aaron discuss how he got into trucking to escape poverty, the forces changing the trucking industry, and the harsh conditions that drivers deal with on a regular basis.
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Pierre Laguerre’s Challenge; Look at the world like you only have 24 hours left.
Connect with Pierre Laguerre Linkedin
Fleeting Website
Book Referenced
What the CEO Wants You To Know by Ram Charan
If you liked this interview, check out our past interviews covering trucking and logistics. Cetin Mericli talks about building self-driving semi-trucks. Kristy Knichel talks about building a 3rd party logistics company to over $80 million in revenue. Hayden Cardiff talks about saving lives with software.
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25 years ago, Gene Leyzarovich came to Pittsburgh as a refugee from Russia. Within two years, he founded Advanced Computer & Network Corporation to build data storage systems for clients.
Decades later, AC&NC has installed their JetStor RAID (redundant array of independent disks) systems for over 4,000 clients around the world. Those clients include NASA, the US State Department, and a majority of the United Kingdom’s police force.
Now, ACNC does over $10 million in annual revenue and assembles its devices in Pittsburgh, PA.
In this conversation, Gene and Aaron discuss how he’s gone from selling 4-gigabyte units to multiple petabyte units for clients and how the business of hardware has evolved.
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Gene Leyzarovich’s Challenge; Set a weekly goal and commit to achieving it.
Connect with Gene Leyzarovich Linkedin
ACNC Website
sales@acnc.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss building multiple software companies in the gift card space.
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Blake Dube is the founder and CEO of Aeronics and the inventor of Pawprint Oxygen. Pawprint Oxygen is the world's first rescue oxygen supply for pets.
Blake studied oxygen as a chemical engineer at the University of Pittsburgh and expected to develop products for human medical applications. However, a chance encounter with his landlord revealed an exciting market opportunity to bring an oxygen tank product to market for animals.
Now, his tanks are manufactured in the US and sold in veterinary clinics around the country.
In this conversation, Blake and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, how Blake found the right manufacturing partner, and the ongoing improvements that are made to their product.
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Blake Dube’s Challenge; Treat customer service representatives with kindness and respect.
Connect with Blake Dube Linkedin
Aeronics Website
Pawprint Oxygen website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss spinning a company out of a university, selling a company for $300 million, and finding purpose in your work.
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Mike Cleary is the co-founder and CEO of Huemor, a Web Design Agency that helps B2B and DTC brands communicate more clearly, connect with their target audiences, and generate revenue. His company has helped some serious brands, including Revlon, Live Nation, GEICO, United Nations, Centivo, Net2Phone, Briogeo, Glow Recipe, Square One Justice.
Mike has been in business for nearly a decade and has learned a lot about the systems of business and how to implement them as you grow.
In this conversation, Mike and Aaron discuss how Mike got started with Craiglist customers, how Mike has implemented processes for everything, and why he moved the company to Pittsburgh.
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Mike Cleary’s Challenge; Try something new that makes your uncomfortable.
Connect with Mike Cleary Linkedin
Huemor Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 438 with Ben Wilson where we discuss commercial real estate, digital agencies, and grit.
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Over a decade ago, David Kane realized that there was a painful gap in cybersecurity. He built Ethical Intruder to fill that gap.
Today, Ethical Intruder helps clients across financial services, DoD, healthcare, and nonprofits reproduce vulnerable paths a hacker may take, so they can shore up their defenses. David’s ethical hacker teams conduct simulated malicious breaches of a wide variety of business applications and web-accessible entry points.
David has built his firm to be technology-agnostic, which comes with two benefits. First, they aren’t selling a specific solution regardless of its relevance. Second, they are accustomed to evaluating a dynamic collection of tools to identify the primary point of weakness.
In this conversation, Aaron and David discuss how to seel cybersecurity to any firm, why nonprofits need to keep their data secure, and the
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David Kane’s Challenge; Find a way to build someone else up.
Mentioned
Csoonline.com
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Ethical Intruder Website
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Brent Johnson is a wealth manager at Santiago Capital and a General Partner of the IceCap Strong Dollar Fund. Brent has had a multi-decade career in finance and has been responsible for managing billions of dollars.
Brent is well-known for his Dollar Milkshake Theory, where he expects a rapidly appreciating US Dollar over the next few years, relative to other world currencies.
Because the world is completely run by fiat currencies, cash whose value is not backed by some physical good such as gold or silver, Brent expects a massive devaluation of currencies across the board. Because of the U.S. is a relatively safer, stronger economy, he expects capital to flood into its domestic markets.
There are a lot of implications to the theory.
In this interview, Brent explains to Aaron what the Dollar Milkshake Theory is, how Brent’s career has unfolded, and the implications of a rising dollar for business owners and entrepreneurs.
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Brent Johnson’s Challenge; Find someone you vehemently disagree with and have a conversation with them.
Connect with Brent Johnson Twitter
Santiago Capital Website
brent@santiagocapital.com
If you liked this interview, check out all of our past interviews with finance thinkers, investors, and advisors.
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Dan Green is the founder and CEO of HomeBuyer, a mortgage lender designed for first-time homebuyers. It’s his 3rd company he’s built in the mortgage industry.
Dan previously founded the consumer-friendly mortgage education company "The Mortgage Reports", which was later acquired in 2014 by Full Beaker.
Dan Green is a 17-year mortgage lending veteran and was a multi-year, number-one loan officer before starting HomeBuyer. His current company utilizes intelligent personalization to deliver timely and precise advice through specific moments of a home buyer's journey and fulfills the buyer's mortgage.
He was part of the Techstars accelerator in 2020.
In this conversation, Aaron Watson and Dan Green discuss how he generated an enormous number of leads with a blog, why mortgage lenders don’t think long-term, and why private mortgage insurance is not the boogeyman.
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Dan Green’s Challenge; If you think you will buy a house, reach out to a mortgage loan officer and get a preapproval.
Connect with Dan Green Linkedin
HomeBuyer AI Website
dan@homebuyer.ai
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss starting multiple companies in the gift card space and building off of past successes.
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Ben Wilson founded Rivers Agile in 2008, in the eye of the Great Financial Crisis. The software consulting firm started focusing on advanced quality assurance and expanded to offer custom software development.
Now, Ben is leading his team through the pandemic, an office change, and a shifting marketplace for software solutions. He believes he’s poised to take advantage of a trend of onshoring and digital reinvention that the circumstances will demand.
In this podcast, Ben and Aaron discuss building a team, what makes for good QA, and the markets that Rivers Agile sells into.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Ben Wilson’s Challenge; Challenge your vendors to find better deals.
Connect with Ben Wilson
Rivers Agile website
ben@riversagile.com
If you liked this interview, check out our collection of interviews with Pittsburgh’s top entrepreneurs and leaders.
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Tyrone Ross is a financial consultant, community builder, and entrepreneur.
He has been named to Investment News 40 under 40 (2019) and a top ten advisor set to change the industry by WealthManagement.com.
Tyrone has focused on pushing a conservative, stodgy industry forward by focusing on young professionals, embracing financial technology startups, and acknowledging the role crypto assets play in a portfolio.
Aaron and Tyrone talk about fighting financial jargon, why advisors fear crypto, and how Tyrone has never taken a vacation.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Tyrone Ross’s Challenge; Find our leaders. Mold the next generation of young minds.
Connect with Tyrone Ross
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our back catalog of finance-focused podcast interviews.
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Stephen Gurgovits is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Tecum Capital, a $750+ million private investment firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. Tecum’s committed capital is deployed as mezzanine debt, subordinated notes, and private equity into lower middle market businesses across the US.
During his career, Stephen has been directly involved in over $1 billion of aggregate financial transactions, both public and private.
Prior to spinning Tecum Capital out of First National Bank, he was President and CEO of F.N.B. Capital Corporation, a wholly-owned merchant banking subsidiary of FNB.
Stephen currently serves on the board of directors for Western Allegheny Capital, Gibraltar Cable Barriers, Uncle Charley’s Sausage Company, Auburn Gear, Inc., Oberg Industries, and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth.
In this podcast, Aaron and Stephen discuss launching the firm, how they allocate debt and equity investments, and Stephen’s interpretation of current market dynamics.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Stephen Gurgovits’s Challenge; Make your bed and read the Wall Street Journal every day.
Connect with Stephen Gurgovits
Tecum Capital Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 269 with Brent Beshore where we discuss private equity investing in the lower middle market.
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Brian Burley is the founder of YNGBLKPGH, a book and community of talented black professionals in and around the city of Pittsburgh.
Brian came on Going Deep to discuss the absolute necessity of cities and corporations adopting more empathetic and diverse approaches to attracting and retaining talent.
He has a distinct perspective that he has earned through writing his book profiling over 100 black professionals, working in economic development for the Pittsburgh region, and leading conversations about diversity at ADP.
Aaron and Brian also cover the rise of Juneteenth into the national conversation and effective ways to market & message these important ideas.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Brian Burley’s Challenge; Go learn something new about someone else’s culture or experience. Try to put yourself in their shoes.
Connect with Brian Burley
Brian’s Instagram
YNGBLKPGH Instagram
If you liked this interview, check out episode 418 with Marco Marandiz where we discuss hip hop, branding a B2B company, and the future of online commerce.
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Henry Schuck founded his company, originally named DiscoverOrg, in 2007 at the age of 23. The company IPO’d on June 4th, 2020.
After acquiring ZoomInfo in 2019, they took the new name and consolidated their position as one of the leading sources of business information and now drive the go-to-market initiative of over 15,000 companies worldwide.
Henry sees ZoomInfo changing the way every company goes to market, the way sales reps engage with buyers, the way marketing targets, and the way HR recruits.
In this episode, Henry and Aaron discuss bootstrapping the company to $25 million, the IPO roadshow during a pandemic, and Henry’s skills as a sales trainer.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Henry Schuck’s Challenge; The professional you are today, isn’t who you need to be to accomplish your goals. Take an inventory of where you need to improve and go execute on it.
Connect with Henry Schuck
Website
henry.schuck@zoominfo.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss building multiple businesses that earned 8-figure and 9-figure exits.
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Joe Hipsky’s long career in financial services have allowed him to identify and develop a solution to the pipes of the financial system.
His company, iraLogix, is aimed at reducing the administrative burden placed on financial service providers.
In this conversation, Joe and Aaron discuss fundraising, why the financial services industry has been slow to adapt, and the regulatory climate for fintech.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Joe Hipsky’s Challenge; If you’re looking for investors, study the investment process and how venture capitalists make decisions.
Connect with Joe Hipsky
iraLogix.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 231 with Andy Rachleff where we discuss how he identified the opportunity to build Wealthfront.
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Charlie Dolan is the founder of Sequoia Waste Solutions, a technology company aimed at modernizing waste management.
When Charlie first looked at the waste management industry, he saw business still being run on paper with enormous inefficiencies needing to be addressed. So, he started building.
Today, the firm employs more than a dozen people and offers a suite of software and hardware solutions that drastically reduce costs associated with billing for and hauling away garbage.
In this conversation, Aaron and Charlie discuss the evolution of the company, the benefits of bootstrapping, and when to ‘build’ vs ‘buy’.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Charlie Dolan’s Challenge; Realize most of the world around you was designed by another human. Use that to build confidence in your own ability to make an impact.
Connect with Charlie Dolan
SequoiaWaste.com
Discoveryapp.io
If you liked this interview, check out more interviews with entrepreneurs and leaders that have vision, patience, and work ethic.
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John Feghali’s technology startup blends augmented reality, digital media, and animation to enable a new style of storytelling.
Most animated videos take thousands of hours of work and come with hefty price tags. For example, Frozen 2 cost $150 million and Toy Story 4 cost $200 million.
John’s company, Toaster Pets Cartoons, allows children and adults to make their own animated cartoons by recording cardboard cutouts and using artificial intelligence to translate the live action into a digital cartoon.
Explainer Video
In this episode, Aaron and John discuss how he found this market opportunity, the technology powering the service, and the enormous potential of the Intellectual Property.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
John Feghali’s Challenge; Create opportunity for others.
Connect with John Feghali
ToasterPets.com
Getpaperstudio.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss his string of enormously successful technology startups.
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Luke Glass is building a digital marketplace for land rights in the US. That means that any property owner can list their property’s rights to timber, solar, wind, or oil & gas for sale.
Luke’s company, RealX is aiming to unleash the trends of digitization, globalization, and virtualization on a marketplace that still operates on postcards and paper contracts.
As vice president and general manager of ListHub, which was purchased by Move in 2010, Luke Glass grew the platform into the nation’s largest online real estate listing syndicator.
In this podcast, Luke and Aaron discuss how this platform allows landowners to identify more buyers, why Luke believes solar will be more dominant over the next 20 years, and why he’s not the Garbage King of West Virginia.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Luke Glass’s Challenge; Find a local Food Bank and donate.
Connect with Luke Glass
RealX.io
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Matt Wieszczyk where we discuss natural gas land rights.
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Luke Skurman is the CEO and Founder of Niche.com. Niche is an informative website that provides insight and analysis from experts and neighbors to help people choose colleges, K-12 schools, and places to live.
Niche, formerly College Prowler, was founded in 2002 and recently raised $35 Million to expand its client base and grow its team. This Series C funding was led by the New York-based Radian Capital and San Fransisco-based Salesforce Ventures.
Luke has been at the helm of this college resource dynamo since its founding and has led it through tremendous years of growth. In 2019, Niche grew its client-base by 60% and increased annual recurring revenue over 100%.
In this episode, Aaron and Luke discuss the Series C funding, how to grow a tech business in Pittsburgh, and the future of remote work in lieu of COVID-19.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Luke Skurman’s Challenge; Increase your level of empathy for others.
Connect with Luke Skurman
Niche.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 303 with Luke Skurman where we discuss the origins on Niche.com and the first large raise.
Also, listen to Glen Meakem talk about his billion-dollar valuation after a 1999 IPO.
Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680
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Keith Hamon has over 30 years of operational restaurant experience, with 10 years in active financial management and 7 years of direct experience owning, operating, growing, and stewarding a small group of restaurants.
His firm, Alchemy Financial, serves as a bookkeeper, financial planner, and CFO for clients in the hospitality space.
Keith is committed to helping small restaurants and bars survive and thrive using better financial planning and thinking strategically about pricing.
In this episode, Keith and Aaron discuss pricing strategy, how restaurants deal with food delivery, and Cloud Kitchens.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Keith Harmon’s Challenge; Be mindful of everything.
Connect with Keith Harmon
We Live to Serve Twitter
Alchemy Financial Website
alchemyboston@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out two interviews with award-winning chefs and entrepreneurs. Kevin Sousa’s Superior Motors was named one of the greatest places on Earth and Jamlika Borges is a James Beard semi-finalist.
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Ben Hunt is the creator of Epsilon Theory and co-founder of Second Foundation Partners.
Epsilon Theory is a newsletter and website that studies markets using game theory and history. It is read by over 100,000 professional investors and allocators across 180 countries.
Ben is the founder of two technology companies, a past professor of political science, and a successful investor. He’s worked in venture capital and subsequently on two long/short equity hedge funds. He evolved to blend his background as a portfolio manager, risk manager, and entrepreneur with academic experience in game theory and econometrics to improve client outcomes.
In this conversation, Ben and Aaron discuss how Ben outlined the false numbers coming out of China in a blog post titles Body Count, how to channel anger into Hope, and how he thinks about fatherhood.
Essential Reading
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose
Things Fall Apart #1
Things Fall Apart #2
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Ben Hunt’s Challenge; Take Action. Do not allow yourself to be convinced that it’s insignificant.
Connect with Ben Hunt
Epsilon Theory Website
Frontline Heroes
If you liked this interview, check out interviews with investors Andy Rachleff, Anthony Pompliano, and Morgan Housel.
Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680
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Flori Marquez is the cofounder of BlockFi, a fintech firm that provides wealth management products to investors in cryptocurrency.
BlockFi currently offers interest-bearing crypto accounts, crypto trading, and crypto-backed loans.
In the last year, BlockFi has raised an $18.3 million Series A and a $30 million Series B from investors like Morgan Creek Digital, Fidelity, the Winklevoss twins, and Valar Ventures.
Flori has spent her career managing alternative lending products, including a $125MM portfolio for Bond Street (acquired by Goldman Sachs).
In this conversation, Flori and Aaron discuss the founding of the company, the new customers BlockFi is targeting, and why banking people across the world is challenging.
Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680
Flori Marquez’s Challenge; Take $100 and invest in something new or different.
Connect with Flori Marquez
Website
support@blockfi.com
If you liked this interview, check out our past blockchain and crypto interviews with Anthony Pompliano, Brendan Eich, and Joe Lubin.
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The Coronavirus (rightfully) gets most of the headlines. However, we are also living through an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has worldwide ramifications.
Matt Wieszczyk is the Managing Member of Par City Holdings, a land services company that specializes in the acquisition of oil and gas mineral and royalty rights. At PCH, he has placed $15mm for various investors in SW Appalachia.
Prior to Par City, Matt was Acquisitions Manager & General Counsel for San Jacinto Minerals. At SJM, he placed $39mm in 15 months, leading the mineral market in Washington and Greene Counties, in PA.
In this interview, Matt and Aaron discuss the shale industry in Appalachia and how the price war could positively affect the region. They also discuss Matt’s business model and how he got into the industry.
Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680
Matt Wieszczyk’s Challenge; Write someone a handwritten note.
Connect with Matt Wieszczyk
parcityholdings@gmail.com
Mentioned
Henry Hub Natural Gas Futures
Eia.gov
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LBRY is a place where they can find great videos, music, ebooks, and more. How? LBRY started as a new protocol that allows anyone to build apps that interact with digital content on the LBRY network.
Apps built using the protocol allow creators to upload their work to the LBRY network of hosts (like BitTorrent), to set a price per stream or download (like iTunes) or give it away for free (like YouTube without ads). The work you publish could be videos, audio files, documents, or any other type of file.
Traditional video (or other content) sites such as YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify store your uploads on their servers and allow viewers to download them. They also allow creators to make some money through advertising or other mechanisms. However, there are some well-known drawbacks, especially for people whose material is perceived as not being advertiser-friendly.
Jeremy Kauffman created LBRY because he fell in love with the idea of shared, global content registry that is owned and controlled by no one.
In this podcast, Aaron and Jeremy discuss how it works and the challenges of building a new model for media.
Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Jeremy Kauffman’s Challenge; Bet on your beliefs.
Connect with Jeremy Kauffman
LBRY.tv
If you liked this interview, check out other blockchain interviews with Brendan Eich and Anthony Pompliano.
LBRY sync with YouTube
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Two years ago, Ian Rosenberger and his company took a leap forward by launching a backpack. It was made from Thread International’s first product, fabric made from plastic waste that had been recycled.
The backpack raised $571,000 on Kickstarter and represented an important new chapter for the business.
At the beginning of 2020, they launched two specific brands; Day Owl (for consumers) and First Mile (for brands like Reebok, Puma, and Converse to buy the fabric).
In this conversation, Ian and Aaron discuss the strategy behind the rebrand, managing a retail company through the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, and how Day Owl re-tooled their facility to make Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Ian Rosenberger’s Challenge; Identify the Day Owls in your world and figure out how you can support them.
Connect with Ian Rosenberger
Day Owl Website
Day Owl Instagram
If you liked this interview, check out episode 336 for our first conversation with Ian Rosenberger where we discuss recycling waste, mission-driven startups, and the grit required to survive.
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Anthony Pompliano is a co-founder & Partner at Morgan Creek Digital. He leads investments in early-stage startups and cryptocurrency.
He was formerly a product manager at Facebook.
He writes a daily letter analyzing crypto news for institutional investors and a prolific podcast with other top thinkers in finance and crypto.
In this conversation, Pomp and Aaron discuss the Bitcoin halving, economic stimulus, and kindness.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Anthony’s Challenge; Remember to be kind to one another.
Connect with Anthony Pompliano
The Pomp Podcast
If you liked this interview, check out our collection of past interviews covering blockchain technology and cryptocurrency.
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Kyshira Moffett is a digital brand strategist, entrepreneur, and author. She’s built a business as a coach helping other businesses and entrepreneurs market themselves effectively.
Kyshira also launched Life of a Bombshell Cosmetics in 2017, offering premium makeup products at an affordable price to businesswomen.
Her experiences in marketing a wide variety of businesses, running a conference (Hustle HER Way Summit), and earning an MBA have given her a wealth of knowledge to call upon.
In this conversation, Aaron and Kyshira discuss live streaming, coaching and launching a cosmetics brand.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Kyshira Moffett’s Challenge; 1. Go live. 2. Find a new book to read.
Connect with Kyshira Moffett
ThePowerCollective.co
Google Digital Coaches
Kyshira’s Book Recommendations
Stiletto Network by Pamela Ryckman
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
The Brand Within by Daymond John
If you liked this interview, check out episode 216 with Noah Kagan where we discuss being at Facebook early, building an internet business, and marketing effectively.
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Tom Lauwers is on a mission to get robots into classrooms. As the founder and chief roboticist at BirdBrain Technologies, he designs educational tools that show students the basics of coding, engineering, and collaboration.
Tom received a Ph.D in robotics in 2010 from Carnegie Mellon, where he initially designed the Finch robot and Hummingbird robotics kit.
The Finch is a small robot designed to inspire students learning computer science by providing a tangible representation of their code.
The Hummingbird is a kit that allows students to create and program robots built from electronic components and craft materials.
In this conversation, Tom and Aaron discuss the design of the learning robot, how to make technology more accessible, and why Tom chose to bootstrap the business.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Tom Lauwers’s Challenge; Reflect on “What could be your superpower for good?”
Connect with Tom Lauwers
BirdbrainTechnologies.com
tom@birdbraintechnologies.com
If you liked this interview, check out these interviews with robotics entrepreneurs Jorgen Pedersen of RE2 Robotics and Jake Loosararian of Gecko Robotics.
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The Going Deep podcast returned to Fayette county for a second interview with one of the area’s top entrepreneurs. J.D. Ewing, President of COE Distributing, regained control of his company just after the Great Recession.
J.D. had to secure financing from the bank so he could buy inventory. When they asked for a business plan, J.D. estimated the firm would reach $10 million in revenue in 3 years.
COE Distributing ended up blowing past that number to more than $24 million. They did $9 million in the first year.
How?
In this podcast, J.D. explains how he systematically removed the constraints to business growth, how he hires team members, and the important lessons of leadership that anyone can use.
They’ve ridden this process to being named an INC 5000 fastest-growing company for 6 consecutive years.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
J.D. Ewing’s Challenge; Focus on getting engaged with your employees, colleagues, and teammates outside of your normal patterns.
Connect with J.D. Ewing
Website
Office Source Furniture
Books
Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders by Steve Shallenberger
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip & Dan Heath
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't by Verne Harnish
If you liked this interview, make sure you heard our first conversation with J.D (episode 407).
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Marco Marandiz is a Co-founder and Head of Marketing for Elliot, a global commerce startup based in NYC.
Prior to Elliot, Marco spent time as a strategist for high-potential DTC brands and led digital product teams at HomeAway and CapitalOne. Through building and shipping products that served hundreds of millions of users, Marco learned about what makes products work in the digital realm.
In this podcast, you’ll hear Aaron and Marco discuss how commerce on the internet is getting easier, how Twitter threads helped Marco advance his career, and why brands need to have a distinct voice.
Marco is speaking at Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart in 2020.
Marco Marandiz’s Challenge; Focus on one channel. Communicate your opinion clearly on one topics and be consistent.
Connect with Marco Marandiz
elliot.store
If you liked this interview, check out episode 394 with Ryan Kulp where we discuss How to buy small companies, speaking your mind, and managing risk.
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What’s a doctor to do when they become disenchanted with the healthcare system? Dr. Timothy Wong decided the answer was to start his own micro-practice.
In his office in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Dr. Wong sees ~20 patients per day and only charges $35 for a visit.
This allow people without health insurance to get the care they desperately need. Dr. Wong believes that healthcare needs to be simple, needs to be about the patient & the doctor, and needs to be accessible.
His business model allows that to happen.
In this conversation, Dr. Wong and Aaron discuss how he got the idea for iHealth Clinic, how care gets delivered at his practice, and the way this model can spread & inspire change.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Dr. Timothy Wong’s Challenge; Let other healthcare providers know about direct-access primary care.
Connect with Dr. Timothy Wong
iHealht Clinic website
directaccessprimary.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 399 with Hayden Cardiff where we discuss spinning a software company out of another firm, raising a $9 million Series A, and hiring in a high-growth startup.
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Jack Welsh is the co-owner of LumberjAxes and Sliders Curling. He has successfully transitioned from a union job and bartending gig into running a business that delivers genuinely unique experiences.
He and his co-founders first came across axe throwing in Philadelphia and decided to bring the concept to Pittsburgh. It’s been a winner and has grown to multiple locations.
To keep the momentum going, he has now opened Sliders Curling in the adjacent lot to offer competitive, bar-style curling to their customers.
In this conversation, you’ll hear Jack and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, how Jack transitioned out of his day job, and the capital required to get the company off the ground.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Jack Welsh’s Challenge; Go out of town to find some new entertainment options.
Connect with Lumberjaxes Axe Throwing
Axethrowingpgh.com
Connect with Sliders Curling
Slidersbarandgames.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 184 with Ed Bailey & Day Bracey where we discuss comedy, drinking partners podcast, and creative partnership.
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Bill Sarris has been in the candy business for more than 40 years. Upon graduating from college, Bill joined his father’s business and has overseen significant growth while building a Sarris Candies into a regional leader in chocolates.
Sarris Candies was started by his father Frank in the family’s basement. Behind Bill’s efforts, the company grew to include more than 350 employees and $16 million in annual sales.
Today, the Sarris Chocolate Factory and Ice Cream Parlour fill an area the size of a football field with over 100 yards of chocolate, penny candy, ice cream, and plush toys.
In this conversation, Bill and Aaron discuss flying to Europe to buy equipment in the 70s, Sarris’ five channels of revenue, and the strategic acquisition of Gardeners Candies.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Bill Sarris’s Challenge; If you find something you like, go after it.
Connect with Bill Sarris
Sarris Candies Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 306 with Bryan Salesky where we discuss Argo Ai, self-driving cars, and what he learned from the DARPA challenge.
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Glen Meakem is the founder & CEO of a permanent cloud photo storage and sharing company called Forever. He previously took his first technology startup, FreeMarkets, public in late-1999.
FreeMarkets grew up during the height of the Dotcom Bubble and reached a peak valuation of over $10 billion. While the spectacular highs of the bubble could not last, underneath the market Glen was tripling revenues each year and operating.
After selling FreeMarkets to Ariba in 2004, Glen started angel and venture investing. Some of his most successful investments include Kiva Systems (sold to Amazon), HotPads (sold to Zillow), and Niche.com.
After wrapping up a successful venture career, Glen returned to being an entrepreneurial operator. Forever was built because Glen was frustrated by the short-term business models and incentives offered from other cloud storage providers.
In this podcast interview, you’ll hear Glen and Aaron discuss timeless leadership principles, how to recognize a business opportunity, and stories from the tech bubble.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Glen Meakem’s Challenge; Don’t sit on the sidelines. Get in the game and take action. Walk through the door. Be ethical. Be kind.
Connect with Glen Meakem
Forever.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 303 with Luke Skurman where we discuss founding Niche, recruiting engineering talent, and why follow-through is so important.
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Dr. Gordon Vanscoy is the founding Chairman and CEO of PANTHERx Rare, the nation’s leading rare disease and orphan drug-focused pharmacy.
PANTHERx Rare assists patients in navigating the complex process of getting orphan & precision medicines. They also help innovative biotechnology entrepreneurs get their medicines approved by insurers and healthcare providers.
Prior to PANTHERx, Dr. Vanscoy developed 7 health care companies while concurrently serving in various leadership roles at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Today, he serves as Pitt’s Associate Dean for Business Innovation and Associate Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
In this conversation, you’ll hear Dr. Vanscoy and Aaron discuss the growth of precision medicine, why he came out of semi-retirement, and the staggering rate of growth.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Gordon Vanscoy’s Challenge; Do more research on the treatment of Rare Diseases.
Connect with Gordon Vanscoy
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss university technology transfer, creating $300m in shareholder value, and building a loyal team.
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Jake Loosararian is the CEO and co-founder of Gecko Robotics, a Pittsburgh robotics startup. Gecko recently announced a $40 million Series B round of fundraising led by Drive Capital.
Gecko Robotics builds robots that do unassisted inspections of power plant boilers. The robots’ sensors measure key data including temperature, wall thickness, and other system failure indicators.
Jake invested his life savings into the company and was named the top startup in Y Combinator’s Winter 2016 cohort.
In this podcast, Jake Loosararian and Aaron Watson discuss the business model of Gecko, how he raised $40 million, and the high bar they have when hiring.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Jake Loosararian’s Challenge; Read a book.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil
Connect with Jake Loosararian
Website
jake.loosararian@geckorobotics.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 400 with Austin Webb where we discuss large fundraising rounds, high growth startups, and robotics disrupting agriculture.
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Kent McElhattan’s entire business career has been dedicated to the safety of workers.
In 1985, Kent co-founded Industrial Scientific and built a worldwide leader in IOT and predictive analytics for the safety industry. The company climbed to hundreds of millions in revenue and sold to Fortive.
After that success, Kent started another company, Discovery Robotics, aimed to bring robotics technology to the field of janitorial services. Their first product is an autonomous floor-cleaning robot.
The company’s mission remains to increase human productivity and safety.
In this conversation, Kent and Aaron discuss how he ended up focusing on industrial cleaning, the lessons Kent has taken from Industrial Scientific, and the future of work.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Kent McElhattan’s Challenge; Find something that doesn’t feel like work.
Connect with Kent McElhattan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 297 with Jorgen Pedersen where we discuss saving lives with robots or episode 400 with Austin Webb where we discuss changing agriculture with tech.
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Anthony Gadient is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Voci Technologies. Voci uses GPU-accelerated, deep machine learning speech technologies to help companies understand what their team members are saying on the phone.
Their technology helps clients mine actionable insights from their voice data. It can be applied to customer service, sales, and compliance analysis.
The company is built with technology spun out of Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, Anthony co-founded Neolinear, a semiconductor design automation firm that was acquired.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Anthony Gadient’s Challenge; Take some time to think about the implications of computers being able to hear you.
Connect with Anthony Gadient
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 303 with Luke Skurman the founder of Niche.com and episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss multiple successful technology startups.
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2019 was a year of growth and learning. Thank you for being a part of it.
We're planning for even more in 2020.
📈 📈
David Levine founded NuGo Nutrition Bars in 2000 after raising a small sum of capital from friends and family.
NuGo Nutrition uses real dark chocolate to make their protein bars and have been committed to making healthy, high-caliber bars from their inception.
The company has developed a variety of SKUs developed for Kosher, gluten-free, organic, vegan, and low sugar diets.
David and Aaron discuss the founding of the company, how NuGo has scaled its distribution, and the fake chocolate used by other companies.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
David Levine’s Challenges;
- Learn the difference between real and fake dark chocolate.
- When you’re with your family, put the phone away so you can reflect on your day together.
Connect with David Levine
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 407 with JD Ewing where we discuss wholesaling, trends in office furniture, and creating a company book club.
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Brian Gaudio is the CEO of Module, a design & technology startup based in Pittsburgh.
Module is developing a pay-as-you-go housing solution that enables homebuilders to provide an affordable and flexible entry point for homeownership. One of their distinctive features is a design that allows a buyer to turn a one-bedroom starter unit into a 3 bedroom house.
Brian has previously directed a documentary about the housing crisis in South America, worked as a Fulbright Scholar in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and worked in the Blue Sky Department at Walt Disney Imagineering.
In this conversation, you’ll hear Brian and Aaron discuss how home construction and financing are interwoven, why pre-fabricated houses are the future, and the capital-intensive nature of the business.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Brian Gaudio’s Challenge; Take one day during the holidays away from any work-related digital devices.
Connect with Brian Gaudio
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all our past episodes with Pittsburgh’s business leaders and innovators.
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J.D. Ewing is the President of COE Distributing, the largest furniture-only wholesale office furniture distributor in the United States.
We traveled out to Uniontown, PA to record this interview at the company’s headquarters, which includes a 300,000 square foot warehouse.
The company also operated hubs in North Carolina and Texas, which allows it to serve the entire continental United States.
Over the last decade, COE has been growing rapidly. He bought the family business back after an acquirer ran into bankruptcy in 2008/09. Now, they are named an Inc. 5000 company and a Top 100 Fastest Growing Business by the Pittsburgh Business Times year-after-year.
In this episode, Aaron and J.D. discuss the start of the wholesaling business, when J.D. has been an opportunistic buyer, and trends in office furniture.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
J.D. Ewing’s Challenge; Optimize your life around work you enjoy.
Connect with J.D. Ewing
Website
Office Source Furniture
Books
Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders by Steve Shallenberger
Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip & Dan Heath
If you liked this interview, check out episode 396 with Kristy Knichel where we discuss family business, 3rd party logistics, and customer service.
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Jessica Gibson is CEO and Co-Founder of Ariel Precision Medicine, an integrated genomics and digital health company.
Ariel helps patients with complex chronic diseases by using genetics and health information to model the mechanisms and drivers of disease. This enables clinicians to establish an early diagnosis, long-term prognosis, and targeted management plan.
Ariel's PancreasDx® is the most comprehensive genetic test for pancreatic disease and is built off of Dr. David C. Whitcomb’s leading research.
Aaron and Jessica discuss the mission behind the company, how commercialization efforts have evolved, and the promise of precision medicine.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Jessica Gibson’s Challenge; Understand that you can be the change you want to see in the world.
Connect with Jessica Gibson
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 405 with Matt Kesinger where we discuss the development and inspiration behind a medical device that helps people suffering strokes.
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Matt Kesinger’s company, Forest Devices, is developing the medical device ALPHASTROKE to help first responders identify stroke and triage patients to the right hospital.
Strokes are the #1 cause of disability worldwide. Lives are changed by how quickly a stroke is diagnosed and treated.
Matt was EMT in Boston for two years and learned how hard it can be to diagnose a stroke with just a clinical exam.
While attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Matt conducted and published research on the difficulties of pre-hospital providers diagnosing stroke. He was part of the team that conducted the largest US study on the identification of large vessel occlusive strokes in the pre-hospital environment.
In this conversation, Matt & Aaron discuss how to diagnose a stroke, the testing process for medical devices, and the mission that inspires the team.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Matt Kesinger’s Challenge; Learn the signs of a stroke.
Connect with Matt Kesinger
Forest Devices Website
matt.kesinger@forestdevices.com
If you liked this interview, check out these past episodes
Former UPMC CIO Rasu Shrestha
Highmark VP of Innovation Sarah Ahmad
Chef Kevin Sousa
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Lillian Rafson did not plan to start her business Pack Up + Go. But, on a trip to Latvia, she came across an idea that was too good to pass up. Booking surprise travel for vacationers.
She came back to the US, started the business, and hoped to get 50 clients that year. She got 500.
She followed the sharp trajectory upwards and remained bootstrapped the whole way. Now she runs a team, does millions in revenue, and is charting expansion plans.
In this conversation, Lillian and Aaron discuss the inspiration for the business, how she got initial traction, and the way she has built her team.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Lillian’s Challenge; Go visit a new neighborhood in your city or town.
Connect with Lillian Rafson
Website
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We believe this is one of the best and most valuable podcasts we’ve had the privilege to share.
Michele McGough is the founder and CEO of solutions4networks, a professional services and integration company that provides network engineering and network security consulting as well as associated equipment/software to a select client portfolio.
She’s been in IT for more than 30 years and has learned a lot of lesssons along the way.
In this episode, you’ll hear her discuss retaining the talented people on her team, how & when to fire a client, and how she got started.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Michele’s Challenge; Perception is not reailty. Don’t make assumptions about others.
Connect with Michele
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe another top-notch entrepreneur, operator, and team builder.
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Michelle Walters founded Liberty Closet Systems in 1993. The family-owned and operated business serves up custom closet, cabinetry, and storage solutions in Westmoreland County & surrounding areas.
Over time, operations have been scaled to meet the demands of over one hundred builders in PA, WV, and Maryland. In 23 years LCS, Inc. has grown from a single designer/installer to a full staff of designers, fabricators, and installers specializing in custom closet design & storage systems.
In this conversation, Aaron and Michelle discuss starting the business, how to sell a great closet, and working with her family.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Michelle Walters’s Challenge; Be kind. Not just people that agree with you.
Connect with Michelle Walters
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 396 with Kristy Knichel where we discuss 3rd party logistics, woman-owned business, and great customer service.
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James Haluszczak founded SteelBridge Consulting in 2008. The boutique consultancy exclusively focuses on serving as a strategic advisor to Private Equity and Venture Capital fund managers, investors, and administrators.
He is also a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of SteelBridge Laboratories, which he and his partners founded in 2016 as an investment firm focused on early-stage Fintech companies.
James has 20 years of experience in Financial Service operations, finance, and technology roles, and is a seasoned Fintech founder and investor. James has held management roles inside of four currently operating Fintech startup companies, and he and his team have invested in more than 10 Fintech companies since 2016.
In this conversation, James and Aaron discuss scaling a consulting firm, finding deal flow for investing, and helping a young company grow.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
James Haluszczak’s Challenge; Use a fintech tool to donate to a cause, like cancer research.
Connect with James Haluszczak
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all of our interviews with the world’s biggest financial leaders and writers.
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Austin Webb is leading a startup that aims to upend the food system. How? By using robotics and AI to build and operate highly efficient, commercial-scale urban vertical farms.
In late September 2019, his company Fifth Season (originally founded as RoBotany) came out of stealth mode by announcing a $35 million round of funding. With this capital, it plans to build its first commercial-scale indoor vertical farm to be located just outside Pittsburgh, in Braddock.
The startup plans to expand into other similarly-sized cities throughout the US.
In this episode, Austin and Aaron discuss the seismic impact Austin believes vertical farming can have, how this model reduces labor costs & water usage, and the composition of the team pursuing this goal.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Austin’s Challenge; For an entire week, try to eat only fresh food for every meal.
Connect with Austin
Fifthseasonfresh.com
If you liked this interview, check out our other interviews with top Pittsburgh entrepreneurs Jason Wolfe and Cooper Munroe.
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Hayden Cardiff is the co-founder and CEO of Idelic. Idelic is a B2B Saas startup that helps trucking companies track data on their fleet & drivers to improve safety.
Idelic recently announced a Series A financing round of $8M led by Origin Ventures with participation from TDF Ventures, Birchmere Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and SaaS Venture Capital.
Hayden, with cofounders Nick Bartel & Andrew Russell, spun Idelic’s software out of Pitt Ohio, a logistics service firm providing less-than-truckload, truckload, supply chain solutions, and ground services in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest United States.
In this episode, Hayden and Aaron discuss spinning a company out of a larger business, fundraising millions of dollars, and bringing software to an old, conservative industry.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Hayden Cardiff’s Challenge; Consider and respect the truck drivers you’re sharing the road with.
Connect with Hayden Cardif
Idelic Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 396 with Kristy Knichel where we discuss building an $80M 3rd Party Logistics Provider using customer service, hustle, and humility.
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Denise DeSimone has started & run 9 different companies. Some have been successes, some have been failures, some have fallen in between.
In 1998, Denise founded and grew one of her greatest successes, Unicorp where she developed the privately-held technology-based business from the ground floor to over $74 million in revenues.
In this conversation, Aaron and Denise discuss where to get good mentorship, how she has changed her service offerings, and the importance of company culture.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Denise Desimone’s Challenge; Be kind.
Connect with Denise Desimone
Website
ddesimone@c-leveled.com
If you liked this interview, check out two other episodes with prolific entrepreneurs Jason Wolfe and Dave Nelsen.
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Nathan Martin is the founder and CEO of Deeplocal, a Pittsburgh-based marketing agency. The firm is comprised of creative engineers, hired by brands to build interactive experiences.
Since spinning Deeplocal out of an art and technology lab at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, Nathan has become a leader of innovation and invention in advertising, creating custom solutions that are often the world's firsts.
In the last decade, Nathan has grown Deeplocal’s portfolio to include advertising work for some of the world’s biggest and most celebrated brands — including Google, Netflix, and Nike.
Prior to founding Deeplocal, Nathan was an originating member of a hactivist art group and the frontman of Creation is Crucifixion, a grindcore band.
In this conversation, you’ll hear Aaron & Nathan discuss how to build a talented team, what it took for Deeplocal to get off the ground, and how he explains the company to others.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Nathan Martin’s Challenge; Do not look at income and money as the driver of happiness. Evaluate your work on the basis of how you spend your time.
Connect with Nathan Martin
Deeplocal Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss generating more than $300M in shareholder value.
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Kristy Knichel is a second-generation logistics executive and the president of Knichel Logistics. Prior to leading the company, she led the operations team for 10 years.
Kristy has driven a staggering amount of growth for the company. Since its inception, Knichel Logistics has grown from $2 million in revenue to $80 million under Kristy’s leadership.
Knichel Logistics is a woman-owned and operated, non asset based third-party logistics provider. In this interview you’ll find out what that means.
The company specializes in intermodal, less than truckload, full truckload, and specialty services and has a veteran staff that prioritizes customer service.
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Kristy Knichel’s Challenge; Put yourself out there.
Connect with Kristy Knichel
Knichel Logistics Website
If you liked this interview, check out the rest of our interviews with the top business people in the city of Pittsburgh.
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Çetin Meriçli is the co-founder and CEO of Locomation, a Pittsburgh startup building autonomous trucks. His company is taking a novel approach to the technical challenge by pairing trucks together, instead of building a single truck to stand alone.
Locomation has raised more than $5 million from 13 venture investors, including Pittsburgh VC firm Draper Triangle Ventures.
Çetin’s team, including 5 co-founders, have been working together for a decade and are aiming to realize the opportunity in the multi-trillion-dollar logistics industry.
Çetin and Aaron discuss how to sell into the 4 key groups that will determine Locomation’s success: investors, employees, customers, and regulators.
You’ll walk away from this episode with a much better understanding of the timeline and challenges associated with autonomous vehicle technology.
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Çetin Meriçli’s Challenge; Find a way to give back.
Connect with Çetin Meriçli
Locomation Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 306 with Bryan Salesky (Argo AI) where we discuss self-driving cars or episode 297 with Jorgen Pedersen where we discuss robotics and removing humans from harm’s way.
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Ryan Kulp is both a marketer and a programmer. This unique skill set allows him to do things that most entrepreneurs only fantasize about.
Ryan constantly builds and ships new products and services on a monthly basis. This gives him the opportunity to experiment and test lots of ideas, seeing which ones stick.
He also uses this skill set to buy small technology companies & software products that most private equity firms are forced to overlook. In this uncharted terrain, Ryan uncovers value by applying his skillset to businesses that were previously run by someone lacking the skills or bandwidth to apply the best techniques.
Now, Ryan’s companies generate more than $5 million in annual revenue and he travels the globe with the freedom granted by cash flow + operating businesses with no geographic restraints.
In this conversation, Aaron and Ryan discuss how to think about entrepreneurship, rules to abide by in business, and the greater “Why” behind Ryan’s work.
Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.
Ryan Kulp’s Challenge; Work via negativa. Don’t watch Netflix.
Connect with Ryan Kulp
Ryanckulp.com
Dishonest Marketing
Micro Acquisitions Course
3 Books Ryan Mentioned
Negotiation Genius by Deepak Malhotra & Max Bazerman
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher & William Ury
If you liked this interview, check out:
Episode 269 with Brent Beshore where we cover investing for the long term, boring businesses, and starting a career.
Episode 216 with Noah Kagan where we discuss Facebook, Mint, and how to be an effective entrepreneur.
Episode 383 with Zak Slayback where we discuss how to avoid copycat careers, why job descriptions usually suck, and How to Get Ahead when you’re early in your career.
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Meredith Meyer Grelli is the co-founder of Wigle Whiskey, the first Pittsburgh distillery since Prohibition. Wigle’s spirits are distributed throughout the country and the distillery has been the most awarded Craft Whiskey Distillery in the US for four straight years.
Meredith and her team have followed up the success of Wigle with Threadbare Cider & Mead.
In this conversation, Aaron and Meredith discuss what it takes to build a strong team, why they develop so many different product lines, and the importance of engaging with the community.
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Meredith’s Challenge; Write a thank you note to someone every morning.
Connect with Meredith
Connect with Wigle Whiskey
Connect with Threadbare Cider House
If you liked this interview, check out episode 382 with Barry Young where we discuss distilling vodka and episode 232 with Christian Simmons where we discuss selling craft spirits.
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The best way to prepare to run your own startup is to learn from one of the best. Ajay Kori got to work under Marc Lore and learn from an eCommerce master before launching his own company.
Ajay founded UrbanStems in 2014 to fix a flower delivery industry that was institutionally broken. The company offers same-day, on-demand delivery in New York & DC, while offering nationwide next-day shipping.
The company has raised millions of dollars from top VC firms including SWaN & Legend, The Motley Fool, Kevin Plank & Under Armour, and NextGenVentures.
In this discussion, you’ll hear Aaron & Ajay discuss the challenges associated with scaling a team, the meta-entrepreneurial skill set that can apply anywhere, and what was broken about the flower business.
Ajay’s Challenge; Keep a journal where you write down what you’re grateful for every day.
Connect with Ajay
UrbanStems Website
ajay@urbanstems.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss building $300M in shareholder value, commercializing technology out of universities, and finding a purpose behind your business.
ALLEN GANNETT KEYNOTE
https://youtu.be/8XKHw5MyHSE
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How do you catalyze change within a large organization? Sarah Ahmad shares her insights from in the trenches.
Sarah is the senior VP of innovation and transformation strategy for Pittsburgh’s Highmark Health, a national health and wellness organization, and America’s second-largest integrated delivery and financing system.
Sarah Ahmad leads Highmark Health’s effort to transform health care by developing innovative health solutions and value-based, high-quality health experiences for their customers and communities across the U.S.
Since joining Highmark Health in 2017, Sarah has evolved the Highmark Health VITAL Innovation Program into a revenue-generating test-and-learn platform that provides health solution companies, health plans and other stakeholders with robust evidence related to patient experience, care outcomes and cost impact. This means solutions can be covered and utilized faster—accelerating both their availability to patients and their adoption in the broader
healthcare marketplace.
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Connect with Sarah
Vital Innovation Website
If you liked this interview, check out more interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in Pittsburgh.
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Vlogging
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If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
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David Passavant is the CEO of Numo, a subsidiary company of PNC Bank. Numo is tasked with funding innovative technologies that can meaningfully move PNC’s business forward.
In this conversation, Aaron interviews David about what life is life running a corporate-backed financial technology incubator in Pittsburgh and how David found his way into the role.
David has been the CEO of Numo for 2.5 years and has recently launched its first two products. Great episode for anyone interested in corporate innovation strategies and careers.
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David’s Challenge; Be an original thinker.
Connect with David
Numo.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 356 with Toni Murphy where we discuss negotiating a large enterprise as you build your career. You might also like this interview with Joe Lubin, the co-founder of Ethereum, on the future of cryptocurrency and financial technologies.
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Lily D is an ASMR YouTuber. What does that mean? Listen to the podcast to find out.
ASMR helps with anxiety and insomnia. Lily started making ASMR videos in 2013 and has racked up over 65 million views of her videos.
In this conversation, Aaron and Lily discuss how she got started, the positive & negative messages she receives, and what the future holds for a brand built around an individual.
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Lily’s Challenge; Try deleting Instagram (or your most used social network) for a week.
Connect with Lily
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out episode 386 with Jon Shanahan where we discuss men’s fashion, learning from working in a corporate environment, and how he’s built a YouTube following.
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Dave Nelsen has been a successful CEO in multiple businesses. Two of his startups, CoManage and TalkShoe, raised more than $70 million in angel and venture funding.
He has since moved into a full-time speaking career, traveling to country to share his perspective on Social Media for Business and Technology for Executives.
In this conversation, Dave and Aaron discuss how Dave went from a large corporation to a startup, where Dave found the ideas for his companies, and how he launched his speaking career.
Valuable listen for any aspiring entrepreneur.
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Dave’s Challenge; Do more listening.
Connect with Dave
Website
412-779-2788
If you liked this interview, check out episode 362 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss multiple successful startups, investing, and leadership.
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Matt Stroud is the co-founder & CEO of Postindustrial Media. His new media startup is aiming to change the tenor of journalism in the Midwest.
He’s come a long way since founding a bimonthly magazine, called Deek, out of his basement apartment while enrolled full-time at the University of Pittsburgh.
Matt has written short- and long-form journalism for Esquire, Harper’s, The Atlantic, Buzzfeed, Politico, The New York Times, and Reuters, and held staff writer positions with the Associated Press and Bloomberg Businessweek.
In this conversation, Matt & Aaron discuss new media, recruiting team members, and Matt’s reporting on policing technologies.
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Matt’s Challenge; Ignore political campaign polls and pay attention to where government dollars are spent.
Connect with Matt
Website
Matt’s Book
Thin Blue Lie: The Failure of High-Tech Policing by Matt Stroud
If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Todd Bishop about running a bootstrapped media business, our interview with Chance Humphrey about Instagram and photography, and our interview with Jon Shanahan about building a men’s fashion YouTube channel.
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In the past, magazines like Vogue & GQ were exclusively at the epicenter of fashion and style. They alone could play kingmaker to the tastes, trends, and brands clothing of an entire culture.
Today, the influence has been disseminated to a broad swath of creators and media outlets with their own perspective. Jon Shanahan saw this opportunity coming and has staked a claim with his brand, The Kavalier.
He started a YouTube channel more than 4 years ago and now creates content full-time reviewing menswear.
In this conversation, you’ll learn how Jon got started, the intentional approach he takes to his style, and the patience & discipline required to break through.
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Jon’s Challenge; Throw out the clothes in your wardrobe that you’re not excited about. Tailor the clothes that don’t fit just right.
Connect with Jon
Website
The Kavalier on Youtube
Jon’s 2nd channel
If you liked this interview, check out episode 318 with Brad Driscoll where we discuss building a following on Twitch, starting an SEO business, and the value of persistence.
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For half a century, women wore bras that had been designed by men. Sophia Berman knew there had to be a better way.
She’s spent that last 3 years launching and growing Trusst Lingerie, a company that has re-engineered the bra for larger-busted women.
In this conversation, Aaron and Sophia discuss what she’s learned about running a company, how 3-D printing failed to live up to the hype, and how to develop a product and take customer feedback.
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Sophia’s Challenge; Allocate some time every single day to learning something new.
Connect with Sophia
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 36 with Sophia where we discussed her Kickstarter campaign and her vision for the company.
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We had a guest no-call/no-show. No fun.
HP & I made the best of it by recording a podcast reflecting on Piper Creative being 18 months old, our hardest days of the process, and how great our team is.
Hope you have a lovely day.
Zak Slayback returns to the podcast after a 317 episode hiatus. He’s here because he’s ready to help even more people with his new book, How to Get Ahead.
It builds off of Zak’s talk at the 2018 Going Deep Summit where he laid out his framework for building a great career from scratch.
Zak is a career building expert and a Principal at Peter Thiel-backed 1517 Fund.
He was one of LinkedIn’s most influential voices on education in 2015 and has been published in Newsweek, the New York Examiner, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Christian Science Monitor, the Foundation for Economic Education, among others.
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Connect with Zak
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 241 with Michael Gibson where we talk about the vision behind 1517 Fund and episode 226 with Ed Latimore where we discuss his writing, boxing, and pathway into running an online business.
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Barry Young used to be a pharmacist. Now he makes vodka and rum.
In this interview, you’ll hear how Barry transitioned out of corporate life, what makes some vodka better than others, and why he’s so passionate.
Barry’s company, Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, is based in Glenshaw and has been around for about 10 years. Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - the beverage industry's most coveted award.
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Barry’s Challenge; Buy a stranger a drink the next time you’re out.
Connect with Barry
Boyd & Blair Vodka Instagram
BLY Silver Rum Instagram
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 232 with Christian Simmons where we discuss disrupting state liquor stores, Christian’s humble beginning in sales, and how to run a great retail location.
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Kurt Schnieders has served as CIO of DICK’S Sporting Goods, L Brands and ING Latin America and worked internationally in corporate America for 35 years. As a steward of digital revolution in large organizations, he has overseen the creation and launch of websites taking in over 1 billion dollars in annual sales.
Throughout his career, he has provided executive leadership, business strategy and technology solution delivery across multi-cultural landscapes, working in Dubai, India, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Amsterdam.
In this conversation, Aaron and Kurt discuss a career in IT, how drastically things have changed, and what the future might hold.
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Kurt’s Challenge; Read something different.
Connect with Kurt
kurt@dickersoncreative.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz where we discuss building a business valued over $250M, university technology transfer, and hard truths about entrepreneurship.
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Ever wonder how bills get passed and how policy gets changed? While elected officials and public servants hold a lot of power, lobbying firms like Wellington Strategies influence the government, too.
Joe Kuklis, the founder and president of Wellington Strategies, came on the podcast to talk about how his business works and the challenges of building a lobbying firm.
Joe focuses on helping small-to-medium-sized businesses to navigate the government marketplace in Washington and state capitols.
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Joe’s Challenge; Look at how federal, state, and local government affects your business and adjust your plan accordingly.
Connect with Joe
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 314 with John Dick where we discuss the next generation of polling, recruiting a team, and how to be empathetic to people with different political viewpoints.
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Yummyholic is a custom cookie & cupcake bakery with distinct, made-to-order designs.
Jasmine Cho, the founder, came on Going Deep to discuss her business and how baking can be more creative and therapeutic. She’s learned a lot through launching Yummyholic and you can learn from someone who’s been in the trenches.
Jasmine is currently working to pioneer research-based bake therapy by exploring baking as a form of art therapy.
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Jasmine’s Challenge; Find the thing you are both good at and enjoy doing.
Connect with Jasmine
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 67 with Kit Mueller where we discuss Unstuck, supporting entrepreneurial communities, and his career.
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For the last few decades, “Human Resources” was responsible for getting the most out of workers. This meant optimizing for health plans, salaries, and interpersonal conflict.
Claude Silver believes there’s another way.
She leads with her heart and emotional optimism. She owns the onboarding, recruitment, retention, and graduation of all the people that come through VaynerMedia. She calls upon 20 years of guiding client relationships, global brand strategies, operations, and management at numerous Fortune 50 companies to lead and inspire.
In this conversation, Aaron and Claude discuss the day-to-day of her job, the design of her office, and how Vayner onboards new hires.
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Claude’s Challenge; Affirm someone verbally. Give them the gift of your attention.
Connect with Claude
Claude's Podcast
If you liked this interview, check out episode 235 with Kim Scott where we discuss Radical Candor, effective leadership, and stories from Apple & Google.
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IAM Robotics named a new CEO in August 2018 and closed a $20M Series A that November. How have they managed so much upheaval? I decided to find out directly from Joel Reed
Joel is the CEO of IAM Robotics and calls upon 20 years of experience in strategic planning and business development to lead the company’s commercialization of its innovative products.
We discuss the fundraising process, how Joel came to join IAM Robotics, and how he recruits technical talent.
Joel previously worked to introduce the first commercially available autonomous mobile robots as a new class of manufacturing and warehouse AGVs to 3PL providers, integrators and clients such as GENCO, Supply Chain Management (Walmart Canada), Freightliner Trucks | Daimler and BMW Manufacturing. Joel started his career as a process and technology consultant at Ernst & Young (now Cap Gemini) and also led the commercialization of a 3D software tools company, which was acquired by Autodesk.
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Joel’s Challenge; At work, have a running or walking meeting.
Connect with Joel
Connect with IAM Robotics
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 367 with Aaron Morris where we discuss computer vision, geospatial data, and how a technologist can learn enterprise sales.
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You can get your tickets to Going Deep Summit 3.0 here;
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-deep-summit-30-tickets-60834779463
Joe Vennare was the 2nd keynote at the 2019 Going Deep Summit. He shared his story of transitioning from history teacher to serial entrepreneur.
It's advice anyone can use. I'm so glad he shared his message at the Summit.
We could not have put it on without two of our sponsors.
Covalent
https://www.wearecovalent.com/
TreeCup
https://www.buyateaplantatree.com/
Allen Gannett, the author of The Creative Curve, spoke at the 2019 Going Deep Summit about how to make moments of "creative genius" less random and more intentional. Most people want to know how to be more creative. Allen explains that thoughtful consumption is a key unlock for aspiring creatives.
Allen is the founder of TrackMaven and a bestselling author.
Here are videos from the Going Deep Summit on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8REcAy3zwEArtRTmEufaQHo4UQ1bjdrZ
Cooper Munroe, CEO of The Motherhood, was interviewed by Aaron Watson about the origins of influencer marketing, what the early days of blogging looked like, and how to communicate authentically with your stakeholders.
Cooper is an award-winning influencer marketing expert and her firm works with the largest consumer brands, nonprofits, and agencies in the world.
She is a specialist in maximizing the effectiveness of campaigns, the reach of content, and measuring the results. She got her start when she began blogging in the early 2000s and saw the power of new media to create change and nurture movements.
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Cooper’s Challenge; Go and visit a new neighborhood in your city.
Mentioned
Bowling Alone
Connect with Cooper
cooper@motherhood.com
Connect with The Motherhood
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 349 with Bri Conley where we discuss selling clothing on Instagram, building a boutique, and staying on trend.
You can also check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss teaching himself to code, founding multiple successful startups, and treating your employees well.
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Being a refugee in a new country can be scary, confusing, and lonely. While there are agencies in the US that help refugees with resettlement during the first 3 months, resource constraints leave them unable to assist past that point.
Sloane Davidson created Hello Neighbor to help connect refugees with friends and mentors in their community who can be a sustainable support system.
The families Hello Neighbor supports all have kids under 18 in the home. Mentors range from young professionals to families and seniors, making Hello Neighbor a family-focused volunteer opportunity.
In this interview, Aaron and Sloane discuss common things refugees need help with, how her organization has grown so quickly, and why she was inspired to start this organization.
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Sloane’s Challenge; Find one way to feel uncomfortable.
Connect with Sloane
Connect with Hello Neighbor
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 317 with Tammy Thompson where we discuss poverty, homelessness, and the importance of social cohesion.
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Dr. Christopher Howard is the eighth president of Robert Morris University. A university with more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs , more than 5,000 students, and a 100 year history.
In this conversation, Chris and Aaron discuss the future of college, timeless leadership lessons, and Dr. Howard’s background.
Dr. Howard is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Rhodes Scholar, and a graduate of both the University of Oxford & the Harvard Business School.
He also offers an excellent challenge at the end of the conversation.
Resources Mentioned
What Happens Now? by John Hillen
RMU 100
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Chris’s Challenge; Don’t become Glib.
Connect with Chris
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss leadership, entrepreneurship, and how to build a great team.
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What does it take to become the top referred real estate agent on Zillow? A lot of reviews and hustle.
Brian Teyssier shared his perspective on the industry during a riveting 30-minute conversation at his home in Mount Washington. Brian has worked with some of the top real estate coaches in the business and has some seriously impressive stats.
He's surpassed $19 million in volume in both 2017 & 2018. He's accrued 333 reviews on Zillow.
As Brian battles to the top of the luxury home market, he runs a lean and digital practice. You’ll be blown away at his story of selling a house for more than $500,000 without ever meeting the owner in person.
In this conversation, Aaron and Brian also discuss how he got started flipping houses, how he goes above and beyond with his open houses, and where the industry is headed.
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Brian’s Challenge; Push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Connect with Brian
Youtube
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Piper Creative Director of Operations Tori Meglio joins me on the podcast to discuss how Linkedin has transformed our business in the last year.
Here's our new podcast.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-piper-podcast/id1454137800?mt=2
Restaurants are a brutal business. It’s worth studying those that succeed.
Nick Bogacz is the Founder of Caliente Pizza & Draft House. He opened his first location in fall of 2012 and has grown quickly to open four more locations.
Prior to that, he spent over a decade in the industry, starting as a delivery driver in 1996. He went on to lead sales at multiple corporate pizza chains and learn the pizza business inside and out.
His company now employs more than 185 people and has been recognized at the World Championships at the Las Vegas Pizza Expo.
In this conversation, Aaron and Nick discuss how Nick earned his education in the pizza business, why Caliente also serves numerous craft beers, and the critical importance of experience.
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Nick’s Challenge; Make a pizza in your home.
Connect with Nick
thepizzaequation.com
pizzadrafthouse@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 365 with Jordan Robarge where we discuss buying a diner, employing marginalized communities, and starting a food truck.
Books Mentioned
Guerilla Marketing by Jay Levinson
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Pizza Bible by Tony Gemignani
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Teresa Huber is the CEO of Intervala, a full-service manufacturer that produces customized electronic and electromechanical solutions for the industrial, medical, and transportation sectors.
She has led Intervala since it’s inception in January 2016 and is responsible for leading the company’s strategic direction and long-term growth. Teresa was named 2018 CEO of the Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council.
Teresa previously served as chief executive officer for TMG Electronics and chief operating officer of Pinnacle Electronics.
In this conversation, Aaron and Teresa discuss how to establish a healthy company culture, where Teresa went to raise funding for Intervala, and why thinking long-term is a strategic advantage.
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Teresa’s Challenge; Don’t accept the status quo.
Connect with Teresa
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 131 with Larry Gioia where we discuss how to end transactional networking and start connecting.
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Nick Merich has been an entrepreneur for a while. As a kid, he’s ring doorbells and ask to mow lawns for money.
Today, he DMs the world’s biggest music artist to educate them about his service, Songlink.
Songlink empowers musicians to share their music more efficiently with platform-agnostic links.
In this discussion, Aaron and Nick talk about the disintermediation of the music industry, how Nick DMs dozens of artists every day, and why they’ve stayed bootstrapped.
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Nick’s Challenge; Meditate Everyday.
Connect with Nick
Song Link
Website
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Courtney Ehrlichman is an expert in mobility and specializes in advising economic development organizations, startup founders, venture capitalists, and government agencies. Her job requires fluency in new modalities of mobility, connected/autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and smart city applications.
Her background is extensive.
She designed and implemented Carnegie Mellon University’s Smart Mobility Challenge in Southwestern PA, matching identified mobility needs of local municipalities with researchers and technologists.
We talk about the wide range of considerations leaders and innovators need to take to steward a better future for all.
Courtney’s Challenge; Think about how much real estate is occupied by concrete & asphalt and how to re-use it.
Connect with Courtney
Website
Book
Autonomy by Lawrence D Burns
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
We’ve interviewed a number of the most influential transportations entrepreneurs and innovators
Bryan Salesky - Argo Ai
Mark DeSantis - RoadBotics
Griffin Schultz - Rapid Flow Technologies
Ryan Green - Gridwise
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Aaron Morris is a roboticist and computer vision expert working on his third startup.
After earning a PHD from Carnegie Mellon University, Aaron has spent his career in the world of autonomous robots, mapping, perception, computer vision, planning systems and machine learning. His career has placed him in companies at varying sizes and stages where he has launched products, raised venture investment, and built products.
His second startup, AllPoint Systems was acquired by Autodesk, which led to Aaron leading the Autodesk Reality Solutions product division.
Now, his company, Allvision, is arming companies and institutions with insights and intelligence through detailed 3D digital representations of the physical world.
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Aaron’s Challenge; Take a different mode of transit on a familiar route. Recognize how difference these experiences can be.
Connect with Aaron
Website
If you liked this interview, check out three previous interviews we’ve done in the mobility & transportation space with Roadbotics founder Mark Desantis, Rapid Flow Technologies CEO Griffin Schultz, and LaneSpotter founder Lynsie Campbell.
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How do you go from selling medical equipment to running a high-end clothing company? Ask David Alan.
David Alan Clothing company produces custom clothing, but it has been a long and arduous process to figure out this industry. In this interview, David graciously shares his experiences finding manufacturers in China, keeping celebrity clients happy, and outworking the competition.
David taught himself to sew from YouTube and sunk his life savings into making his company a reality. This degree of self-belief and diligence is exceptionally rare. Our conversation spilled over into our time after the mics went off. There will surely be a round two.
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David’s Challenge; Recognize that there will always be disruption. Focus on your ability to deliver in spite of that disruption.
Connect with David
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 349 with Bri Conley where we discuss running a boutique, how to stay on top of fashion trends, and the importance of Instagram for a clothing company.
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There are plenty of people that think they have a good chili recipe. Very few bet their careers on it. That’s what first caught our eye about Jordan Robarge.
After working in the startup world as a Venture for America fellow, Jordan started a food truck business called Revival Chili. He found success quickly and was profitable within three months.
Revival Chili’s business is simple: Sell delicious chili products to the people of Pittsburgh in a tiny house style food truck. What makes it different, is Revival’s focus on creating jobs for unemployed ex-offenders, a disadvantaged group often overlooked in U.S. Cities.
After proving his business chops, Jordan doubled down and bought a diner. The goal is to put even more people to work.
In this conversation, Aaron and Jordan discuss how he cold-called his way to early success, how you can buy a business for less than $100,000, and what the Revival brand represents.
Jordan’s food truck, Revival Chili, will be a lunch option at the 2019 Going Deep Summit.
Jordan’s Challenge; Go out and connect with 5 people from different background. Have a tangible take away from each conversation.
Connect with Jordan
Revival Chili
Nancy’s Revival
If you liked this interview, check out episode 157 with Andrew Yang where we discuss the start of Venture for America, why more people need to work at startups, and how other cities will benefit from this focus.
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It takes guts, vision, and intelligence to see where things are going before everyone else and act upon it. Tracy Certo is the founder and publisher of NEXTpittsburgh, an online magazine about the people advancing Pittsburgh and the cool and innovative things happening in the region.
Tracy previously started the first online publication in Pittsburgh as editor and then publisher 11 years ago and left to launch NEXT in 2014.
In this conversation, Aaron and Tracy discuss how Tracy has grown as a business person, how she prepared the launch NEXT, and how her team finds their stories.
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Tracy’s Challenge; Diversify where you get your information.
Connect with Tracy
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our enormous catalog of interviews with Pittsburgh’s biggest influencers, top entrepreneurs, and largest power brokers.
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Rachel Reid founded her cosmetics company, Subtl Beauty, to better serve women on the go. Her line of makeup products comes in compact, customizable stacks that can be easily thrown into a purse or bag.
Rachel first realized this need when she was consulting during the summer of 2016. Since she wasn’t even spending 2 nights a week in her own home, she needed a beauty solution that traveled well and could fit in a small clutch.
Now, she is challenging the status quo of lazy, bulky cosmetic design. In this conversation, Rachel shares how she does extensive A/B testing to get the most out of her ads, why she studies companies like Stitch Fix, and the goals she is pursuing.
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Rachel’s Challenge; Start your day with consuming good information.
Resources
Daily Carnage
Shopify Blog
Adweek Newsletter
Marketing School
Connect with Rachel
Website
Rachel’s Instagram
If you liked this interview, check out episode 352 with Kate Zarvis where we discuss running a nail salon, how to retain talent, and how to create a space where clients can relax.
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You gotta check out part One before listening to this one.
In Part Two, Jason discusses his current companies, how he invested in Glen Meakam's company (Forever.com), and how he thinks about giving back to others.
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Jason’s Challenge; Give more. Be Kind. Pull someone else up.
Connect with Jason
Website
jason@wolfe.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 263 with Audrey Russo where we discuss what the Pittsburgh Tech Council does, how Audrey progressed through her career, and some recommended reading.
Also, check out Going Deep Summit 2.0 speaker Gisele Fetterman.
Jason Wolfe is an entrepreneur through and through. After growing up in the Milton Hershey School, an orphanage founded by Milton Hershey, Jason found himself living out of his car.
He taught himself how to code by using books at the local library and CompUSA's 'Building the Perfect Web'. This led to building the first coupon website and launching his first internet business. From 1995 to 2000, Jason built the business, raising $500k in VC from Jupiter Media and garnering >$1 million in annual sales and 20 million page views per month.
MyCoupons.com sold for roughly $23 million in 2000, shortly before the DotCom bubble burst.
Jason rolled over his proceeds into successive wins with his companies Direct Response Technologies (acquired by Digital River for $22 million), Jambo Media (for $15 million) and Giftcards.com (by Blackhawk Network for $120 million).
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Connect with Jason
Website
jason@wolfe.com
Anthony Hughes is the CEO and founder of Tech Elevator, a coding bootcamp programs with physical locations across the Midwest. His work is oriented around supporting people in rapidly acquiring technology skills so they can have more meaningful careers.
Anthony previously worked for JumpStart, an economic development organization focused on startups in Northeast Ohio. At JumpStart, he founded the Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program, which matched successful entrepreneurs and executives with budding technology entrepreneurs in mentoring relationships.
In this conversation, Anthony and Aaron discuss how the program works, how Anthony came to the Midwest from England, and why the work is so fulfilling.
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Anthony’s Challenge; Broaden your perspective on hiring tech talent. You don’t need a degree to be a valuable contributor.
Connect with Anthony
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 314 with John Dick, 265 with Kelauni Cook, and other interviews with Pittsburgh power brokers.
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Pittsburgh is a sports town. But, is the city ready to rally for gaming?
Rob Lee thinks so.
He co-founded the Pittsburgh Knights to compete in esports competitions like PUBG, Fortnite, and Super Smash Bros. He also recently inked a partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Their core mission is to take the best practices from traditional sports and apply them to esports. Pittsburgh is the City of Champions; it has a long history of strong sports franchises and passionate fans. Can they continue the legacy?
In this conversation, Aaron & Rob discuss how that might happen.
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Rob’s Challenge; Try watching an esports event.
Connect with Rob
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 344 with Griffin Schultz where we discuss smart sensors, fixing traffic with tech, and selling to city governments.
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I sat down with Jamilka Borges for 45 minutes on a cold December morning to find out. She’s run kitchens at a number of Pittsburgh’s finest restaurants and surely has some stories to tell from each experience.
Jamilka is currently the Executive Chef at Independent Brewing Company & Hidden Harbor, which is part of the S+P Restaurant Group. Prior to joining IBC & Hidden Harbor, she served as Executive Chef at Pittsburgh’s Spoon, the Livermore and Bar Marco.
She has an expertise in French, Italian and Latin cuisine and her commitment to a unique “farm to table” dining experience led Bar Marco to be nominated for Best New Restaurant 2013 by Bon Appetit.
In addition to pursuing her own professional heights, she also makes a concerted effort to give back to her community. She works with 412 Food Rescue, a non-profit organization that is looking to eliminate hunger while reducing food waste.
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Jamilka’s Challenge; Help fight hunger with a local charity.
Connect with Jamilka
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our episodes with star chef Kevin Sousa and Big Burrito Group executive chef Bill Fuller.
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Jim Gibbs is the CEO & Co-founder of Meter Feeder, a low cost payment and enforcement solution for small to mid-sized governments.
Jim’s startup is modernizing the way that people pay for parking and has already been through Y Combinator in the winter of 2016. The company is headquartered in Braddock and can boast a considerably lower burn rate than companies that stuck around in the Bay Area.
In this conversation, Aaron & Jim discuss the how he sells into municipalities, why his technology is revolutionary, and how the Pittsburgh scene has evolved.
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Jim’s Challenge; Get outside your circle and interact with new groups.
Connect with Jim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all the previous interviews we’ve done with Pittsburgh’s movers and shakers.
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Toni Murphy is a VP at Comcast Business and can teach you a lot about leadership.
At Comcast, Toni leads a team of more than 150 across four states. She is a force in shaping cultural transformation at the company by leading the creation of the Keystone Region’s Diversity & Inclusion Council. She also acts as executive champion for its Black Employee Network.
Prior to Comcast, Toni worked in Investment Banking at UBS and the Gores Group.
Aaron and Toni discuss how she mentors hundreds of people, the impact her mom has had on her work ethic, and how to win inside a corporation.
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Toni’s Challenge; Go find one person and say, “I know I don’t know as much as I should know about you, tell me more.”
Connect with Toni
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 263 with Audrey Russo where we discuss the nation’s oldest tech trade association, how careers evolve, and the Pittsburgh tech scene.
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Kevin Sousa is the chef and owner of Superior Motors, an American restaurant that opened in July 2017 in Pittsburgh. It was named one of the World’s 100 Greatest Places by Time Magazine, a Top 10 best restaurant in the country by Food and Wine Magazine, and the best new restaurant of 2018 by Pittsburgh Magazine
The restaurant was partially funded through Kickstarter, setting a record for a restaurant by raising $310,225 to break ground
Kevin was previously the chef/owner of Salt of the Earth, Union Pig & Chicken and Station Street Food.
In this conversation, Aaron and Kevin discuss how his current successes have been informed by his failures, how Kevin’s work is tied to his interest in social progress, and the best ways to foster a team environment that supports everyone.
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Kevin’s Challenge; Don’t judge people.
Connect with Kevin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 146 with Bill Fuller where we discuss the Big Burrito Group, the Pittsburgh food scene, and how restaurants work.
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Priya Amin is the cofounder of Flexable, a company that specializes in providing pop up childcare at professional & personal events, offices, and retail stores.
Priya discovered this need when she became a mother and realized she was missing out on networking opportunities and events because of her need for childcare. Together with previous guest Jessica Strong, she founded Flexable to solve the problem and create a more inclusive business community.
She holds an MBA from the University of Arizona, and previously worked as a product and brand manager at IBM and Nestle.
In this conversation, Aaron & Priya discuss how to hone your presentation skills, the founding story of the company, and how to create a more inclusive community.
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Priya’s Challenge; Find cool & innovative ways to be inclusive
Connect with Priya
Website
If you liked this interview, check out;
Episode 75 with Jessica Strong where we discuss Whetstone Workgroup & new models for coworking.
Episode 274 with Erica Peterson where we discuss teaching Moms how to Code.
Episode 50 with Ilana Diamond her role in launching & leading AlphaLab Gear.
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Kate Zarvis has been in the beauty industry since she was 15 and got a job washing hair. Now, she owns her own nail salon that is growing rapidly.
Hannah and I cam by her salon to learn about how she’s doing it.
Perhaps the most interesting idea we touched on was the difficulty technology will have in disrupting her industry.
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Kate’s Challenge; Stop comparing yourself to other people on social media.
Connect with Kate
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 349 with Bri Conley where we discuss how she’s built a specialty boutique off of Instagram and Snapchat.
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Piper Creative CEO Aaron Watson was invited to speak to the Professional Sales Class at Duquesne University. Aaron made a point of driving home that every college student should establish a presence on LinkedIn and use it to find their next job.
2018 is the year of LinkedIn. It will likely never be as good again.
Dave Mastovich is the founder and CEO of Massolutions.
In this conversation talks about how he transitioned out of the corporate world into owning his own business and how he developed entrepreneurial tendencies while working in other businesses.
Dave has been on the cutting edge of utilizing the gig economy to build his business and has inspired his team to be creative, loyal, and scrappy through trust and freedom.
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Dave’s Challenge; Get comfortable in uncomfortable positions. The next time you catch yourself make excuses, take stock and redirect yourself.
Connect with Dave
Website
dave@masssolutions.biz
If you liked this interview, check out episode 269 with Brent Beshore where we discuss different styles of investing, the proper motivations for your work, and .
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Bri Conley is the founder of No. 14 Boutique in Lawrenceville, one of the few shops bucking the trend of “The Death of Retail”.
How?
By establishing great relationships with clients, staying on top of fashion trends to offer a distinct selection, and masterfully utilizing Snapchat and Instagram to create demand.
In this conversation, Brianne explains how she used Snapchat & Instagram stories to drive demand, what she felt like the market was missing when she opened her store, and how she’s blending ecommerce with in-store experience.
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Bri’s Challenge; Show up in person to get what you want.
Connect with Bri
Bri’s Instagram
No. 14’s Instagram
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 295 with Nisha Blackwell where we discuss her handmade bowties business and episode 305 with Wendy Downs where we explore the blending of ecommerce and physical retail.
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Amir Banifatemi is the General Manager for Innovation and Growth at XPrize and is an Executive Advisor for the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE & the ANA Avatar XPRIZE.
Prior to joining XPRIZE, Mr. Banifatemi began his career at the European Space Agency and then held executive positions at Airbus, AP-HP and the European Commission division for information society and media.
He’s previously managed two venture capital funds and contributed to the formation of more than 10 startups with emphasis on Information Technologies, Telecommunications, IoT, and Healthcare.
We talk about how the XPrize stimulates innovation, what the Avatar XPrize is pursuing, and how the teams in the competition are formed.
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Amir’s Challenge; Think about how our human evolution will look over the next two decades. Discuss this with others so we can call have a better future.
Connect with Amir
Avatar.xprize.org
avatar@xprize.org
If you liked this interview, check out episode 240 with Kenny Chen where we discuss the impact of the AI XPrize, establishing a network in a new city, and Thrival 2017.
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Michael Hruska is a technologist with experiences spanning across standards, emerging technologies, learning, and science. He is a former researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and now provides technology, business model and innovation solutions to Fortune 500, government and startups.
His team has built award winning products and delivered solutions that support millions of users.
Michael is an advisor/mentor to ed tech startups for GSV Capital. Michael hosts a monthly entrepreneur meetup and other events to support local and regional entrepreneurship. He serves as a mentor and guide for a number of startups. He also serves as an advisor the Robert Waters Trust Fund at the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies to support entrepreneurship and early stage companies.
This conversation runs the gamut from small town business to organizing a band to eating with Frank Zappa.
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Mike’s Challenge; Go do something new, with new people, in a new place. Get uncomfortable.
Connect with Mike
Food Facebook Channel
Problem Solutions Website
Books Mentioned
Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business by Gino Wickman
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
If you liked this interview, check out episode 131 with Larry Gioia where we discuss #ABCD, Connection University, and how to make introductions for others.
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Sandra Mau is the founder & CEO of TrademarkVision, a startup doing visual brand protection. She and her team of machine learning engineers are developing a top visual search engine for trademarks and logos.
In this conversation, we talk about why she has another office in Australia, how the algorithm simplifies work for IP lawyers, and shares stories of scrappy startups at events.
Prior to starting TrademarkVision, Sandra was a Senior Computer Vision Research Engineer at NICTA doing R&D in computer vision, machine learning, and mobile projects.
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Sandra’s Challenge; Think about where you want to be in 5 years and then break it down into actionable steps you can take to accomplish it.
Connect with Sandra
Trademark.Vision
Designs.Vision
If you liked this interview, check out episode 334 with Alison Alvarez where we discuss geospatial data, finding a cofounder, and being a modern polymath.
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Dr. Gina Marchando is the executive director at DreamLife Recovery, a new addiction treatment program in Donegal, PA.
Gina has been treating patients for trauma, PTSD and the full spectrum of dissociative disorders for more than a decade and came back to Pittsburgh to after losing her nephew to an overdose.
In this conversation, we talk about addiction, psychotherapy, and the small steps we can all take to care for others.
Gina is particularly excited about the wide array of evidence-based treatment options that will be available at the new facility and the impact it can make on the region.
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Gina’s Challenge; Go out of your way to be kind to someone today.
Connect with Gina
Website
1-833-330-LIFE
If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Dr. Matt Keener where we discuss psychiatric health, the impact telemedicine will have on accessing health care, and the Pittsburgh ecosystem.
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Traffic sucks. Luckily, smart people are looking into making cities smarter and reducing congestion.
Rapid Flow Technologies was spun out of Carnegie Mellon University with the goal of introducing new Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies into the marketplace. Rapid Flow was created to commercialize the Surtrac adaptive traffic signal control technology developed in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon.
I spoke with CEO Griffin Schultz, who was brought in to lead business development efforts for the young startup.
Griffin has an MBA from The Wharton School at UPenn and has previously worked with successful tech startups, as the Assistant Deputy Mayor for the City of Philadelphia, and other offices in state and federal government.
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Griffin’s Challenge; Read about artificial intelligence.
Books Mentioned
Origin by Dan Brown
Life 3.0 Being Human in the Age of AI by Max Tegmark
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
Connect with Griffin
Website
info@rapidflowtech.com
If you liked this interview, check out our episode Kevin Miller where we discuss artificial intelligence disrupting the world of contracts or our episode with Mark DeSantis where we discuss maintaining road infrastructure with cheap sensors and AI.
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Please go give us some love and let me know your favorite TD celebration.
Steelers Fans' TD Celebrations
Norma Nieto was the President of PIVOT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Impellia through mid-2017, and is currently working in multiple capacities for Impellia as a consultant. She currently has her own strategy and analytics consulting company, N-Squared Strategic Consulting, which helps clients harness the power of data and analytics to develop innovative strategies.
Impellia is a sports software and sensor-based technology company co-founded by former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Charlie Batch.
We discuss transitioning from a large corporation to a scrappy startup.
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Norma’s Challenge; Don’t be afraid of a startup. Change can bring someone great out of you.
Book Recommendation
Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator's Dilemma by Charles A. O'Reilly III & Michael Tushman
Connect with Norma
Website
norma.b.nieto@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 338 with Courtney Williamson where we discuss developing a prototype for a new invention, scaling a medical device company, and getting approved by regulators.
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Idea Foundry has invested in over 200 companies and generated $1B in direct economic impact for the region. The Pittsburgh-based, non-profit economic development organization focsues on creating living-wage, high-opportunity jobs by investing in and working alongside entrepreneurs to grow.
Previously, Mr. Matesic was Chief Executive Officer for two start-up companies and Chief Financial Officer for MetalSite, Inc., participating in the rapid growth of the company and public registration process.
We discuss investing in businesses, where Idea Foundry gets its funding, and how Mike & his team help companies grow.
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Mike’s Challenge; Ask yourself “What is it enough?” If you don’t know, you’ll never stop or change.
Connect with Mike
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Idea Foundry portfolio companies like Ian Rosenberger, Anthony Vennare, Ryan Gayman, Josie Cellone, and John Thornton.
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Craig Markovitz co-founded Blue Belt Technologies, a spinoff from the Robotics Institute at CMU, in 2003 and thirteen years later was a key member of the deal team that led to a $275,000,000 acquisition. During his years in business, Craig has launched companies, raised capital, and managed operations in businesses spanning from pre revenue and 18 employees to multi-million in revenue and 150 employees.
Today, he is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence in the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and an Assistant Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
We discuss his experience building a team, his thoughts on fundraising, and touch on the peculiar position of deciding what to do after your company is acquired.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 303 with Luke Skurman where we discuss building a tech company in Pittsburgh, raising a Series A, and the challenges of building a team.
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Craig’s Challenge; Do something out of your comfort zone.
Connect with Craig
Website
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Startups are always a distinct journey, but the DeCicco brothers have been on a particularly wild ride.
I trekked into Manhattan to interview Kitu Life Super Coffee CEO Jim DeCicco about founding a beverage company with his brothers, getting investment from founder of WeWork, and building a distribution system.
He left a job on Wall Street in August of 2015 and has been on a hell of a ride ever since. Jim appeared on Shark Tank with his brothers in a February 2018 episode seeking a $400,000 investment in return for a 4.5 percent stake in their business.
While they left the tank without a deal, they went home with a wealth of positive feedback, advice, exposure, and lessons learned from their once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Give their coffee a taste and get inspired by their hustle.
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Jim’s Challenge; Work hard, be nice to people. Practice radical transparency. Say what’s on your mind.
Connect with Jim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 226 with Ed Latimore who writes, studies physics, and boxes heavyweights.
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The Shop Local Movement is gaining steam, while our banks have gotten even more impersonal. How do things change?
George Cook believes he may have an answer.
His company, Honeycomb Credit, is building a platform for small businesses to borrow directly from their own community and loyal customer base. This creates affordable credit lines entrepreneurs and competitive returns to community members.
In this conversation, we discuss how George’s background in community banking informs his startup and the transformational impact that community lending can have on regional economies.
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George’s Challenge; Buy local. Find ways to support your community’s economy
Connect with George
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 301 with Rich Lunak where we discuss Innovation Works, southwestern PA investing, and how Rich got into the role.
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Eight years ago, 100,000s of people died in the Haitian earthquake. Many people donated money, but Ian Rosenberger was compelled to do more.
Ian co-founded Thread International, which has shipped nearly 200,000 lbs of recycled plastic out of Haiti to be processed into fabric. This has also created jobs for Haitian families and represents a forward thinking solution to issues of poverty..
Currently, the Thread Team is busy running a kickstarter campaign for a line of backpacks and other workweek essentials made with this important social mission.
We discuss traveling to Haiti, the doubts and stress that comes along with running a company, and the value of professional persistence.
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Ian’s Challenge; Say Yes.
Connect with Ian
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with Thread investor Zach Malone, fellow sustainable fashion entrepreneur Nisha Blackwell, and handbag entrepreneur Wendy Downs.
Mentioned
God Grew Tired of Us
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It’s estimated that 50% of the population will be working independently by 2020. If this comes to fruition, the demand for shared space will continue to rise at a fast pace in the next year. According to some estimates, there could be up to 37,000 Coworking spaces worldwide by the end of 2018.
I sat down to discuss with Zach Ciccone, Principal & Head of Growth for the Beauty Shoppe.
Beauty Shoppe is an urban coworking company centered on a culture of service excellence and the belief that creating a richer workday for the individual directly benefits the surrounding social and professional community.
They are growing into new markets beyond Pittsburgh and transforming historic buildings into vibrant and beautiful workplaces. Let me know on Twitter where you work (@AaronWatson59).
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Zach’s Challenge; Take a risk. Get into a new environment.
Connect with Zach
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our episode with Wes Shonk where we talk about whiskey, bartending, and building a specialized skill set.
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Alison Alvarez knows a lot about a lot.
In just 30 minutes, she taught me about Charleston, West Virginia, the power of geo-tracking, and how she does market research. We didn’t even get into Japanese literature.
Alison is the CEO and co-founder of BlastPoint. She has spent years building big data tools for large companies and became convinced that more affordable and accessible solutions should exist.
She has emerged as an expert consultant regarding large geospatial data systems, lecturing around the country to teach people how to use data tools for themselves, and developing a library of free interactive coding lessons.
She currently sits on the advisory board of Y-Combinator’s Valor Water
If you liked this interview, check out previous tech CEO interviews like TrackMaven CEO Allen Gannett, AlphaLab Gear alum Avi Geller, and CivicMapper founder Emily Mercurio.
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Alison’s Challenge; Try building new skills outside of your core focus. Stretch yourself.
Book Mentioned
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Connect with Alison
Website
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Ingrid Cook is SHzoom’s CEO. The company is an insurance-tech startup with a patented technology focused on automotive repairs.
SHzoom was designed to revolutionize the way the industry handles minor fender benders. Rather than driving from shop to shop or waiting hours for a single estimate from a claims adjuster, SHzoom allows the end user to point and click for multiple repair cost estimates from nearby shops!
Aaron & Ingrid discuss the arduous patent process, the importance of a strong network, and the way a single moment of inspiration can change your life.
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Ingrid’s Challenge; Do something that you fear doing every single day.
Connect with Ingrid
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with folks from Ascender like Mark DeSantis, Kenny Chen, and Lynsie Campbell.
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Media and marketing people are all making big deals about video and audio. Not enough people are paying attention to the impact of maps.
Emily Mercurio’s is perfectly poised to help companies utilize the modern form of this old technology.
She is an expert in geology, geospatial technology, 2D/3D mapping, and remote sensing and helps her clients through her company CivicMapper.
We discuss the entrepreneurial skillset she's developed, her time in the oil & gas industry, and how powerful maps are at conveying information.
Emily’s Challenge; To develop as a leader, you must first know how to serve. Ask someone who is struggling how you can help them, and do it.
If you liked this interview, check out the previous episode we recorded with drone company entrepreneur Brendan Carroll who is helping farmers improve their crop yields, increase efficiency, and monitor their fields.
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Connect with Emily
CivicMapper’s Twitter
Emily's Twitter
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Adhithi Aji is applying her strong technical skills to deliver consumer insights & data to the CPG world. Her company Adrich is a Pittsburgh-based company that connects brands and retailers through product usage data and analytics.
In this conversation, we discuss iterating on digital products, the fundraising environment in Pittsburgh, and how Adhithi’s product scales.
Every aspiring tech entrepreneur should listen to this conversation and take note of how precise Adhithi is in her thinking and strategy.
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Adhithi’s Challenge; Find a way to help an entrepreneur.
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If you liked this interview, check out previous conversations with Pittsburgh tech CEOs like LegalSifter’s Kevin Miller, CivicScience’s John Dick, and Roadbotics’ Mark DeSantis.
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Lou Camerlengo founded fivestar, a custom technology design, development, and consulting firm, in 1997. Lou leads fivestar’s business development and client retention efforts, driving company performance while maintaining a deep involvement in higher education, workforce, and nonprofit projects.
In this podcast, we discuss starting the business, building a cohesive team, and how Lou has been forced to evolve over the life of the company.
fivestar* has been twice ranked as an INC 5000 company, been named a Top 100 Best Workplaces in Pennsylvania, was twice named as a Best Places to Work in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and has appeared on the Pittsburgh Business Times Top 100 list four times.
Through their fivestar Cares program, fivestar provides volunteer time, project, and financial support to charitable organizations selected by an employee committee.
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Lou’s Challenge; Go do some form of volunteer work.
Mentioned
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins
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Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 273 with Ryan Gayman where we discuss Pittsburgh being the “Silicon Valley of nonprofits”.
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I went to the offices of Deeplocal, an innovation studio that boasts clients like Nike, Netflix, Spotify, Lyft, and Google, to interview Director of Business Development Josh Corcoran.
Josh Corcoran is the creator of Spare Change, a video series that connects communities and causes with music by inviting bands to busk for their favorite charities. The project began in February of 2017 when Josh & a friend were performing their music on the streets.
They soon found themselves with a guitar case full of with money, and a gentleman approached them asking for spare change. They proceeded to give him everything they had earned that night. Since that day, Josh, along with Taylor Mantick, Jared Stillman, and Allan Durand, have been documenting the journey of performing music to help those in need.
Last year, Spare Change received nearly 400,000 views and raised thousands of dollars for causes like JDRF, Acres Project, and Best of the Batch Foundation. Today, they drop their newest episode.
Watch the Video - Episode 13
Josh’s Challenge; Recognize the power you have to make a small change for a cause that’s important to you.
Connect with Josh
YouTube
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes like 96 with Jake Voelker, a military veteran who now runs a craft brewery, and 97 with Adam Haritan where we discuss mother nature, nutrition, and the power of digital media.
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Chris Edwards and his siblings grew up in a chocolate factory and he is the CEO for Edward Marc Brands, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Upon taking the reins, Chris and his siblings transformed the 104-year-old company from regional prominence into a respected national corporation. Edward Marc Brands consists of Edward Marc Chocolatier, The Milk Shake Factory, and Snappers Crafted Snacks.
Prior to working at Edward Marc Brands, Chris worked for the United States government in the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State and at the White House in the Executive Office of the President. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Press Advance. In this role, he managed public events for the President both domestically and internationally.
Don’t miss this conversation about leadership, developing new chocolate products, and the company’s transformational meeting with Costco.
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Chris’s Challenge; Surround yourself with people who won’t say “No.”
Connect with Chris
Milkshake Factory
Edward Marc
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If you liked this interview, check out all our episodes with the biggest change makers, influencers and business people of Pittsburgh.
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Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft aren’t ideal for long distances. They cost too much.
However, trains and airlines aren’t always practical.
Bharath Krishnamoorthy believes his company, Axle Travel, is the solution. Axle is a ride-hailing service for long-distances that's focused on providing fast and affordable transportation to the airport.
In this conversation, Aaron and B discuss the inspiration behind the company, the strategy behind launching in a new city, and why the team came to Pittsburgh.
Before he started this company, Bharath was practicing Mergers and Acquisitions at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, a global top-10 law firm.
Claim your $5 credit at axletravel.com/goingdeep
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Bharath’s Challenge; Bet on yourself.
Mentioned
Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman
Connect with Bharath
Connect with Axle
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 291 with Ryan Green where we discuss his transportation startup, how to make more money as a rideshare driver, and his path to starting a business.
Or, check out episode 306 with Brian Salesky, founder of Argo Ai and steward of $1 billion from Ford to create self-driving technology.
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The Restaurant Industry was due for a new idea, and that’s exactly what Tyler Benson and Benjamin Mantica delivered when they co-founded Smallman Galley.
Their food hall restaurant accelerator is the first of its kind in the United States. The space incubates four restaurant concepts at a time and drastically lowers the startup costs of a new culinary venture.
Tyler and Ben are Navy Veterans who were inspired by world travels to bring innovative food and beverage concepts to the United States. They started in Pittsburgh and are laying plans to expand across the country.
In this conversation, Tyler & Aaron discuss the origin of the company, who gets free meals at a restaurant, and how time spent at one of the Galleys sets a restaurant up for success.
Resources Mentioned
Provision Pgh
Iron Born Pizza
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Tyler’s Challenge; Go somewhere you haven't been before and experience a fresh perspective or culture.
Connect with Tyler
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 68 with Whiskey expert Wes Shonk, where we discuss the best way to get into whiskey, elite bartending, and secret, invite-only whiskey schools or episode 146 with Bill Fuller, the executive chef of the Big Burrito Group and one of the fathers of the modern Pittsburgh food scene..
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LegalSifter is on a mission to bring affordable legal services to the world by empowering people with artificial intelligence. Kevin Miller joined the startup to help prove the business model and scale the company.
Previously, Kevin has served as Chief Operating Officer Industrial Scientific Corporation, helped launch an online version of Argosy University, and spent half a decade at FreeMarkets, in the global sourcing and procurement software space.
In this podcast, we discuss artificial intelligence replacing vs augmenting humans, how Kevin prepared to be a CEO throughout his career, and the climate for raising capital in and outside of Pittsburgh.
Kevin is also a licensed attorney in the state of Ohio.
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Kevin’s Challenge; Take 15 minutes to research artificial intelligence being applied to your industry.
Connect with Kevin
Website
Mentioned
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future by Kevin Kelly
FreeMarkets - Glen Meakem
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If you liked this interview, check out the previous episodes that led to this conversation.
Episode 85 with Sean Ammirati
Episode 306 with Bryan Salesky
Episode 290 with Ned Renzi
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Skycision is on a mission to help the global agriculture industry grow more efficiently. Food production has to increase by 70% by 2050 to feed the anticipated 2 billion person increase in the global population.
Skycision offers a solution to help the global agriculture industry grow more efficiently by identifying crop stress earlier in the growing season, and optimizing field inputs to enhance crop production.
We spoke with Brendan about building a remote team, the commercial applications of drone technology, and recruiting talent.
Today, 795 million people going hungry. I’m hoping Skycision can help change that.
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Brendan’s Challenge; Only check your email twice a day and see how that impacts your productivity.
Tools Mentioned
Jira
Boomerang
Zoom
Slack
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Website
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If you liked this interview, check out previous drone conversations with Barry Rabkin and Dick Zhang of Identified Technologies.
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Tucker Max is an American author and public speaker. He chronicled his drinking and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website TuckerMax.com,which has received millions of visitors since Max launched it as the result of a bet in 2000.
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell was a New York Times #1 Bestseller and made the Bestseller List each year from 2006 to 2012. It has sold over one million copies worldwide, including 400,000 copies in 2009 alone. In 2010, he released a book titled Assholes Finish First, and in 2012 marked the literary releases of both Hilarity Ensues and Sloppy Seconds: The Tucker Max Leftovers. He was a 2009 Time 100 finalist based on internet votes, although he did not make the magazine list
His new company is Book in a Box, a service for helping busy experts transfer their wisdom into a book format. The company interviews clients in a systematic way that properly structures their ideas. They then turn those words into a book. All clients need to do, as the author, is answer questions about what they already know. Everything else is handled by BIAB’s team of experienced publishing professionals.
Tucker’s Challenge; Ask yourself “Why” multiple times until you reach an irreducible answer.
Get a Free PDF of Tucker’s How-To-Guide
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the inevitable technological trends shaping our future.
After the fireside chat with Anthony Freeze, we took questions from the audience about Instagram, podcasting, and running kickass events.
Some video from this event is at the end of Episode 015 of This Is Piper.
Over the course of a 90-minute conversation, at Industrious Coworking space, we discussed Instagram, podcasting, and running kickass events.
We also discussed the genesis of Piper Creative and our plans for the future.
Super grateful to Anthony Freeze for conducting a great interview.
Mark DeSantis is currently CEO of RoadBotics, an AI-based product that monitors and manages roadway infrastructure. Previously, he has co-founded an energy hedge fund, a GE Ventures-backed energy predictive analytics company, and a venture-backed online tutoring company.
Why build a company focused on road maintenance? There is a desperate need to efficiently and effectively monitor and maintain the world's civil infrastructure. His company, RoadBotics, uses smartphone sensors to inexpensively monitor streets, roads, highways, sidewalks and bridges and to lower maintenance costs.
We discuss training machine learning algorithms, the career arc of an entrepreneur, and what Mark has learned from his past startups.
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Mark’s Challenge; Find the alternative viewpoint and empathetically consume it before arguing.
Mentioned
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Connect with Mark
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out two more interviews with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs. Episode 260 features a discussion with Anthony Vennare about the future of health and wellness, making a modern media company, and building a business in Pittsburgh. Episode 242 features a discussion with Darrin Grove about running a company for 20 years and constantly reinventing himself.
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A decade ago, very few people thought a blog could be a business. Today, it’s common knowledge.
Nicki Zevola Benvenuti hopped on the trend very early, starting her website, FutureDerm.com, in 2008. It now helps more than 500,000 people a month discover hard-to-find scientific information on skincare, to make sense of marketing claims, and to find what is best for their skin a plethora of products in a crowded marketplace.
Now, she is leveraging her fluency in digital media to help other brands grow. At FutureDerm Media, her team has successfully guided brands to 500% traffic growth and accelerated sales over the course of six months.
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Nicki’s Challenge; Do something. Every Day.
Connect with Nicki
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 36 with Sophia Berman where we discuss starting a lingerie company that uses 3-D printing and serves a distinct clientele.
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This episode was an opportunity to pester one of my good friends, Brad Driscoll, with questions 😏
In addition to co-founding Think Big Marketing, Brad has generated 10 million views on YouTube and amassed one of the 1,000 largest audiences on Twitch.
He’ll be talking about building a YouTube account at an event we are holding August 1st.
RSVP to the Facebook event for updates or buy a ticket right now.
In this episode, we primarily talk about building his Twitch audience and building his business.
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Brad’s Challenge; For the next 2-3 weeks, let someone know you like their content after you consume it.
Resources Mentioned
OBS Studio
ClickFunnels
Connect with Brad
YouTube
Twitch
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 131 with Larry Gioia where we discuss why connecting is better than networking.
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Halima Tammy Thompson's moved to Pittsburgh as a child and was faced with homelessness, loss and countless obstacles. Years later, she has fused 20+ years of experience in the Real Estate Industry and 8 years of working in the nonprofit sector as a Credit Counselor.
Tammy is a Poverty Expert, Nationally Sought After Speaker, Executive Producer of We Wear The Mask, a documentary released in 2017 highlighting the stigma associated with women in poverty. She provides counseling services with integrity, inspiration, compassion and confidentiality.
In the episode, we discuss cycles of poverty, the impact of trauma over a lifetime, and the victims of the 2008 Financial Recession.
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Tammy’s Challenge; Step outside your comfort zone.
Connect with Tammy
Website
Circlespgh.org
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 187 with Grant Oliphant where we discuss the Heinz Endowment, how to strengthen communities, and Grant’s personal career path.
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This interview will dispel the notion that you can’t develop creativity.
Allen Gannett is the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform whose clients have included Microsoft, Marriott, Saks Fifth Avenue, Home Depot, Aetna, Honda, and GE. He has been on the “30 Under 30” lists for both Inc. and Forbes.
His upcoming book, The Creative Curve, is on how anyone can achieve moments of creative genius. I really enjoyed reading it.
He was also once a very pitiful runner-up on Wheel of Fortune.
Watch Allen Speak at the 2019 Going Deep Summit
Allen’s Challenge; Stop believing that creativity is naturally easy for anyone.
Allen’s Book
The Creative Curve: How to Develop the Right Idea, at the Right Time by Allen Gannett
Connect with Allen
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 183 with Oliver Luckett where we discuss how he helped break The Chainsmokers, hacking the media machine, and the evolution of social movements.
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In this episode of #PiperAnswers, we touch on a few topics that frankly, most entrepreneurs would think are too tedious or boring to share. We also talk about our editing process and how much time we actually spend working on Piper.
How did you incorporate your business?
What did you use to set up your website?
What is Hannah's editing process?
How many hours per week do you spend on your own content?
How much do you allocate to extra projects?
How many side projects are you operating?
Do you work with contractors?
Follow Katelyn, who was kind enough to help develop these questions.
https://www.instagram.com/katelynlesk/
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When you think of a polling company, you probably think of Nielsen or Gallup. John Dick is going to change that.
As the Founder and CEO of CivicScience, John is building a modern consumer and media analytics company based in Pittsburgh. He and his team are reinventing consumer polling for a digital and mobile-first environment.
We discuss how polling has gotten more difficult as media and telecommunications have become more fragmented, the challenges of hiring technical and marketing talent, and how looking at the data has made John more empathetic.
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John’s Challenge; Get out of your tribe. Your surroundings are too curated.
Connect with John
Website
Mentioned
Episode 303 with Luke Skurman of Niche.com
Episode 248 with Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
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If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, check out interviews with Mark Leslie about building Veritas to $1 billion in value and Darrin Grove about servant leadership and reinvention.
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Lynsie Campbell is the founder of LaneSpotter, a navigation tool that helps cyclists find safe routes. It’s the result of her avid cycling habit and DNA as a “serial entrepreneur.”
She started LaneSpotter after a ride with her then one-year-old son, who was strapped into a seat on her bike.
Campbell previously co-founded of the online ticketing platform ShowClix. She also started a dog walking business while living in San Francisco for a few years.
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Lynsie’s Challenge; Get on a bike. Explore somewhere new.
Connect with Lynsie
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with entrepreneurs like Nisha Blackwell, Darrin Grove, and Christian Simmons.
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In this episode, we discuss where Pittsburgh has been and where it’s going.
Bill Flanagan is the Chief Corporate Relations Officer for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. Bill guides the development of regional and organizational messaging strategy and supervises Investor Relations activities, including membership development and fundraising.
An experienced broadcast journalist, Bill has told the story of the transformation of the economy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for more than 30-years. He serves as host and producer of “Our Region’s Business,” a weekly business public affairs program on WPXI-TV. As President of The Pittsburgh G-20 Partnership in 2009, Bill helped to organize the public/private partnership of organizations from across southwestern Pennsylvania that came together to welcome the world for the Summit.
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Bill’s Challenge; Take ownership and agency of making your community better. Meet someone new from a different background, hometown, or industry. Make a personal connection.
Mentioned in the Episode
Posturetalk, Powertalk, Babytalk and Gametalk
When we First Pitched Bill
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Jay is COO of The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM). ARM is an independent non-profit that won an $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to become the leading catalyst of robotics innovation and expertise to accelerate growth in US-based manufacturing and the high value careers.
It is also supported by an additional $173 million in commitments from more than 100 members and partners in industry, academia, technology, government and economic development groups.
We discuss how ARM is deploying its capital, the challenges associated with bringing more manufacturing jobs back to America, and the limitations of modern robotics technologies.
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Jay’s Challenge; Consider jobs in advanced manufacturing.
Connect with Jay
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 297 with Jorgen Pedersen where we discuss robots taking human jobs and episode 304 with Neil Ashbaugh about training the next generation of manufacturing workers.
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Stephen Warley teaches people the life skills that matter for business.
My mission is to relieve people of their work anxieties by empowering them to design their own work.
The evolutionary fear of losing the acceptance of others is often more powerful than the desire to strike out on our own. He sees his job as empowering his readers to stop living up to the ideals of others and to start living up to their own ideals.
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Stephen’s Challenge; Find 30 minutes to set aside every week for yourself. YOU are your most important client.
Books Mentioned
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Connect with Stephen
Website
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If you liked this interview, check out episode 216 with Noah Kagan where we discuss being #30 at Facebook, the importance of doing work with purpose, and learning ultimate frisbee.
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Instead, he’d prefer to offer his perspective. He’s built a $40,000,000 real estate portfolio through hard work, persistence, and patience. Being raised by a single parent in a two bedroom, low income apartment in Mt. Oliver doesn’t usually breed success, but Joe Calloway’s story is anything but usual. Joe went from those unfortunate circumstances to being the largest single family home buyer in Pittsburgh.
With little direction in life and few marketable skills, Joe enlisted in the US Navy in 1997. Using his military reenlistment bonus, Joe bought his first property in 2004. For his early projects he served as investor, contractor, designer, and property manager, giving him first-hand experience which proved to be invaluable.
Joe formed RE360 in 2009 and has grown the company’s rental portfolio to 270 units with a monthly gross rental income of $229,000. 2014 alone saw the rags-to-riches Calloway invest $5 million and purchase 72 homes, making him the largest housing buyer in Pittsburgh for the second year in a row. Not bad for the poor kid from Mt. Oliver.
Attend my one-day conference in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Joe’s Challenge; Don’t rely on traditional sources if you are unhappy with your current position. If you want something great, you have to make it yourself and get creative.
Connect with Joe
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my other interviews with people making moves in the city of Pittsburgh, like Bill Peduto and Grant Oliphant.
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Dinesh is a self-professed technophile, in addition to a speaker, mentor, and entrepreneur. He has taken part in three separate companies getting acquired, the third for over $200 million dollars. These days he stays busy investing, mentoring, and sharing wisdom.
He initially went to university for sciences, which lead him to a career in software. It wasn’t long before he realized that his pay would hit a ceiling. He saw the sales guys driving Porsches and Jaguars—and wanted in. Little did he know that his passions were in unlocking a business' potential, which goes far beyond the sale.
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Dinesh’s Challenge; Count your “I can’t”s over the course of one week, then work to change one to “I can”.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Dinesh
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the technological trends that will shape our future.
Bill Laboon is currently teaching Software Quality Assurance, Software Engineering, and the Computer Science Capstone course at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, he advises numerous students for projects, independent research, and their academic and professional careers.
He prepares students to develop high-quality software in a "real-world" environment. That real world is fast including more and more cryptocurrencies.
In this discussion, we cover the basics of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Monero, Ripple, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash.
Great primer for those just learning about cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin.
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Connect with Bill
Bill’s Book
Strength in Numbers: A Novel of Cryptocurrency by Bill Laboon
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out all of our previous episodes with creators, builders, and influencers in the blockchain space.
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Self-driving cars are coming. Ford is betting $1 billion dollars over five years that Argo Ai can make it happen.
CEO Bryan Salesky calls upon his experience leading the software engineering for Tartan Racing, Carnegie Mellon’s winning entry in the DARPA Urban Challenge as he tries to build the future.
He also was on the Google self-driving car team. While at Google, Bryan was director of hardware development, and was responsible for development and manufacture of Google’s portfolio of hardware, which included self-driving sensors, computers and several vehicle development programs.
Do not miss this interview.
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Bryan’s Challenge; Choose a day of the week where you commute and do not use your phone.
Connect with Bryan
Website
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out other interviews with tech CEOs like Niche.com’s Luke Skurman, RE2 Robotics Jorgen Pedersen, and Jetpack Workflow’s David Cristello.
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Wendy Downs is an artist who learned to be an entrepreneur. Her company, Moop, was founded in 2007 in western Massachusetts. She has since moved to Pittsburgh, where her small team design and manufactures every waxed canvas bag.
In a 35-minute conversation, we cover her expertise in e-commerce, design, small batch manufacturing, and textile manufacturing.
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Wendy’s Challenge; Find the thing you love and exercise it.
Connect with Wendy
Website
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out episode 295 with Nisha Blackwell where we discuss making bow ties by hand, reusing fabric, and learning to market on Instagram.
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Pittsburgh has been in the news recently for robots and restaurants. But it’s still a blue collar town.
In a sweeping discussion, Aaron & Neil Ashbaugh discuss the opportunities for good pay and consistent work offered by roles in manufacturing. The industry is facing a cliff over the next ten years as Baby Boomers continue to retire, leaving companies hungry for talent.
New Century Careers is training the next generation and excited about the opportunity.
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Neil’s Challenge; Read. Never stop learning.
Books
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca
It Doesn't Take a Hero: The Autobiography of General Norman Schwarzkopf
Walt Disney biography
Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Connect with Neil
Website
ashbaugh@ncsquared.com
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out episode 147 with Steve Shelton where we discuss getting ex-offenders reintegrated into society and employed with the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh.
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Niche.com generated 50,000,000 unique visitors last year. They announced a $6.6M Series B round of fundraising in February 2018. They've come a long way from their humble beginnings in 2002.
In my interview with Luke Skurman, the Founder & CEO of Niche.com, we discuss the challenges of raising venture capital as an established company, the marketing & business development talent in Pittsburgh, and importance of aiming at a big target.
Luke is also a Co-Founder of Ascender, a non-profit, 501(c)(3), focusing on bolstering innovation and entrepreneurship in the Pittsburgh region. They host the annual Thrival Innovation + Music Festival every year in Pittsburgh.
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Luke’s Challenge; The more you give, the more you get back. Have an impact in a meaningful way through service.
Connect with Luke
Website
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out a bunch of previous interviews with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs like David Cristello, Jorgen Pederson, and Darrin Grove.
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Jake Wheatley joined the United States Marine Corps in 1989. He needed more discipline and that’s exactly what her got.
He has since translated the skills and lessons he learned serving in the Gulf War into a career in public service.
Jake Wheatley is a Democratic politician from the state of Pennsylvania. He represents the 19th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives which includes a number of areas in the city of Pittsburgh including: the Hill District, North Side, South Side, Allentown, Hazelwood, Downtown Pittsburgh, The Bluff, Knoxville, Beltzhoover, Manchester, Arlington, Arlington Heights and, North, South and West Oakland.
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Books Mentioned
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance by Mark Whitaker
Making Ideas Matter by Dwight Evans
Jake’s Challenge; Get involved in your neighborhood. Democracy demands your talents to be active in society.
Connect with Jake
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings.
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business.
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with Mayor Bill Peduto and Dan Gilman.
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Rich, President & CEO of Innovation Works, leads one of the nation’s most active early-stage investors. In this conversation, we discuss a recent report IW authored with Ernst & Young that detailed the last decade of venture investing in the region.
Some highlights of recent activity include the $225 million acquisition of security awareness trainer Wombat Security by California-based Proofpoint and the $1 billion round of funding recently raised by self-driving car intelligence provider ArgoAI from Ford.
Further, Pittsburgh tech companies have attracted over $3.5 billion in funding over the past 10 years, including $2.1 billion in the past five years. What will this mean for the future of the region?
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Rich’s Challenge; Advocate for the startup community in your region to elected officials.
Connect with Rich
Website
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our dozens of interviews with Pittsburgh influencers and business leaders including entrepreneurs than Innovation Works has invested Henry Thorne, Hahna Alexander, and Ryan Green.
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From an early age, Hannah developed a love for art and creating, and has grown those passions into hard skills that could build a business.
She started HPMedia in 10th grade and was dedicated to growing it part-time throughout high school. After graduating in 2016, she started an apprenticeship/entrepreneurship program called Praxis. After apprenticing at a digital marketing agency, Hannah found sustainable success in full-time creative work.
Piper Creative offers her the opportunity to guide and mentor the next generation of creatives while leveraging their skills to transform brands and drive business outcomes.
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Hannah’s Challenge; Look at your daily routine and find 10 minutes to study a completely novel subject.
Connect with Hannah
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out the video where we launched Piper Creative.
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Lisa is the the President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation. She calls upon over 20 years of experience in the marketplace in sales and marketing and senior management roles, as well as ministry leadership experience, to coach leaders in her day-to-day work.
Lisa provides executive leadership for business development and donor relationships and evaluates and develops new initiatives and partnerships that advance the mission and vision of PLF. Lisa also brings this diverse and invaluable expertise to her role as a Leadership Foundations Senior Associate serving the global network of Local Leadership Foundations.
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Lisa’s Challenge; Look at your calendar for tomorrow and assess how you are stewarding yourself. Are you allocating your time correctly?
Connect with Lisa
Website
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 242 with Darrin Grove where we discuss building a company through servant leadership.
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David Cristello had no background in accounting. He’s not a coder. Yet, he is the founder of a fast-growing accounting software startup called Jetpack Workflow.
How’d that happen? David diligently interviewed business owners until he found an untapped opportunity, then struck with full force.
He’s driven to solve painful problems with smart, passionate, and empathetic people and is building his company in Pittsburgh.
Jetpack Workflow is used by thousands of accountants in 12+ countries to help them better manage their client work.
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David’s Challenge; Go sell something in the next 24 hours. An old item around the house, a service you want to offer, or anything you can think of.
Mentioned
Dan Kennedy
John Carlton
Gary Halpert
Connect with David
Website
david@jetpackworkflow.com
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YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our interviews with other software entrepreneurs like Andy Rachleff, Dennis Mortensen, and Mark Leslie.
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RE2 Robotics CEO & founder Jorgen Pedersen is responsible for the strategic direction of the Company, developing partnerships and alliances, and overseeing the day-to-day operations.
Jorgen has contributed to the growth of the unmanned systems market for the past 20 years, beginning his career at Carnegie Mellon's National Robotics Engineering Center.
Jorgen is the 2016 Carnegie Science Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year recipient. He has also been recognized for his technology leadership by the Department of Defense. Jorgen was presented with the 2008 Army SBIR Achievement Award for the development of the Small Robot Toolkit for unmanned ground vehicles and the 2011 Tibbetts Award for SBIR Excellence.
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Jorgen’s Challenge; Get outside of your comfort zone. Take a risk.
Connect with Jorgen
Jorgen's Twitter
Website
RE2 Robotics Twitter
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out more interviews with people putting Pittsburgh on the map.
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We want to talk about what we're learning. If you like this, please let us know in the comments.
We appreciate Solomon, Paul, and Michael for submitting questions :)
Send questions you have to hannah (at) pipercreative (dot) co
Want to work with us? www.pipercreative.co
Shot and Edited by Hannah Phillips https://www.instagram.com/hpmedia/
Nisha Blackwell is the founder & lead design curator of Knotzland Bowties. Founded in 2014, Knotzland specializes in custom handmade bow ties made from repurposed and reclaimed materials.
Driven by her passion for the environment and reducing waste, Nisha began Knotzland to create distinctive, fashionable goods that speak to the individuality of her customers. Dedicated to sourcing high-quality, salvaged materials, Knotzland issues limited edition, one-of-a-kind bow ties.
Nisha was recently named to Facebook’s small business council. We discuss her humble beginnings, how Instagram has been crucial for growing her business, and how mentors have played a role in her business.
Mentioned
The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems by Van Jones
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Nisha’s Challenges; Support makers & businesses of color and find creative ways to reuse and upcycle material.
Connect with Knotzland
Website
Nisha
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Pittsburgh Tech Council President Audrey Russo, Black Tech Nation founder Kelauni Cook, and community organizer William Generett.
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Michael is an ethicist, writer, artist, educator, and concerned citizen based out of Pittsburgh, PA. He received his PhD from CU-Boulder's Department of Computer Science in Fall 2017. He wrote a thesis focused on the use of socio-technical narrative as a way of communicating, comprehending, teaching, and debating the ethics of new and near-future technologies. His research spans topics such as design fiction, technology ethics, classroom design, engineering ethics pedagogy, futures, and risk.
Michael now serves as the executive director at Community Forge, a mission-driven organization dedicated to rehabbing the Johnston Elementary School in Wilkinsburg, PA into a community centered focused on education, arts, civics, and local business development.
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Michael’s Challenge; Either go to an unfamiliar neighborhood and try to venture into a small business or venue and talk to someone there.
Connect with Community Forge
Community Forge Website
Michael's Website
mike [at] forge [dot] community
Connect with Piper Creative
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 131 with Larry Gioia where we explained the genesis of Connection University.
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Search funds are a distinct style of private equity firm that raises a small amount of capital to go find a business to buy.
Generational Transfer Entrepreneurs is a private investment firm that works with a group of entrepreneurial operators (Operators-in-Residence) that are looking to individually acquire, operate and grow a privately held businesses. GTE provides business owners with a unique transition opportunity with the entrepreneurs at GTE ready to step into the ownership role with the goal of nurturing and creating long-term value for the company.
Jamie talks with Aaron in this episode about the attributes he looks for in OiRs, how his business works, and the importance of self-awareness.
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Jamie’s Challenge; Analyze yourself and construct a daily schedule that puts you in a position to do your best work. Self-awareness is a superpower.
Connect with Jamie
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 269 with Brent Beshore where we discuss long term investing, personal values, and how entrepreneurial experience makes better investors..
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Todd Bishop the is co-founder and managing editor of GeekWire, a leading technology news site based in Seattle. His company recently completed a one-month residence in Pittsburgh and learned about the burgeoning tech scene and the likelihood of Amazon setting up their HQ2 in town.
Bishop has covered Microsoft, Amazon, and the technology industry for more than a decade in Seattle, most recently as a reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He launched his blog about Microsoft in September 2003, building it into a widely used resource for tracking the software giant.
In February 2008, Bishop was the first to publish internal Microsoft emails in which company executives privately criticized the Windows Vista operating system, even as they publicly praised it. His coverage of Bill Gates' departure from daily life at the company was published by papers including the New York Post. His blog has received honors including a 2008 Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.
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Todd’s Challenge; Leave your phone at home for an afternoon. Be genuine and open.
Connect with Todd
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 260 with Anthony Vennare where we discuss building a media business, the stair step approach to entrepreneurship, and building essential skills.
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Pittsburgh is well-known for the robotics and maker movements popping up around town. The software companies have been a bit lacking.
So, I wanted to feature Ryan Green, founder & CEO of Gridwise. Gridwise provides insights into events and activities around your city, so rideshare drivers can drive smarter, increase their daily trips and make more money.
We discuss finding a technical co-founder, the risks of starting a startup, and how Ryan is thinking about the future of the company.
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Ryan’s Challenge; Take the time to know the person driving your rideshare vehicle.
Connect with Ryan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our other interviews with Pittsburgh movers & shakers.
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Key Terms
CAC - Customer acquisition cost
LTV - Lifetime Value
ARR - Annual Recurring Revenue
MRR - Monthly Recurring Revenue
Churn Rate - % of customers that stop paying for your product/service
Ned is one of two founding partners at Birchmere Ventures, which is primarily focused on seed SaaS and marketplace investments. He led Birchmere’s investment in Cvent and served on its board for 11 years.
His other notable investments include TenMarks (acquired by Amazon), Neolinear (acquired by Cadence Design Systems), Peloton Technologies, Presence Learning, Identified Technologies, Modsy, Gem, Gradeslam, Mapper.ai, Ikos, SubCentral, OneKloud, Sleeperbot, and Treatspace.
We cover the 101 of venture capital and how the Pittsburgh startup ecosystem has evolved. Watch the behind-the-scenes on Piper Creative’s vlog.
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Ned’s Challenge; Run personal experiments like intermittent fasting.
Connect with Ned
Website
ned@birchmerevc.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 85 with Sean Ammirati where we discuss the science of growth and why Facebook beat Friendster.
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This is part two of our series on Instagram Chance will be speaking at our April 12th Instagram seminar in Pittsburgh. Get your tickets now.
Chancellor Humphrey is one of the most promising young creators in Pittsburgh. Even though he calls himself out for “sounding old” in this interview, he’s really just at the beginning of a very promising career.
In addition to top-notch photography skills, Chance has built an event series called Creatives Drink with his business partner Cody Baker. Once a quarter, they throw a really fun party at venues around Pittsburgh that is free to attend and consists of a diverse mix of attendees.
In this conversation, we touch on building your photography skills, throwing great parties, and stealing like an artist.
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Chance’s Challenge; Don’t let fear paralyze you. Take action.
Connect with Chance
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 184 with the Drinking Partners Ed Bailey & Day Bracey where we discuss building a stand up comedy career.
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This is part one of a two-part series on Instagram. Erin will be speaking at our April 12th Instagram seminar in Pittsburgh. Get your tickets now.
Erin Bachman is a wife and mother of two. At her website, Caffeine & Cuddles, she documents the trials and tribulations of being a new mom.
Her content and career, through brand deals and sponsorship, represents the brave new world of niche influencer marketing. While building a community and sharing her daily life, Erin has found a way to be a stay at home mom and contribute an income to her household.
During pregnancy and postpartum, she stumbled across the mommy blogging world and fell in love with how helpful and open women were with their experiences. She also learned a thing or two about building an Instagram account that drives meaningful business results.
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Erin’s Challenge; Take one thing you learned from the interview and implement it on your own account.
Connect with Erin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lenarduzzi where we discuss YouTube, Snapchat, and sharing your story.
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I don’t think I have ever been this excited about a professional project in my entire life. My new company, Piper Creative, is a a digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis. We specialize in a few key service offerings.
Instagram Content Production & Account Building
Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition
Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0)
You don’t have to be interested in being a client to reach out and set up a meeting. I’d love to talk with you about it.
Watch the day-to-day growth of the Company on YouTube.
Connect with Piper Creative
Website
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ZeroSixEight Founder Dan Bull spoke at the 2018 Going Deep Summit about second chances, entrepreneurship, and human potential.
Damon's company is Codex Security; https://www.codexsecure.com/
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-deep-summit-20-tickets-42614583366
Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Livestream Video Produced and Captured by Work Hard Digital
Adam Haritan is one of the greatest foragers in North America. At the 2018 Going Deep Summit, Adam spoke about the timeless lessons that we can all learn from mother nature.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
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Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Ed Latimore is an author, heavyweight boxer, and inspirational speaker.
Ed spoke at the 2018 Going Deep Summit about resilience, embarrassment, and accomplishing your goals.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
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Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Audrey Russo is the President of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the oldest and largest technology trade association in North America.
She interviewed my on what I learned from my first large event.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
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Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Leah Lizarondo spoke at the 2018 Going Deep Summit about 412 Food Rescue, food insecurity & waste, and the power we all possess to make change.
The 412 Food Rescue community is responsible for 2.6 million lbs. surplus food rescued, 2.2 million meals delivered to food insecure communities, and the reduction of over 1.4 million lbs. in CO2 emissions.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-deep-summit-20-tickets-42614583366
Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Livestream provided by Work Hard Digital
Larry Gioia spoke at the 2018 Going Deep Summit about connection, heart speak, and headspace.
Larry is the PwC Chief of Staff for Global Digital Strategy, the founder of Dynamic Paddlers, and the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
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Produced and Edited by Aaron Watson
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Livestream Video Produced and Captured by Work Hard Digital
Zak Slayback is a career strategist and coach who focuses on teaching the career skills that school never taught. This talk is about his new book "How to Get Ahead When You Have Nothing to Offer"
He's the author of the 2016 Amazon best-seller, The End of School. His writing reaches millions on the issues of professional development and personal growth through career success.
Get your tickets for GDS 2019 before prices go up
Eventbrite
Produced and Edited by Aaron
John Fetterman is the current Mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Fetterman earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Albright College in 1991 and a master's degree in Public Policy from Harvard University. He moved to Braddock in 2001 to serve with AmeriCorps and start a non-profit organization, Braddock Redux.
He won the Braddock mayoral election in 2005 by one vote, and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013. As mayor, Fetterman has drawn international attention for trying to revitalize the economy in Braddock, with an article in The New York Times, an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” and a Levi’s jeans ad. He has made equality, environmental protection, gay rights, immigration and marijuana legalization major campaign issues.
Fetterman is a self-described democratic socialist. He ran for the United States Senate in 2016, but was defeated in the Democratic primary. He is currently running for lieutenant governor.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
John’s Challenge; Be an educated voter.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 134 with Gisele Fetterman or any of my other interviews with Pittsburgh movers & shakers.
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Mixing things up from the last two mixes we shared. Samuel Andres is the resident DJ for LUXE Creative.
Track List
All Night Long (Deep mix) - A2HP Vince, Dave Leatherman
Booty Call (Vocal Mix) - Jay Vegas
Fantasy (Jay Vegas Disco Remix) - Housemechanix, Marley Munroe
Surrender (Original Mix) - Shan, Gerd Janson, Gerd Janson & Shan
Gimmie What I Want (Original Mix) - Ron Carroll, Aires Adora
Ever Been Feat. Smashing Beat (Original Mix) - Samuele Sartini
Corrida (Original Mix) - Charles J
Confess (Original Mix) - ATFC, Seamus Haji
Stardust (Original Club Mix) - Raul Mendes, Jude & Frank
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Samuel’s Challenge; Only buy the songs that make you feel something in your chest.
If you liked this interview, check out episodes 259 with Totally Normal and 170 with Dj JRod.
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How do you go from studying journalism in the midwestern United States to revolutionizing the education system of another continent? I don’t know. So I asked Audrey Cheng about her company.
The Moringa School is enabling a whole generation of high-potential, proactive people passionate about technology to become top mobile and web developers by equipping them with skills to do so. Through top quality teachers and a curated curriculum, the school aims to world-class developers in Africa.
Founder Audrey Cheng has partnered with Hack Reactor, a top Silicon Valley coding school, to develop a world-class intro-to-programming course and an immersive, intensive 19-week program to train top mobile, web and front-end developers.
The World Bank has chosen Moringa School to be their Middle East and Africa location in their study on the effectiveness of coding bootcamps in emerging markets.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Audrey’s Challenge; Be aware of your emotions. Pause. And tell yourself, “It’s going to be ok.”
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with sous vide entrepreneur Lisa Fetterman and angel investor Li Jiang.
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Beth Caldwell is an author, speaker, business success strategist and a host for Pittsburgh BizTV Shows. Since 2014, she has been a global instructor with the Steve Harvey Success Institute. She is also a columnist for the Pittsburgh Business Times newspaper and Smart Business magazine, but is best known as the founder of Pittsburgh Professional Women and Leadership Academy for Women.
Recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine as an influential and innovative leader, Beth was named a “40 Under 40″ winner the day before her 40th birthday. In October she was recognized with the Pennsylvania Woman of Courage Award. Beth teaches workshops on leadership, business, and inspiration to audiences worldwide.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Beth’s Challenges; Stop trying to do everything at once and Stop making decisions based on what other people might think.
Beth’s Eight Easy Ways to Enjoy an Effective 2018
If you liked this interview, check out these interviews with social broadcaster Sunny Lenarduzzi and Super Connector Larry Gioia.
Employers are slowly embracing remote work and flexible systems as the deployment of the digital age accelerates. Why are moms being left out of the fun?
Erica Peterson is the Founder of Moms Can: Code, an online community for current and future moms who code. She sits at the nexus of tech talent and employers looking to gain an edge. She’s also inspired quite a few new entrepreneurs.
Erica is passionate about exposing women and children to STEM and was recently selected as a member of The Incline’s Who’s Next: Education class for her work as Founder & Board President of Science Tots.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Erica’s Challenge; Call 5 moms you know and tell them about Moms Can Code.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the future of technology and the forces shaping society.
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Ryan is one of the engines stirring the pot of the Pittsburgh nonprofit scene. In addition to incubating young organization through Social Venture Partners, he also actively consults using his experience in sales, partnership development, strategy execution, and sustainable investment analysis.
Prior to CitizenCity, Ryan led U.S. outreach for Humanity in Action–an international human rights organization that cultivates ethical leaders. We discuss his background and his views on what makes a project successful.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Ryan’s Challenges; If you’re an entrepreneur, think about how your core tenets could help solve a community challenge. If you’re in Pittsburgh and want to be more involved in your philanthropy, come join SVP.
Mentioned
Effective Altruism
#15 Ian Neumaier
Social Venture Partners
If you liked this interview, check out more interviews with Pittsburgh's Movers and Shakers.
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In their new book, Elephant in the Brain, Kevin & Robin explore the selfish motives that are driving everything we do. From conversation and consumption, to medicine and religion, evolutionary psychology can explains all of the quirky behaviors we perpetuate through the perspective of self-interest.
Kevin Simler is a writer and software engineer currently living in San Francisco, CA. He writes a popular blog called Melting Asphalt. Kevin joined the Peter Thiel-founded Palantir Technologies in 2006 where he worked for 7 years as an engineer, engineering manager, and product designer.
Robin Hanson is an associate professor of economics at George Mason University and a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. He has a PhD in social science from Caltech, master's in physics and philosophy from U. Chicago, and worked for nine years in artificial intelligence as a research programmer at Lockheed and NASA. He helped pioneer the field of prediction markets and blogs at OvercomingBias.com.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Kevin’s Challenge; Look inwards and try to be more intellectually honest.
Robin’s Challenge; Give humanity a break.
The Book
Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler & Robin Hanson
If you liked this interview, check out past episodes like 255 with Dan Munro where we discuss the rising costs of healthcare and 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss cognitive biases. You can also find Robin’s previous appearance on the podcast.
This interview threw me out of my element. What a great way to start the new year. I get pretty uncomfortable with the notion of transhumanism and implanting technology into the body through an elective procedure. Luckily, I got to talk it over with Ryan.
Ryan O’Shea is a spokesperson and advisor for biotechnology startup company Grindhouse Wetware, which is dedicated to creating technology to augment human capabilities. Ryan is also a founder of the Carnegie Mellon University-based artificial intelligence startup Behaivior, which uses wearables and machine learning to predict and intervene in human behaviors to promote positive health outcomes. Behaivior is currently a competitor in the $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE competition.
Ryan has previously worked as a host and producer for the Pittsburgh ABC Television affiliate. He currently hosts the technology and futurism-themed Future Grind podcast and has produced talks around the world on the topic of citizen science, making, and biohacking
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Ryan’s Challenge; Question your assumptions. Why are you scared of these ideas? Reach out and continue the conversation.
If you liked this interview, check out previous tech-focused episodes with Robert Scoble, Joseph Lubin, and Dennis Mortensen.
This is one of the best interviews I've had the pleasure of sharing on my podcast. All credit goes to Brent.
Connect with Brent
Website
Here are the other best finance-related and blockchain podcasts I’ve done.
I would have never gotten Brent to come on my show if I had not first heard his excellent interviews on Patrick O'Shaughnessy's Invest Like the Best. Check out all three episodes;
Ep.10
Ep. 22
Ep. 30
Brent Beshore invests in family-owned companies. Unlike the venture capitalists, private equity firms, and crypto traders that fill up headlines and seek an audience, Brent humbly goes to work uncovering value in the boring spaces missed by others.
Beyond his impressive financial results, he’s assembled a talented team that complements his skill set. While he’ll humbly point to luck or colleagues for credit, his diligent assessment of thousands of deals per year has left him with a unique perspective on investing, entrepreneurship, and business.
His companies have recruited doctors for the U.S. military, provided online public relations to some of the world's largest organizations, manufactured cutting-edge home solutions, created software products for small businesses, curated the latest in women's fashion on the internet, and even helped make a couple of blockbuster movies.
I’m sure you’ll learn something from listening to this conversation.
--
If you liked this interview, check out episode 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss cognitive biases and writing effectively.
Mike’s Best Books
- The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley
- Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos
- Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery
- The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant
- Early Retirement Extreme: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Financial Independence by Jacob Lund Fisker
Aaron’s Best Books
- The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis & Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Games People Play: The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis by Eric Berne
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
- King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert Moore & Douglas Gillette
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.
Connect with Mike
Podcast
Medium
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our reading review from last year or this list of reading recommendations.
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Michael Sabat has worked in the messaging space for nearly a decade. He started working with SMS campaigns in 2008 as an account manager at Mobile Commons. That company grew quickly, became the dominant software platform for SMS communications and was acquired in 2014.
In early 2017, Michael started @Mssg (At Message), which is a messaging platform that helps organizations do their best marketing with their biggest fans. @Mssg is a software platform that helps digital marketers use Facebook Messenger for marketing and communications outcomes. Michael is working to establish Messaging as a Marketing channel and teaching marketers how to launch messaging campaigns.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Michael’s Challenge; Don’t underestimate your worth. Raise your prices if you’re spread too thin.
Resources
Earn.com
Try out the Marketing Messenger @ Going Deep with Aaron Watson
Balaji S
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the technological forces shaping the future and the rest of my top episodes.
Raji Sankar is opening a restaurant in Pittsburgh and came on the show to share her insights from more than a decade in the restaurant industry.
Raji co-founded Wholesome International in 2004, a multi-concept restaurant development company, which owns and operates Choolaah Indian BBQ restaurants and franchised Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants. She is co-CEO and is responsible for people, operations, and infrastructure.
Previously, she co-founded and sold a technology company, co-founded a media company, and held leadership positions in technology and media companies in Pittsburgh.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Raji’s Challenge; Hire a coach that can help you accomplish the specific goals you are chasing.
If you liked this interview, check out my interview with Bill Fuller from the Big Burrito Group and my other conversations with movers & shakers in Pittsburgh.
Kelauni Cook transformed her life by learning to code. She came to Pittsburgh to attend a 12-week coding bootcamp called The Academy.
Now, she heads Black Tech Nation and is developing on the Ethereum network. We discussed race and access in tech. We also profiled her story and eclectic collection of job titles. Kelauni grew up in Chicago and attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., before moving to North Dakota, where she studied to get into a program for sociocultural anthropology.
We end up talking about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Kelauni’s Challenge; Invest in Bitcoin!
Mentioned
Blockchain TED Talks
If you liked this interview, check out my previous episode 195 with Felix Hartmann or any of my blockchain related interviews.
Taylor Monahan is building MyEtherWallet, an open-source, client-side interface for generating Ethereum wallets & more. Her technology is making it easier to interact with the Ethereum blockchain securely.
We had a great discussion about ICOs, early stages of learning about blockchain, and how to stay secure in the Wild West of crypto.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.
Taylor’s Challenge; Don’t be dismissive of someone asking for help. Self-awareness will make this easier.
If you liked this interview, check out all of my interviews with people building the future of blockchain technology projects.
Since 2007, Audrey Russo has served the technology business sector for southwestern PA as President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the oldest and largest technology trade association in North America.
With a background in information technology, operations and finance, Audrey facilitates interaction across all sectors of the regional economy, which she believes will only succeed and grow through technology innovation and commercialized disruptions across every platform and experience.
She previously worked for large multinational Fortune 500 companies (Alcoa, Reynolds Metals), as well as at MAYA Design.
Russo earned her Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University. She also has a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Affairs. Russo also co-hosts TechVibe Radio on KDKA 1020 AM Friday nights at 7 to explore technology companies and entrepreneurial issues.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Audrey’s Challenge; Open the door for someone else to get a customer. Use your contacts, influence, and buying power to make a meaningful difference for someone’s business.
Books Mentioned
Nudge by Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Ayn Rand
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
1984 by George Orwell
Remaking Post-Industrial Cities: Lessons from North America and Europe by Donald K. Carter
CEO Steven Clausnitzer, prior to Forever Labs, spent 15 years mentoring and developing top-talent at fortune 500 companies including American Express and Wolters Kluwer. He has extensive experience in strategic growth, commercialization, and team leadership.
Dr. Mark Katakowski received his Ph.D. in Medical Physics from Oakland University. He has over 15 years experience investigating bone mesenchymal stem cell therapies for neurological disease, and an extensive scientific publication record.
Dr. Katakowski was first to demonstrate that microRNA functions as an intercellular communication molecule between brain tumor cells. This work led to his finding that bone marrow MSCs communicate with the nervous system via blood-born exosomes. Dr. Katakowski's hypothesis that bone marrow cell degradation contributes to aging and age-related disease is the founding principle of Forever Labs.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Steven’s Challenge; Find someone over the age of 70 and ask them if they’d be interested in accessing their 35 year old biology.
Mark’s Challenge; Be mindful of your physical existence and your body’s natural processes.
Tren has studied the most successful people on Earth and distilled their wisdom into a new book. I love reading his blog posts and his commitment to concise communication.
Tren Griffin is an executive at Microsoft. Before joining Microsoft, Tren was a partner at the private equity firm Eagle River which makes investments telecommunications businesses and startups. He previously worked as a consultant in Australia and Korea. He writes a weekly blog and has published 7 books.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Tren’s Challenge; Study Charlie Munger and be a learning machine. Any year that you don’t reject a view you held, is a wasted year.
Tren’s Book
A Dozen Lessons for Entrepreneurs by Tren Griffin
Connect with Tren
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Wealthfront founder Andy Rachleff and Li Jiang, and angel investor and venture capitalist.
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I love meeting people who beat the odds. Anthony Vennare was supposed to be a “dumb jock”. He wasn’t supposed to open a gym and find profitability within 2 months. He wasn’t supposed to raise millions of dollars to get more people working out. He wasn’t supposed to sign deals with massive healthcare companies and turn the world of digital content writing on its head.
Luckily, no one told him.
Today, Anthony is the co-founder and CEO of Fitt – a media and technology company that connects people to local health and fitness activities. They’ve got big plans for the future and anyone in the content & branding game needs to study what they’re doing.
I got him for 40 minutes over the weekend and hustled to get this episode out ASAP because it got me so fired up. Hope you enjoy it.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Anthony’s Challenge; Leave behind everything in your life that is stuck in the status quo. Write down a plan and execute on one step every month in the new direction.
Resources
Voice Dream
So excited to share this mix with you. Totally Normal is a young DJ on the rise in the Pittsburgh scene.
Make sure to stick around to the end for our interview about his development as an artist.
Connect with Totally Normal
Soundcloud
If you liked this interview, check out the last time we went in the mix, featuring DJ JRod.
Amy‘s dating app, MeetMindful, has almost 1 million members. It is one of the fastest growing dating sites in the world, and is connecting like-minded singles interested in mindful living, health and wellness, and personal growth (unlike the typical swipe dating apps).
Based in Denver, MeetMindful is a Techstars Boulder alumni, has grown to 16 employees, and has raised $3.7 million in capital from top investors, and world-renowned mindfulness teacher, Tara Brach.
Amy's journey towards mindful living started after years of growing early-stage startups in New York. She wanted to put that same ambition and drive inwards towards herself, so she quit her job, sold all her possessions, and bought a one-way ticket to travel through India, Thailand, Bali, and Cambodia for an entire year to expand her mind, body, and spirit.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.
Amy’s Challenge; Look up and start paying attention to the world around you. See if it makes you feel more connected to the world around you.
Books
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Lean Startup by Eric Ries
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
Feminine Genius by LiYana Silver
Mating in Captivity & The State of Affairs by Esther Perel
Come As You Are by
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success by Jim Dethmer & Diana Chapman
Connect with Amy
2-Day Free Trial
If you liked this interview, check out my other top episodes.
Nomiku launched its first Kickstarter campaign in 2012 after Lisa and Abe Fetterman, Nomiku co-founders, decided to create their own sous vide machine that was affordable, well-designed, and powerful. Nomiku had a total of two successful Kickstarter campaigns raising over $1.3 million and are proud to manufacture our product locally in San Francisco.
Sous vide technology, before Nomiku came along, was expensive and unwieldy, which in itself made it very limiting to who could actually experience sous vide. Only those who could afford to the tech could replicate their experiences at the restaurants at home, and even then, they had to work with industrial grade equipment that was unnecessary for home use. And those who couldn’t afford the tech - which was upwards of $1,000 at the time - would only be able to enjoy sous vide cooking to restaurants (and only restaurants that they knew used sous vide).
Today, Nomiku has developed an easy to use and affordable product that lets anyone cook like a professional chef and experience a new way of cooking alongside a community that makes cooking better together.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Lisa’s Challenge; Do one small thing that pushes your company forward TODAY.
Connect with Lisa
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all of my top interviews.
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John Rosso is the CEO of Sandler Training by Peak Performance Management. He is recognized nationally as a business-development expert, specializing in executive-sales consulting and sales-productivity training as well as the best-selling author of Prospect The Sandler Way.
John is a dynamic, enthusiastic speaker who informs, entertains, and motivates presidents, CEO's, other senior managers and sales professionals. More than 50,000 sales professionals have listened to John speak, and more than 95 percent rate his content and presentation of sought-after selling solutions the best they've ever heard. His authentic, real-world approach to the sales process speaks to visionary business leaders who want the freedom success brings.
In 1994, John founded Peak Performance Management, Inc. an authorized Sandler Training Center. With 250 offices worldwide, Sandler is the global leader in sales and sales management training.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
John’s Challenges; 1. Be an ongoing learner. 2. Find 2 or 3 business mentors that you can talk to regularly.
Books Mentioned
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni
Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute
Adversity Quotient: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities by Paul Stoltz
Connect with John
Website
If you liked this interview, check out the rest of my interviews with sales trainers and masters.
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Dan Munro is a writer and speaker on the topics of innovation, cybersecurity, and policy as they intersect with one of America’s largest industries – healthcare. Starting as a Forbes Contributor in 2011, Dan has since appeared in a wide range of globally recognized publications.
His first book was published in 2016 and he is also a Top Writer on Quora (five consecutive years).
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Dan’s Book
Casino Healthcare: The Health of a Nation: America's Biggest Gamble by Dan Munro
I’m fairly certain that Jordan is a human, but I’m not sure. He has traveled to 32 countries, lived in China for 18 months, trains Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is a private pilot, SCUBA dives, and speaks Mandarin Chinese.
He’s also founded Debt Maven, a platform for middle market borrowers, lenders, and service providers to transact with each other for debt capital financings.
Jordan previously spent six years in cross-border investment banking advising global corporates and private equity firms on M&A deals up to $250 million. From pig farms to printers, and car components to cardboard boxes, Jordan worked on deals in a wide array of industries.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Jordan’s Challenge; Start something today. Speed is better than perfection.
Connect with Jordan
Website
jordan@debtmaven.com
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Larry Gioia where we discuss connecting the dots or Scott Rogerson where we discuss starting a search fund.
The world is a funny place. Every once in awhile, you run into someone cut from the same cloth as you. Whenever you find someone like that, i recommend recording a podcast together!
My guest, Li Jiang is a venture capital specialist, angel investor, and a co-owner of the San Francisco Flamethrowers. After leaving investment banking, he moved to Silicon Valley and has amassed a portfolio of angel investments and a family of entrepreneurs to support.
As a student, Li founded a student storage and shipping company and grew it into Northwestern University’s largest student company.
You’re gonna like this interview.
Resources
AngelList Syndicates
Bill Campbell
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.
Li’s Challenge; Go and try to help someone without any way for them to repay you. Ask them to pay it forward.
Newspapers and other forms of old media are struggling to adapt to to this new world of digital media. In their stead, pioneering creators like Foo Conner are rising to report, document, and move our collective conscious.
In this interview, we cover Foo’s activism, how he’s gone about growing his massive social following (2 million readers a month, 115k Twitter followers, 500k YouTube subscribers, and more than 50k email subscribers), and his commitment to supporting cultural drivers like Thrival and Randyland.
In addition to serving as a cultural curator, Foo is a willing connector and intent on building bridges.
Say hi then next time you see this professional party crasher around Pittsburgh.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.
Foo’s Challenge; Write to your heroes. You'll be shocked who responds.
Resources
SEMrush
BuzzSumo
Connect with Foo
YouTube
Jekko
Randyland
If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with Pittsburgh power players like mayor Bill Peduto and Heinz Endowment President Grant Oliphant.
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Amazon's HQ search, Reaction Videos on YouTube, and more.
Attend the GOING DEEP SUMMIT this January. Meet Pittsburgh influencers like Zak Slayback, Ed Latimore, Leah Lizarondo, Adam Haritan, and Dan Bull.
Iba Masood founded her first startup at 22 as a fresh college graduate in the United Arab Emirates. The initial goal was to connect recent grads in the Middle East to employers. Now, she and her team have evolved TARA into an Artificial Intelligence platform for recruitment and project management.
Iba was part of the Y Combinator Winter 2015 class and is a past winner of the MIT Global Business Plan competition, a finalist of MassChallenge and recipient of the Arabian Business “Young Achiever of the Year” award. Gulf Business named Iba one of the 30 most influential individuals under the age of 30 in the Middle East, and she’s the youngest person ever to receive a Cartier Women’s Initiative Award.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Iba’s Challenge; Read a book that is completely outside your area of expertise or comfort zone.
If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with futurist Kevin Kelly on the technological trends shaping the future and virtual reality evangelist Robert Scoble.
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Joe Bender, Decentralization Engineer - ConsenSys
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Joseph Bender is a decentralization engineer, solidity developer, blockchain evangelist, Ethereum aficionado, and all-around CryptoNerd. After graduating, he moved to New York to follow his passion for blockchain and began employment at ConsenSys. ConsenSys is a venture production studio building decentralized applications (dApps) and various developer and end-user tools for blockchain ecosystems, primarily focused on Ethereum. At ConsenSys, Joe is technical lead in the alignment circle working directly with Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin. He oversees development of a full stack product including various decentralized applications, developer tools, and protocol layer frameworks.
Tom Marnik, Director, Worldwide Consulting - ANSYS
Over 25 years experience in all aspects of the enterprise software business including product strategy and development, marketing, business development, pre and post sales support, and implementation.
Chris Wilmer, Founder & Co-Managing Editor - Ledger
Christopher E. Wilmer is the co-founder and managing editor of Ledger, the first peer-reviewed journal for scholarly research on blockchain technologies. He is also a professor in the Chemical & Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Pittsburgh, whose research group focuses on computational materials discovery. He has published 25 peer-reviewed articles has co-authored a book on Bitcoin called “Bitcoin for the Befuddled,” which is published by No Starch Press.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
If you liked this interview, check out my other blockchain interviews.
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Seth Stephens-Davidowitz has used data from the internet -- particularly Google searches -- to get new insights into the human psyche.
Seth has used Google searches to measure racism, self-induced abortion, depression, child abuse, hateful mobs, the science of humor, sexual preference, anxiety, son preference, and sexual insecurity, among many other topics.
His book, Everybody Lies, describes his research and argues for social scientists to make greater use of internet data. It was a New York Times bestseller and received widespread media attention.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Seth’s Challenge; Read a book per week for the next year.
If you liked this interview, check out my most popular episodes.
Scot MacTaggart is the creator and host of The Pitchwerks Podcast. Having logged more than 20 years in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, Scot has built a diverse portfolio of experiences helping businesses of all sizes to get to the next level.
If you're in sales, biz dev, marketing, product management or politics, The Pitchwerks Podcast is a fast, easy way to sharpen your tools each week.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Scot’s Challenges; 1. Find the reason why you can unleash your creativity. 2. Determine the reason you’re doing what you’re doing.
Connect with Scot
Website
If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Pittsburgh podcasters Marta Mazzoni and the Drinking Partners Ed Bailey & Day Bracey.
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Joe Calloway has no time for BS real estate gurus standing in front of Ferraris.
Instead, he’d prefer to offer his perspective. He’s built a $40,000,000 real estate portfolio through hard work, persistence, and patience. Being raised by a single parent in a two bedroom, low income apartment in Mt. Oliver doesn’t usually breed success, but Joe Calloway’s story is anything but usual. Joe went from those unfortunate circumstances to being the largest single family home buyer in Pittsburgh.
With little direction in life and few marketable skills, Joe enlisted in the US Navy in 1997. Using his military reenlistment bonus, Joe bought his first property in 2004. For his early projects he served as investor, contractor, designer, and property manager, giving him first-hand experience which proved to be invaluable.
Joe formed RE360 in 2009 and has grown the company’s rental portfolio to 270 units with a monthly gross rental income of $229,000. 2014 alone saw the rags-to-riches Calloway invest $5 million and purchase 72 homes, making him the largest housing buyer in Pittsburgh for the second year in a row. Not bad for the poor kid from Mt. Oliver.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Joe’s Challenge; Don’t rely on traditional sources if you are unhappy with your current position. If you want something great, you have to make it yourself and get creative.
Connect with Joe
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my other interviews with people making moves in the city of Pittsburgh, like Bill Peduto and Grant Oliphant.
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When you are on a mobile device that does not use blockers against ads and trackers, YOU ARE PAYING $23 per month just to load the tracking and targeting scripts for ads. It’s a payday for both advertisers and your telecommunications provider.
This was part two. Don't miss part one!
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Brendan’s Two Challenges; 1. Adopt an good ad blocker like uBlock or Disconnect Me. 2. Read a real physical book in the sunlight.
Resources
NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking (Washington Post)
Mobile Ads Cost you $23 per month (Medium)
Basic Attention Token Raises $35 Million in 30 Seconds (CoinDesk)
This interview has been split into two parts to make it more digestible.
Brendan Eich is an American technologist and creator of the JavaScript programming language. He is currently the CEO of Brave software, the next generation web browser. Brave loads major news sites 2 to 8 times faster than Chrome and Safari on mobile and is 2 times faster than Chrome on desktop.
If you liked this interview, check out the rest of my interviews with leaders in the blockchain and crypto space and my interview with Kevin Kelly about technological trends.
Mark Leslie was the founding Chairman and CEO of Veritas Software. During his tenure as CEO, the company went from 12 employees to 5,500 employees deployed globally, and from a revenue base of $95,000 per year to $1,500,000,000 per year. In 2000, Veritas was the 10th largest independent software company by revenue, third largest by market capitalization, and achieved the distinction of becoming a Fortune 1000 company.
From 1980 until 1990 he served as president and chief executive officer of two Silicon Valley high-tech start-up companies. His prior experience included sales management, sales executive, systems engineer, and OS programmer.
Mark Leslie is a successful retired entrepreneur and continues to be active in the Silicon Valley community.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Connect with Mark
Resources
The Sales Learning Curve by Mark Leslie & Charles A. Holloway
Subscribe
Darrin Grove, Truefit’s Founder and CEO, is a native Pittsburgher with a passion for innovation, technology, and values-based leadership.
Since its bootstrap beginnings in 1997, Truefit’s experience with new, disruptive technologies has positioned the company as a leader in helping entrepreneurs and organizations bring new software products to market quickly. Using their proprietary Idea Launch™ process, Darrin and the Truefit team guide clients through a proven path to create new and next generation software products. By involving a broad cross-section of company stakeholders, end users, and subject matter experts, Truefit helps product teams reduce risk and build confidence. Their principled approach and “start-up” mentality have proven to be an invaluable asset to companies looking for an entrepreneurial approach to software product development.
In addition to his work at Truefit, Darrin is dedicated to sharing his insight in innovation and entrepreneurship with the Pittsburgh community. He leads the Deal Flow Team for Software and Technology at BlueTree Allied Angels and advises start-up companies at the AlphaLab tech accelerator. He is also active on several non-profit boards to promote leadership, education, and urban renewal, and is a regular panelist and judge at events related to innovation.
Darrin’s Challenge; Think small. Focus on the small executions, pivots, and iterations that will move your work forward.
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Resources Mentioned
Lean Startup by Eric Reis
Prospect The Sandler Way by John Rosso
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Agile Manifesto
Connect with Darrin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my other interviews with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs.
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“If the rust belt has come to define the hollowed out industries of the Midwest, in the next ten years the paper belt will come to define the paper-based industries from Washington DC to Boston. In DC, they print money, visas, and laws on paper. In Delaware, companies incorporate on paper. In NYC, they print media on paper. And in Boston Harvard and MIT print diplomas on paper. I am dedicated to lighting the paper belt on fire.”
That’s straight from Michael’s profile.
Before co-founding 1517 Fund, Michael Gibson was vice president for grants at the Thiel Foundation and a principal at Thiel Capital. For nearly five years working for Peter Thiel, he has contributed research to Peter’s global macro hedge fund, assisted in teaching a course at Stanford Law School on sovereignty and technological change, and helped run the Thiel Fellowship.
He serves on the board of the Seasteading Institute. Before his academic apostasy, he was working towards a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Oxford.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Michael’s Challenge; 2017 is the 500th anniversary of the 95 theses. Write you own declaration and post it somewhere in public.
Connect with Michael
Website
info@1517.com
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Kenny Chen serves as the Program Director of Ascender, where he focuses his attention on curating and delivering innovation programs and building collaborative relationships with people and organizations throughout Pittsburgh, as well as nationally and internationally.
This culminates each year with the Thrival Innovation + Music Festival, which brings together local and international influencers for multiple days of innovation-focused programs followed by a two-day outdoor music experience. On the side, Kenny is the co-founder of involveMINT, and serves on the boards for the Pittsburgh Entrepreneurs Forum and Social Venture Partners.
Kenny was born in Madison, WI, raised in Las Vegas, NV, and graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Psychology. He has worked in several places around the world, including San Francisco, Washington DC, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He came to Pittsburgh in 2014 for the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, a transformative experience that quickly gave him a wide breadth of knowledge and a deep love for the city.
Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Kenny’s Challenge; Intentionally seek out opportunities to interact with and learn from someone who doesn’t share your beliefs, views, or background.
Connect with Kenny
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all my interviews with the people shaping the future of Pittsburgh.
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Erik Voorhees, CEO of leading digital asset exchange ShapeShift.io, is among the top-recognized serial Bitcoin advocates and entrepreneurs, understanding Bitcoin as one of the most important inventions ever created by humanity. Erik's former project, the groundbreaking gaming phenomenon SatoshiDICE, was, at its peak, responsible for more than half of all Bitcoin transactions on Earth and popularized the concept of "provable fairness."
You should attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.
Erik’s Challenge; Get some Bitcoin and learn how to use it. Block explorer
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Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
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Mark joined WebKite in the summer of 2016 out of his excitement for the advertising technology space and the powerful products WebKite has developed to date. Machine learning and language technologies can do so much still to connect consumers to the products they need, and WebKite will continue to be a major player in that work.
When not at work, Mark can be found serving as his neighborhood’s borough councilman, an advisor to small and family-owned businesses, a sous chef for his lovely wife’s kitchen creations, and the kooky uncle to his cute niece Lindsey.
Mark is a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who has been working as the CEO of early-stage software companies for about five years. His first company, Student InTuition, merged to form Imagine Careers, Inc., a first-of-its-kind career discovery and engagement platform in the human capital space.
WebKite, Inc. is an advertising technology company leveraging machine learning to create the most efficient and specific advertising campaigns on the web. With PPC, Remarketing, and Display products across a number of sectors, we make your inventory soar!
Mark’s Challenge; Find a business in your local community and find a skill or service that could be useful to them.
Resources
Google Adwords Certification
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Connect with Mark
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all of our interviews with the most influential people of Pittsburgh.
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Barry Rabkin has over a decade of success founding, growing, and selling technology companies. An operational and strategic business leader, Barry's experience ranges from high growth, venture backed startups to Fortune 500 companies. He has also contributed to the development of over 100 successful physical and digital products.
Barry is proud to serve as Chief Marketing Officer of Identified Technologies, President of Hackers & Founders - PGH Chapter, Board Director of Jewish Family & Children's Services, He is also a guest Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and Strategist at Barry Brands Consulting where he advises and invests in many of the region's fastest growing start-ups.
Barry’s Challenge; Write out your do list for the day and systematically eliminate everything getting in the way of your primary goal.
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Connect with Barry
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 43 with Dick Zhang where we discuss Identified Technology for the first time, drone innovation, and entrepreneurship.
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Today’s episode is a conversation about Truth and Love. Both are often missing from our daily interactions, and Kim Scott wants to fix that.
Here NYT and WSJ bestselling book Radical Candor covers the leadership and communication lessons she learned while working for Sheryl Sandberg & Sergey Brin and Google and with Steve Jobs at Apple.
Whether you are a leader, consultant, or employee, you will benefit from injecting more radical candor into your meetings and discussion.
Kim’s Challenge; Focus on soliciting radical candor from someone you works with
Book
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
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Connect with Kim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our other most popular episodes.
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Risk is a word with numerous definitions. Riskalyze helps investors negotiate the risks they face.
Aaron Klein is the quintessential entrepreneur, spending his entire career working with entrepreneurial businesses at the intersection of finance and technology. He’s led companies or teams working on business operations software, payments technology for political candidates and causes, and mobile strategies for trading tools.
He co-founded Riskalyze in 2011 and has led the company through the building of its core technology. The company has grown to support over $2 billion in portfolios and twice been named one of The World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Finance by Fast Company Magazine.
Aaron’s Challenge; Find an apprenticeship to gain experience before starting your first business.
Resources
Nick Murray
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Connect with Aaron
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my interview with Wealthfront CEO Andy Rachleff and all of our other finance-related episodes.
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Ka Sundance is a location independent father of 6, YouTuber, and CEO of a $1 million heart-centered online business. Together with his wife Katie, he works to show aspiring business owners, coaches, and artists how to transform their lives and manifest more purpose, abundance, and freedom.
Today, Ka and Katie have impacted millions of people on social media, and have helped and inspired thousands of people to go from $0 to six figures in revenue by using principles they teach in their flagship program, Online Business School.
Ka’s Challenge; Don’t wait. Take action right now. Do something that makes you happy.
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Connect with Ka
YouTube
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my top interviews from over 230 interviews.
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Christian Simmons is a hustler and a visionary.
His company, Pennsylvania Libations, connects distillers, small businesses, and individuals, to one another with the intent of growing, experiencing, and preserving Pennsylvania spirits. He operates a one-of-a-kind retail store located in the heart of Pittsburgh.
In this discussion, we cover Christian’s long background in alcohol retail, how he has navigated regulatory hurdles, and his vision for the future. Learn more about the realities of living in an alcoholic beverage control state.
Christian’s Challenge; Wake up at 5am. Stop watching tv. Stop drinking so much. Get to work building something meaningful.
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Connect with Christian
Website
2103 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
If you liked this interview, check out our other interviews with Voodoo Brewery’s Jake Voelker and all the people shaping the future of Pittsburgh.
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Andy Rachleff is Wealthfront's co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer. He serves as a member of the board of trustees and vice chairman of the endowment investment committee for the University of Pennsylvania and as a member of the faculty at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he teaches courses on technology entrepreneurship.
Prior to Wealthfront, Andy co-founded and was a general partner at Benchmark Capital, where he was responsible for investing in a number of successful companies including Equinix, Juniper Networks, and Opsware. He also spent ten years as a general partner with Merrill, Pickard, Anderson & Eyre (MPAE). Andy earned his BS from the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Andy’s Challenge; Stop sitting on the sidelines and start investing in a diversified portfolio of index funds. Get an emergency fund.
Further Reading
Innovator’s Dilemna by Clayton Christensen
Innovator’s Solution by Clayton Christensen
A Random Walk down Wall Street by Burton G. Malkiel
Howard Marks, OakTree Capital Letters
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Connect with Andy
Website
Get an Additional $5,000 Managed for Free
Wealthfront.com/andy
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This post is inspired by Scott Young’s The Essential Education: If You Had Ten Years to Learn Anything, What Would You Do? In his post, Scott outlines his Ideal Ten-Year Self-Education Quest.
The fundamental premise is decoupling education from economic preparedness. If you had 10 years to learn whatever you wanted, purely for the sake of learning what would you study?.
What broad-based education plan would excite and challenge you?
Think of this as the educational equivalent to the what-would-you-do-with-a-million-dollars speculation. Let’s go.
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In the fall of 2013, Bryce Conway started a website teaching people how to save money while traveling the world. He learned the ins and outs of the credit card industry and the bonuses that landed him reward points and frequent flyer miles.
During our interview, he shares useful tips like signing up for Starwood and Hyatt hotel’s cards and avoiding Hilton and Delta. We also discuss how he has built his business and served thousands of people through building his site.
Bryce’s Challenges
- Google travel hacking.
- Think about what you do and figure out 2-3 ways to make money off of that. Write your skill and how to turn it into a business and put them somewhere you can see it every day.
Resources
Book a Trip to Paris for Under $300?
$24k Thailand Trip for $166
Churning Subreddit
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Connect with Bryce
Website
bryce@10xtravel.com
If you liked this interview, check out all of my best finance-related interviews.
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Molly Keyser has created two successful businesses, overcoming a common problem for entrepreneurs along the way. Beginning her entrepreneurial journey at 19 with just $0.81 to her name, Molly Marie first grew her boudoir photography business to six figures and became the envy of startup photographers everywhere.
Not long after you get over the hurdle of bringing in enough business to survive as an entrepreneur, she ran into a new roadblock—how do you scale your business in a way that allows you to work less, not more?
Requests started rolling in from other photographers wanting to know how she’d done it, presenting opportunities for additional revenue streams through digital products where she packaged her knowledge and saw her revenue explode.
Molly’s Challenge; Take a 14-day Email List building challenge. Set a goal and a plan out a method for accomplishing it.
Equipment
Canon Rebel Ti
Nikon D50
50mm 1.8 lens
Gift
Email List Building Guide
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Connect with Molly
YouTube
Venture Shorts
Boudoir Marketing Camp
If you liked this interview, check out our most popular episodes of all time.
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Jack du Rose is a former jewelry and diamond artist, current blockchain nerd and co-founder of Colony.io & Ownage.io. He is phenomenally excited by the power shift our decentralised future brings. When not making $100m diamond skulls, or paradigm changing social platforms, Jack enjoys a nice cup of tea and a sit-down.
Dr. Aron Fischer received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the City University of New York in 2015. His specialization was in Algebraic Topology and Homotopy theory. Since his graduation, he has been studying homotopy type theory in his free time and is interested in how (higher) type theory can help us write safer smart contracts.
He is working for Colony in R&D, developing the governance protocols, and for the Ethereum Foundation's Swarm team where he is working on state and payment channels for the swarm incentive structure.
Jack’s Challenge; Get involved in the Ethereum community and subreddit
Aron’s Challenge; Conduct your own Ethereum transaction.
Resources Mentioned
Ethereum Subreddit
Ethereum Github
Gitter.im
KanBan - Toyota’s Revolutionary Product System
Like my crypto episodes? Support the work!
Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
If you liked this interview, check out Episode 221 with Ryan Snowden or 158 with Roger Ver for a discussion of blockchains and crypto.
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Ed Latimore is a man of diverse talents and interests. When he is not training for a fight or challenging your sensibilities on Twitter, he is thinking deeply about culture and philosophy.
Latimore is also a patriot, having served as a radio technician specialist in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and an AmeriCorps volunteer. He is currently working to complete a degree in Physics and Electrical Engineering at Duquesne University.
When he is not strengthening his body for boxing, Latimore exercises his mind to stay sharp inside the ring by playing chess. He has traveled to Moscow and Berlin to compete against world-renowned chess players. Additionally, he is also a prolific writer having self-published several books and blogs regularly.
Ed’s Challenge; Do something you’re afraid of.
Ed’s Book
Not Caring What Other People Think Is A Superpower: Insights From a Heavyweight Boxer by Ed Latimore
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Connect with Ed
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 66 with Zak Slayback where we discuss dropping out of college, the value of apprenticeships, and the future of work.
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Thomas Mulliez is the visionary entrepreneur behind iTREKKERS. Tom founded the company in 2014 after realizing that bringing together vetted professional captains and guides on one platform would help guarantee everyone a better experience in the outdoors.
iTREKKERS is a combination of Tom’s desires to share his love of nature and to simplify the process of booking guided outdoor activities. His mission is threefold: to get people to experience the outdoors through iTREKKERS; to help people get outdoors, period, by providing useful tips and referrals; and to educate people about the outdoors and ways to be mindful.
Tom’s Challenge; Take 6 friends or family members and spend 4 hours outdoors.
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Connect with Tom
Website
If you liked this interview, check out Episode 97 with Adam Haritan where we discuss mushroom foraging, nutrition, and the great outdoors.
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Melissa returns to talk about her new Ultimate Frisbee Skills Course.
As a high level player and NCSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Melissa is on a mission to improve the sport of ultimate by giving players the tools they need to train like the serious athletes they are.
In addition to writing The Ultimate Athlete Handbook and starting The Ultimate Athlete Project, Melissa gives ultimate fitness clinics nationally and internationally. Gain access to many more of Melissa's articles and videos by signing up for her email list at 25UltimateTips.com
Resources
1% Rule
Ren Caldwell
Melissa’s Challenge; If you want something to happen within the next 3-5 years, you need to start today.
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Connect with Melissa
UltyResults
The Ultimate Athlete Project
25 Ultimate Tips
If you liked this interview, check out episode 18 for our first interview with Melissa, or check out our page of AUDL interviews.
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Kevin Bupp is a well-seasoned real estate investor and host of the top iTunes show Real Estate Investing for Cash Flow. Kevin has over 16 years experience investing in single family, multi family, raw land, commercial and his favorite, mobile home parks. He comes on Going Deep to share his story and some secrets for success.
Kevin now uses his experience to educate other investors on how to locate, acquire and create "higher than average" returns in the misunderstood niche of Mobile Home Park Investing. The margins are incredible.
Kevin’s Challenge; Build a plan for buying a property within the next 90 days.
Book Mentioned
The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How. by Daniel Coyle
Emerging Real Estate Markets: How to Find and Profit from Up-and-Coming Areas by David Lindahl
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Connect with Kevin
Personal Website
Sunrise Capital
If you liked this interview, check out our other real estate investing episodes with Jason Hartman and Mark Walker.
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Who wins? The person who works 6 hours per day or the person who works 10 hours per day?
Can you read one book per month? 12 per year?
Trying to write a book? Produce 2 pages per day and you'll have a 730-page manuscript at year's end.
Do simple things that lead to huge results.
Ryan Snowden is the Strategic Growth Coordinator at CB Insights, a National Science Foundation-backed technology market intelligence platform that provides predictive intelligence into emerging technology trends, startups and corporate strategy. Ryan is intertwined with sales and marketing operations, events, and special projects at CB Insights. His research provides insights for investors, Fortune 500 executives, among other early-adopters, and has positioned Ryan as an ambassador of Ethereum.
Prior to CB Insights, Ryan worked in sales for a handful of New York City and Pittsburgh-based startups while building an on-demand lead generation business. He holds a degree in Finance and General Management from the University of Pittsburgh, loves to play ultimate frisbee, and have long conversations about the implications of the blockchain.
Dapps (Decentralized Applications) Mentioned
Augur and Gnosis as prediction markets
Brave's Basic Attention Token
Coinbase's TokenBrowser and Status
Golem for decentralized computing
SingularDTV and Ujo Music for artists and content
uPort for self-sovereign identity
WeiFund for crowdfunding
Learn More
Devcon3
Future of Fintech conference- including previous guest Joe Lubin
Week in Ethereum News
Ryan’s Challenge; Do the research on Ethereum
Like my crypto episodes? Support the work!
Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
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Marta started her podcast, Marta on the Move, because she loves getting to know people, sitting down, and having real candid and comedic conversations. She covers a ton of interesting topics including board games, food, drinks, history, and everything in between. S
She is also an experienced solo traveler, having done tomb excavations in Sicily, restored a 10th-century castle in France, lived on a boat for whale and dolphin conservation, helped build houses for the homeless in Portugal, cleaned up the coral reefs, and treasure dove near Key West.
In this episode, we discuss growing through travel, Marta’s brush with death, and how to interview well.
Marta’s Challenge; Book that trip!
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Connect with Marta
Website
If you liked this interview, check out the Podcasting Panel I hosted with Marta at Thival 2016.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
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Jen Briney hosts Congressional Dish, a podcast covering the legislation that passes through Congress.
If you are an American, you are your Representative’s boss and Jen’s show will help you judge their job performance. Using the information from Congressional Dish, you can decide if their actions represent you and choose whether to re-hire or fire them. Jen does this by explaining complicated legislation in a way anyone can understand and exposing Representatives who accept legal bribes (“campaign contributions”) from industries that benefit from their bills.
Her tenacity and intellect are surpassed only by her passion for better governance and representation.
Jennifer’s Challenge; Communicate with your Congressman. Phone calls are most effective.
Resources
GovTrack.us
Wolf PAC
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Connect with Jennifer
Congressional Dish
If you liked this interview, check out episode 107 with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto where we discuss leadership and local politics.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
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Kevin started his career as a logistics officer for SWAT. This experience gave him insight into the criminal justice world and he soon found that training SWAT teams was the best way to reduce use of force while ensuring the national security of our country. Fulcrum Tactical was born out of that idea and within 18 months he took it from a charity to a for-profit company.
He started investing in startups on the side but focused on Fulcrum Tactical and his new venture, Fulcrum Farms, a sustainable farm producing high quality meat and eggs for families and restaurants in the Chicagoland area. After 6 years, Kevin sold Fulcrum Tactical and moved on to investing in startups full time by starting Fulcrum Investing.
Kevin’s Challenge; Set aside designated time every day to plan your next step.
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Connect with Kevin
State of Logic
If you liked this interview, check out our most popular episodes of all time.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
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Laurens Bensdorp is the founder and CEO of Trading Mastery School and has been making a risk-adjusted return of more than five times the S&P 500 since 2007.
After traveling the world coaching white-water rafting guides and starting and selling his own adventure tourism company, Laurens was hired to manage a small boutique venture capital company in the Netherlands and found his passion: trading and beating the markets.
Over years of analysis, Laurens developed automated, algorithm-driven trading platforms that combine psychology, technical analysis, statistics, and position-sizing principles to maximize profit and keep management time to virtually zero.
Laurens’ 2 Challenges
- Research the odds of success stock picking vs. an automated trading strategy
- Follow your passion
The Book
The 30-Minute Stock Trader: The Stress-Free Trading Strategy for Financial Freedom by Laurens Bensdorp
Book Recommendation
Market Wizards by Jack Schwager
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Connect with Laurens
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all of our interviews in the world of finance.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
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Noah Kagan is an American Internet entrepreneur and the founder of AppSumo. Kagan began his career at Intel as a marketing analyst in 2004. In late 2005, Kagan joined Facebook where he served as product manager for eight months. After being fired from Facebook, he then joined Mint as the director of marketing. At Mint, Kagan developed the initial marketing strategy for the launch of the website.
Noah was with Mint.com for 10 months and left the company prior to the product's launch in September 2007 at TechCrunch. After Mint, in June 2007, Kagan founded KickFlip, a payment company for social games.In March 2010 Kagan founded AppSumo, a daily deals website.
Noah’s Challenges
- Text someone close to you for feedback about how to be a better person.
- Remove one app from your phone that you haven’t used in over a month, or one podcast you have not listened to.
- Break the next awkward silence you experience.
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Connect with Noah
Podcast
YouTube
AppSumo
Sumo.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss the future of personal branding and book writing.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
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Langdon Morris leads an innovation consulting practice, Innovation Labs, where he is a senior partner and co-founder. His work focuses on developing and applying advanced methods in innovation and strategy to solve complex problems with very high levels of creativity.
He is recognized as one the world’s leading thinkers and consultants on innovation, and his original and ground-breaking work has been adopted by corporations and universities on every continent to help them improve their innovation processes and the results they achieve.
In the ever-changing and increasingly complex world of the 21st century, Langdon provides insight into the forces reshaping our world. Including;
-
Massive changes in technology
-
The impacts of climate change
-
Transformation of the global energy sector
-
Continuing urbanization
-
Fast-changing global culture
-
The corresponding social counter-revolution of those who oppose or cannot cope with accelerating change.
Langdon’s Book
Foresight and Extreme Creativity: Strategy for the 21st Century
Langdon’s Challenge; Look at the patterns that are behind the headlines and news that you’re learning on a daily basis.
Podcast Episode Referenced
146 Chef Bill Fuller
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Langdon
Website
Author page
Wikipedia
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss technological forces and how they will play out in the next two decades.
I like fasting. It works for me. It makes me feel more productive and clear-minded. Check out these links to learn more.
Consult a medical professional before doing anything drastic.
Terry Crews on Business Insider
Peter Attia
Invest Like the Best
TED Talk
Eating Academy
Dr. Rhonda Patrick
Joe Rogan #901 w/ Rhonda Patrick
FoundMyFitness.com
Zero by Kevin Rose
Download it. It’s free
Aaron’s Challenge: Experiment with this. Try it.
My Influencive Article on Fasting
Lin Eleoff is an internet business lawyer and certified professional coach.
Lin is the kind of lawyer that wants to help you avoid having to hire a lawyer because you suddenly find yourself in legal hot water.
In this conversation, we discuss the mistakes entrepreneurs make in building digital businesses and how to avoid them.
Every Online Entrepreneur Needs;
- A Privacy policy on their website
- A Disclaimer
- Terms and conditions
Lin’s Challenge; Personal audit of your values.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Lin
Website
CoverYourAssetsOnline.com (Never say "it'll never happen to me")
DIYLegalToolkit.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 162 with Kwame Christian, another lawyer, where we discuss the art of negotiation and finding mutually beneficial outcomes.
Jesse is a graduate from Union College with a degree in Computer Science and Economics. Throughout school, Jesse found an equally strong passion for electronic music and crypto currencies leading to a senior editor position at DancingAstronuat.com when he was just a Sophomore.
As Bitcoin was still an emerging technology when it was time to secure a summer internship, Jesse decided to enter the music industry at ID&T North America where he spent two months as the managing director of marketing for TomorrowWorld (music festival). After graduating Union, Jesse went on to work for SFX Entertainment, managing cashless payment technology and access control at live events; in addition to conducting research into the future of visitor event identification.
Jesse left SFX in December 2014 determined to find another company that promised to make a difference in the world. In the beginning of 2015, Jesse found ConsenSys and immediately got involved in the unnamed music project. Fast forward almost two years and Ujo Music is developing into the blockchain + music infrastructure.
Referenced Links
Imogen Heap’s “Tiny Human” on Ujo Music
Consensys Ethereum Project Incubator
Jesse’s Challenge; Find new music and share it with a friend.
Like my crypto episodes? Support the work!
Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
If you liked this interview, check out episode 159 with Joe Lubin where we discuss the Ethereum Project and its origins.
Jessica Rhodes is the founder and CEO of Interview Connections, the premier source for booking outstanding podcast guests. The Interview Connections team of Booking Agents works with podcasters to find and book guests for their shows. They also represent dozens of highly qualified guest experts to connect them with podcast hosts for interviews.
Jessica is the host of the weekly web TV show, Interview Connections TV, she’s the host of the Rhodes to Success and she is the co-host of The Podcast Producers, a ten episode audio series about the art and business of podcasting.
Jessica is the author of Podcast Interviews – 5 Proven Strategies to Help You Use the Power of Guest Interviews in Your Podcast, available on Amazon Kindle.
Jessica’s Challenge; Make an investment that scares you.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jessica
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my most popular episodes of all time.
Steve Hall is the Managing Partner of EHF Capital, LLC and a Co-Owner of the Atlanta Hustle, a professional Ultimate disc team in the American Ultimate Disc League. Steve is based in Charlotte, NC and formed EHF Capital in 2011 to invest his family’s portfolio in specialty chemical and niche manufacturing companies. Prior to EHF Capital, Steve was the Director of Investor Relations of Conversus Capital, the largest publicly traded portfolio of private equity funds with over $2.5 billion in assets under management.
Before moving to Charlotte in 2009, Steve and his family lived in New York. During that time, he was a Managing Director in Institutional sales for Citi Alternative Investments and a Vice President for Goldman Sachs in the Investment Management and Fixed Income divisions. Steve also spent three years with ING Investment Management where he assisted in the management of the fixed income portfolios of several insurance lines. He received his MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in 1993 and his Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1988.
Steve is married to Christy Edwards Hall and they have two teenage boys, Ian and Connor. Outside of his time focused on the financial markets and Ultimate, Steve is an Adventure Racer for NCARS.
Connect with Steve
Twitter
Website
steve.hall@atlantahustle.com
If you liked this interview, check out all of my previous AUDL interviews.
Mike DeNardis is one of the owners and founders of the Raleigh Flyers, a professional ultimate Frisbee team in the AUDL. Mike has been intimately involved with Ultimate Frisbee for over twenty years and a player and coach. He has coached youth, college, and club, most recently leading both The University of North Carolina’s men’s team Darkside and the men’s club team Ring of Fire out of Raleigh.
Mike grew up in Chicago, Il and currently works as an Energy Derivatives Broker in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Mike’s Challenge; Use your history and knowledge base to innovate in whatever endeavors you take on.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Raleigh Flyers
Website
Connect with Mike
If you liked this interview, check out my AUDL interviews, including episode 204 with Tim Held where we discuss getting into the AUDL from day one, the challenges of running the Indianapolis Alleycats, and his plans for the future.
Mark has been an active real estate investor since 2004, so he brought a wealth of knowledge with him when he founded Luxmana Investments in 2011. He started out as a part-time investor––holding a full-time job in high tech––and his passion for real estate enabled him to escape the rat race of Corporate America.
Prior to Luxmana, Mark succeeded in multiple development projects in the trendy Highlands and Berkeley areas of Denver, Colorado. Since then, he's acquired dozens of residential and multifamily income properties through Luxmana Investments LLC, which he founded in 2011, and Peak Margin Partners LLC, which he co-founded in 2013.
Mark has successfully overseen the operations of his own assets, and that of other investors, in Colorado, Texas, Florida and Illinois. This includes his active involvement with MBP Capital and Catalyst Multifamily Management—a highly successful multifamily investment, management and brokerage firm. During this tenure, Mark has had property management oversight of his Dallas area multifamily portfolio, while assisting with acquisitions and dispositions of assets as well.
Real Estate Book Recommendations
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Rich Dad Advisor Series
Mark’s Challenge; Learning leads to taking action. Take some sort of action today. You can analyze real estate deals at BiggerPockets.com.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Free Gift for Listeners:
http://www.luxmana.com/goingdeep
Connect with Mark Walker
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 80 with Jason Hartman where we discuss real estate investing.
In this episode I interview my girlfriend, Ashley.
We’ve been living the digital nomad lifestyle for a quarter of a year and reflect on the great food we’ve eaten and the lessons we’ve learned.
We want to hear from you. Questions? Recommendations? Let me know.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Ashley
Snapchat
Website
If you liked this interview, check out the first time I interviewed Ashley in episode 98 about mistakes people make on Snapchat.
Josh Elledge is the Founder of Angel of SavingsAngel.com, which bolsters the buying power of the average U.S. family by combining technology, coupons and smart thinking for extreme savings on household consumables and everyday items.
He is also the Founder of upendPR, a software as a service / membership-based website providing step-by-step video coaching, live training, direct access to over 1 million media contacts, media monitoring for ongoing story-ideas, agency-level journalist inquiry monitoring, ongoing pitch creation, and impactful consulting for entrepreneurs and startups seeking to exponentially increase sales & traffic.
Through his work with SavingsAngel.com, Josh has emerged as one of the nation’s leading experts on consumer savings. Josh’s technologic tinkering cut his family of five’s monthly grocery bill by half, to $300, and created SavingsAngel.com, the most comprehensive coupon and sale matching service available. SavingsAngel.com has become a major operation employing up to 50 employees and grossing more than $5 million in sales with less than $500 in advertising spent.
Through the years, Josh has consulted dozens of successful entrepreneurs – assisting them in creating the same sort of success he’s earned. That consulting eventually led to the creation of upendPR.com – which is designed to consult with and provide the tools for entrepreneurs who want to dramatically increase their own sales by attracting the perfect audiences without the typical expense associated with a PR firm.
Josh’s Audiobook Recommendations
The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Josh’s Gift
Free Twitter Course
Josh’s Challenge; Spend the next 30 days building your authority, then ask for feedback.
Aaron’s Book Recommendation
To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others Paperback by Daniel H. Pink
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Josh
Website
If you liked this interview, check out my most popular episodes.
Tim is owner of the Indianapolis AlleyCats, who have a five year record of 41-33 in the regular season and a 1-3 record in playoffs.
Indy is one of the "original eight" teams that started the league in 2012. Only Detroit and Indianapolis are still in existence.
Tim has been in the sports licensed sports business for over 20 years. The AlleyCats are his first experience in the sports entertainment business.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Tim
Website
tim.held@myalleycats.com
If you liked this interview, check out all of my other AUDL interviews.
Over the last quarter century Damion Lupo has started and owned more than 30 different companies including an insurance agency, a precious metals firm, a venture capital company, a financial consulting firm, and more than a dozen real estate investment and development companies. He’s also the founder of Yokido, his own martial art and holds 3 other black belts.
Damion has published 5 books and is a sought-after financial consultant for accredited investors and business owners. Using a vast knowledge of financial markets, money psychology and pattern recognition he’s an expert at quickly diagnosing hidden financial cancers with clients and their organizations and rewiring both for success. Damion’s personal philosophy centers on Self Responsibility and a conviction that the only path to freedom is through candor, growth and a big vision.
That big vision ideal is what drove him to found Total Control Financial in 2016 and design everything around 10X growth and 10X impact for the client, the team and the shareholders.
Damion’s Challenge; Ask yourself, “What is true?” and grab Damion’s book and try out the exercise.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Damion
Website
If you liked this interview, check out our collection of interviews with financial advisors, investors, and other financial thought leaders.
After 200 episodes, I’ve learned a thing or two about podcasting. Here are the 9 rules any one, newbie or pro, can follow to see better results.
Listen and learn.
Let's connect.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AaronWatson59
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aaronwatson59/
Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/add/aaron_watson
Newsletter - http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/join.html
Jon Westenberg is an entrepreneur, a passionate creative and a business and transformational consultant. He started his first company at 18, walking off the grill of a McDonald's to create a music management company. Since then, he has worked with startups, spoken at events across the globe and completed consulting contracts for major corporations.
He as recently risen in profile with prolific writing on Medium.
Jon’s Book Recommendations
Life After God by Douglas Coupland
The Philosopher's Stone: Alchemy and the Secret Research for Exotic Matter by Joseph Farrell
Jon’s Challenge; Push the time when you first look at your phone each day back by one hour.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jon
Medium
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 113 with Todd Brison where we discuss writing, building an effective career, and Snapchat geofilters.
I wanted to reflect on what I’ve learned from 200 episodes of my podcast. I hope it helps you.
Let me know what you think.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AaronWatson59
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aaronwatson59/
Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/add/aaron_wa...
Newsletter - http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/join.html
Steve Gordon is co-founder and President of Ultimate Xperience Ventures, LLC, a sports and entertainment holding company that owns a majority interest in the American Ultimate Disc League. Steve also serves as the AUDL League Commissioner.
Steve is also the managing partner of the Chicago Wildfire, Chicago's professional Ultimate Disc team that play in the 2013 season.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Steve
Website
sgordon@theaudl.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 62 where I first spoke with Commissioner Steve Gordon about joining the AUDL and expansion plans.
Kristin Lindeen is the daughter of author John Miller who wrote, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question. So growing up, Kristin was steeped in the QBQ! message of personal accountability. With this background, she is uniquely equipped to share it with others. Her clients include corporations, associations, schools, churches, and nonprofits.
Kristin holds an M.A. in Curriculum, Instruction and Corporate Education from Colorado Christian University, and enjoys delivering practical content to groups with a style that is energetic and fun. She is also certified to administer and facilitate the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator and enjoys doing this with individuals and teams.
Kristen’s Challenge; Think of the person in your life who is frustrating you the most right now. Connect with them within the next 48 hours and ask them “What can I do to better understand you?”
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Kristen
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 187 with Grant Oliphant where we discuss building a more just society and transforming communities.
Jordan E. Goodman is “America’s Money Answers Man” and a nationally-recognized expert on personal finance. For 18 years, Jordan was on the editorial staff of Money magazine, where he served as Wall Street correspondent. While at Money, he reported and wrote on virtually every aspect of personal finance.
In addition, he served as weekly financial analyst on NBC News at Sunrise for 9 years and the daily business news commentator on Mutual Broadcasting System’s America in the Morning show for 8 years.
He is the author/co-author of 13 best-selling books on personal finance including Master Your Debt Fast Profits in Hard Times, Everyone’s Money Book, and Master Your Money Type.
Jordan’s Challenge; Start saving in your 401(k) right now and do so as aggressively as possible.
References
HELOC Home Repayment
Commercial Real Estate Income Funds
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jordan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out all of my previous finance interviews.
Elaine Heney grew her Merch by Amazon business to 6 figures, selling over $128,295 with profit of $53,000 in her first 10 months . Elaine is the CEO of Merch Entrepreneur and host of the Merch Entrepreneur podcast.
Over the last 3 years, Elaine is also triple #1 best selling author, international keynote speaker, movie producer and Amazon FBA and Merch consultant. She has also published over 300 mobile apps across Amazon, Apple & Google, and enjoyed over 20 million app downloads and over 50 #1s worldwide.
Elaine’s Challenges
- Apply for the Amazon Merch Program
- Walk 10,000 steps ever day for a week and listen to business podcasts while you do it.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Elaine
Facebook group
Podcast
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss best-selling books, entrepreneurship, and self-awareness.
Coming from a marketing and sales background, Felix was part of the founding teams behind the Next Gen Summit and Sup-X, where he ran the Marketing and Sales division. As a branding consultant, Felix worked with countless startups and has had #1 best selling product launches. A former trader, Hartmann is particularly excited about creating the most innovative Equity Crowdfunding Platform on the web.
When not running the show at FundThis as CEO, Hartmann is a rising fiction writer, who has been nominated for the Dragon Awards and dominated the Amazon Bestseller lists with his debut novel, Dark Age.
Felix’s Challenge; Get started. Set aside 1-2 hours in the next 48 hours to chase your dream. Cut out something less important.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Felix
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 119 with Robin Hanson where we discuss a potential future where humans and computers merge.
Andrew Gardner was born and raised in northeast Ohio before moving to Pittsburgh in 2014, graduating from Miami University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Leadership & Management. His passion for working in sports started when as a Box Office Associate for a minor league baseball team, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a single-A affiliate for the Cleveland Indians in Niles, Ohio.
Andrew has also worked for Miami University's' Athletic Communications Department, planned, hosted, directed and coordinated a home ultimate tournament at my University, and even sold 50/50 raffle tickets for the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation on the side. He is motivated to bring that passion for ultimate and sports business to the city of Pittsburgh through the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds, a professional ultimate disc team he helped to create.
Anndrew’s Challenge; Undertake a project that you know nothing about.
Free Email at Zoho mail
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Andrew
Website
If you liked this interview, check out one of our many previous AUDL podcasts including episodes with commissioner Steve Gordon, Madison Radicals’ Tim DeByl, and Dallas Roughnecks Jim Gerenscer.
Graham Hill is the founder of LifeEdited, dedicated to helping people design their lives for more happiness with less stuff. When he started the company in 2010, it brought the ideas of his previous project, the eco-blog and vlog TreeHugger.com, into design and architecture.
Before Treehugger, Hill studied architecture and design (his side business is making those cool ceramic Greek coffee cups). His other company, ExceptionLab, is devoted to creating sustainable prototypes, like lamps made from recycled blinds and ultra-mod planters that are also air filters.
Hill is the author of a book called Weekday Vegetarian.
Check out
Graham’s NYT Op-ed & Graham’s TED talk
Graham’s THREE Challenges
- Organize an area with three boxes, Keep, Get Rid of, and Maybe. Keep the Maybe box for 3-6 months then get rid of everything you didn’t use.
- Use renewable, sustainable energy.
- Meatless weekdays
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Graham
Connect with LifeEdited
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 183 with Oliver Luckett where we discuss the modern world of social media and tech.
Alex Chua works at Ecolab as a Manager in Finance Planning and Analysis. Alex began his nonprofit experience at various organizations including College Houses in Austin, Junior Achievement, The Woodlands Marathon, The Houston Rodeo, and the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston as a part of his MBA.
As a kid, Alex developed a love of chess and became a chess master. He enjoys guitar, travel, and healthy eating. Alex is a certified public accountant in the state of Texas. His current interests include issues related to civil rights, independent journalism, and government oversight.
Book Recommendations
SuperForecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip E. Tetlock
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
Anthony’s Challenge; This week, make a list of 5 causes you feel are most important to society. Cross out the cause you feel least passionate about. Keep crossing out causes until you have 1 or 2 remaining. Research existing local and national organizations that work on your cause and join.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Anthony
Medium
Website
Chess
If you liked this interview, check out episode 162 with Kwame Christian where we discuss negotiation and making deals.
A friend of mine inspired me to do this episode. We were having coffee and I rattled off a few names of folks that I read or listened to and he hadn’t heard of a few of the names. He encouraged me to share my influences so that others could learn from their wisdom.
The point of the exercise is to hopefully enable you to discover new people to follow and learn from. So I’m not going to mention the countless individuals in my personal life who teach me the most.
If I did, my dad would be at the top of this list. There are many others who don't actively share their knowledge through media and prefer more private lives.
Systems Thinking
Tyler Cowen, Dan Carlin, and Nassim Taleb
Business
Ben Thompson, Gary Vaynerchuk, Warren Buffett, and Scott Galloway
Culture & Vision
Venkatesh Rao & Taylor Pearson
Productivity
David Allen & Tiago Forte
Health & the Natural World
Adam Haritan
Learning and Reading
Mike Dariano
Finance
Barry Ritholtz, Josh Brown, Ben Carlson, and Michael Batnick.
I am also constantly on the hunt for more people from whom I can learn. Who are some of your biggest influences?
Tucker Matheson and Pichon Duplan are management consultants at PriceWaterhouseCooper. They are passionate about helping college students, and recent grads, understand how to get the most out of their degree. They’ve brought their diverse backgrounds together to create one voice in their first book.
Book
Fast Forward: What Is Your College Degree Worth?
The Challenge; Think of one thing you’ve been interested in doing and go make it happen.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Tucker & Pichon
Tucker
Pichon
Website
YouTube
If you liked this interview, check out episode 131 with Larry Gioia where we discuss how to make more quality connections.
“I was not able to fully appreciate the beauty of my detours until I was able to share them. As a performer, all I’ve wanted to do was give back to the world. But now I have an even greater gift to give: a story to tell.”
Amy grew up believing that her entire life would be dedicated to the performing arts. Now, she identifies as a survivor and “thriver” of sexual abuse, 27 surgeries, coma, organ failure, and the PTSD that comes from ten years of trauma – or what she now calls her “beautiful detour.”
At 18, years old, a blood clot caused Amy’s body to go into septic shock. She was in a coma for six months, and after a total gastrectomy, was unable to eat or drink a drop of water for six of the past ten years. After 27 surgeries, she was miraculously reconnected with the intestines she had left. To persevere through those tumultuous years took great inner and outer strength.
She has learned that the human spirit feeds off of hope, and hope is fuel we can cultivate ourselves. Ultimately, she learned that with resourcefulness, creativity, and unwavering curiosity, we can transform any adversity into personal growth and a resilience that is uniquely ours.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Amy
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 184 with the Drinking Partners Ed Bailer and Day Bracey, where we discuss comedy and the business of comedy.
Grant Oliphant is president of The Heinz Endowments. For nearly two decades, Grant held several senior management posts with Heinz family foundations, including vice president for programs and planning at the Endowments, his position before taking over the helm at The Pittsburgh Foundation in 2008. He also served as press secretary to the late U.S. Sen. John Heinz from 1988 until the senator’s death in 1991.
If there’s a major project happening in Pittsburgh, chances are that Oliphant is pulling the strings. His six-year tenure atop The Pittsburgh Foundation saw that organization increase its assets by a third in the middle of a recession; even more impressively, that foundation oversaw the recruiting and hiring of Mayor Bill Peduto’s senior staff through its Talent City initiative. Oliphant quickly has made his presence known at Heinz, which shortly after his arrival in May 2014 jettisoned a controversial connection to the Center for Sustainable Shale Development.
Since then, he’s overseen the P4 Conference on urbanism in April, became the primary force in development of the 178-acre Almono site in Hazelwood, brokered the sale of the August Wilson Center for African American Culture to Heinz and other foundations and forged close ties to the Peduto administration.
Grant’s Challenge; Work to move your worldview from “me” to “we”.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Grant
Grant's Twitter
Heniz’s Twitter
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 107 with Bill Peduto where we discuss the evolution of Pittsburgh or episode 130 with Ray Gastil where we discuss the challenges of city planning and reorganizing Pittsburgh’s communities.
Head over to goingdeepwithaaron.com/callahan for more information.
Vote for Carl Morgenstern in 2017.
https://twitter.com/PittUltimate
Kyle Crawford is the CEO & Founder of Fundraising Genius, where he combines his love of design, technology, and social good into one of the most innovative organizations for people raising money. He has advised leaders from universities, foundations, tech companies, and nonprofits. He’s also presented on design, data, and social innovation at conferences of all sizes.
In 2015, Kyle built the gamified social innovation community, Dwilly, where he personally curated more than 3,000 innovative solutions to pressing social issues from a global audience of fundraisers, entrepreneurs, engineers, social workers, and designers. Prior to that, he worked in healthcare philanthropy managing the design and data for an innovative and hugely successful 25-site statewide HIV care model that has since been replicated and funded as a national model for linking and retaining people living with HIV/AIDS in medical care.
Kyle’s Challenge; Set up a scheduled, anonymous donation. Don’t tell anyone that you’ve done it.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Kyle
Fundraising Genius
Website
kyle@kylecrawford.co
If you liked this interview, check out episode 114 with Dan Bull where we discuss getting the previously incarcerated back to work.
Raised in the home of a Pittsburgh entrepreneur, Michelle Flynn developed an interest for new creative development leading her to burghTV – Pittsburgh’s Snapchat Story and 2017 Winner of Pittsburgh's PR Disruptor of the Year. She uses her training as a professional theatre and film actress to host the channel showing off Pittsburgh's hidden gems. When not snapping for burghTV, Michelle can be found chatting with her fellow sales and marketing co-workers at Truefit – a Pittsburgh-based software product innovation firm.
Prior to her involvement with Truefit, Michelle served as a student liaison for Kent State University (her alma mater) surpassing record quotas for reconnecting alumni to the University and leading to increased alumni involvement and donorship. A proud member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Michelle continues to work in the hopes of sharing her story with this professional organization
Michelle’s Challenge; Do something different, outside your comfort zone, like an acting class.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Michelle
Snapchat
BurghTv
Snapchat
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lennarduzzi where we discuss Snapchat, YouTube and being your own boss.
Born and raised in Cleveland, OH, Ed Bailey’s family noticed his quick wit early on in life. While that wit sometimes landed him in trouble, it often was the source of great entertainment for those who bore witness. After high school, the University of Pittsburgh brought him to Pittsburgh, PA where he would make a name for himself as a comedian. During his brief career as a comedian, Ed has been able to capture the attention of some of the most recognizable figures in comedy such as Eddie Griffin and Hannibal Burress which is a testament to his ability to relate to anyone while on stage. His talents have also landed him a successful podcast that he co-hosts with comedian Day Bracey called Drinking Partners on the Epicast Network.
A polygamist, simultaneously married to bacon and booze, Day Bracey once led a mostly private life, in fear of persecution from a conservative right winged christian society who wouldn’t understand his inability to choose between two loves. Armed with his sword of common sense and shield of free thought, Day Bracey now roams the Earth, striking down ignorance and BS wherever they may rear their ugly heads. A guerrilla against a well established army of stupidity, his methods of attack have been described as surprising and borderline radical, but precise and well planned. Also, he tells poop jokes.
Ed’s Challenge; Go support a local artist.
Day’s Challenge; Read a history book day.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Day
Website
Connect with Ed
Listen to the Drinking Partners Podcast
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss writing NYT bestsellers and writing your own book.
Oliver Luckett is a bona fide tech mogul. Having starting multiple companies and worked for clients like Russell Brand, Steve Aoki, Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg, the Chainsmokers, and Pitbull, he knows branding online.
Oliver most recently sold his company theAudience, co-founded with Ari Emanuel of William Morris and tech entrepreneur Sean Parker. Prior, Oliver was CEO and co-founder of DigiSynd, a Walt Disney Company, and previously Oliver co-founded Revver, which helped kick off new media with their novel concept of the video rev-share.
Prior to Revver, Oliver took the Norman Lear "Declare Yourself" campaign to the Internet and gathered more than one million new online voter registrations.
Oliver still cherishes his bachelor's degree in French Literature from Vanderbilt University and recently moved to a home in Iceland.
Oliver’s Book
The Social Organism: A Radical Understanding of Social Media to Transform Your Business and Life
Oliver’s Challenge; Reverse engineer the success that you hope to achieve.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Oliver
revilo@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss the future of branding and how to write a book.
Teresa Chahine, the Program Leader for Social Entrepreneurship at Harvard, literally wrote the book on Social Entrepreneurship. Social Entrepreneurship is a revolution occurring around the world today, where people from all walks of life are developing and implementing innovative, effective, and sustainable solutions in response to social and environmental challenges.
These solutions include products, services, frameworks and interventions brought to market by both new startups and existing organizations, whether for-profit or non-profit. Her Book Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship summarizes the basic steps and tools needed to understand the challenge you are tackling, imagine and prototype potential solutions, build a business model, measure and grow your impact.
Teresa’s Textbook
Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
Teresa’s Challenge; Make a list of 3 things that really piss you off. Pick one to work on and join forces with others who share your mission.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Teresa
If you liked this interview, check out episode 134 with Gisele Fetterman where we discuss helping the less fortunate and transforming a town.
Reed Verdesoto’s business is ReedVerde. For the past 5 years he has worked in ministry creating music, film, and photographs for the Church. He has met many artists and students through collaboration who have imparted their wisdom and technical skills upon him and his work.
Reed enjoys the creative process, and being able to provide for his family. He hopes to create something that can be enjoyed and shared.
Reed’s Challenge; You have friends that do something amazing. Ask them to show you how they do it.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Reed
Website
Reed’s Wife
@katyverde
If you liked this interview, check out episode 68 with Wes Shonk where we discuss whiskey, bartending, and how to drink well.
Tom Corson-Knowles is an entrepreneur, blogger, and international bestselling author. Today, he teaches new and established authors and writers how to achieve incredible success by writing and selling ebooks on Amazon Kindle.
Tom is the founder of TCK Publishing, an international trade book publisher that is leading the industry in providing advanced marketing support for authors. TCK Publishing specializes in marketing for both fiction and nonfiction authors to help get their messages and stories out to millions of readers all over the world.
Tom’s Challenge; Spend 15 minutes without any distractions (no phone or people) to think about the primary problems in your life and work on solutions.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Tom
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 127 with Jim Miller where we discuss writing a 700 page oral history.
Kaelon started working in the public school sector when he was 19. He pursued business management in IT in college, but, like some well-known entrepreneurs, always found himself too entrenched in my work to focus on school. Kaelon held almost every position there was to hold in IT, eventually broadening his reach by working with school districts around the world for a Student Information System technology company.
Having the opportunity to work with thousands of schools, Kaelon gained a deep appreciation for and understanding of the data collection needs school districts have. He used that experience to build partnerships with school districts who utilize his paperless platform - with a goal to fundamentally improve data collection processes through an integrated ecosystem and reduce paper, providing schools with more time to focus on student learning.
While not a native Pittsburgher, Kaelon has lived here most of his life and is proud to contribute to the city’s entrepreneurial spirit. Much like the shift Pittsburgh made from coal and steel to environmentally friendly and sustainable energy, school districts around the world are making that shift as well.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
Kaelon’s Challenge; Take one day and spend it thinking of time as an investment, paying attention to what gives you the greatest return. Things that last longer than the time invested will typically be a good example.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Kaelon
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 8 with our friend Jason Miller where we discuss starting a website as a side hustle.
I am a 25-year-old journalist based in Harlem, NY. I was born in Trenton, NJ and got my start in journalism as the sports editor for The Pitt News. I have lived, studied, traveled or written all over United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Israel, Egypt, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Alaska, and West Texas, which I've come to consider a country of its own.
Over the course of eight years, I've reported on racism that drives sports fandom, how Harlem is combating gang violence, what harsh rhetoric and 9/11 security has done to our borders and the most unique home in America. My re-telling of the infamous murder of William Vassar won me a first place award in Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods in Transition writing competition. My endorsement of Hillary Clinton received over four million views and altered the conversation around millennial support of the Democratic nominee. Yahoo subsequently named me one of the 16 people who shaped the 2016 election alongside Khizr Khan, Bo Copley and others.
In 2015, my investigative piece on predatory payday loans changed public policy when it was cited by Maxine Waters in a letter to congress urging Universities and retirement plans to divest from certain lending services. After losing several classmates to heroin overdoses, I took a deep dive into what caused our country's epidemic of opioid addiction. I have covered everything from gay rodeos to why G-d doesn't care about football.
When I left The Huffington Post, where I started my professional writing career, I worked alongside Ashton Kutcher and a talented team to build A Plus, one of the world's largest positive news outlets. We are home to the silver lining. My work has appeared on CNN, The Huffington Post, Medium, The Daily Mail, A Plus and more. A Plus was recently acquired by Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can check out my weekly column "A Grain of Saul" on A Plus every Tuesday morning. You can follow me on Twitter here, where I spend an inordinate amount of time tweeting angrily about America.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Isaac
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 17 for the first interview with Isaac.
Josh Moore founded the American Ultimate Disc League in April 2012.
The American Ultimate Disc League is the first and largest professional ultimate league in the world. It strives to maintain the sport’s rich history, and its 24 franchises embody the robust spirit of ultimate's players, fans, and community alike.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Josh
YouTube
Website
josh.moore@audl.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 164 with Don Grage where we discuss running the Washington DC Breeze and recruiting talent.
Robert Scoble is an American blogger, technical evangelist, and author. Scoble is best known for his blog, Scobleizer, which came to prominence during his tenure as a technology evangelist at Microsoft. He later worked for Fast Company as a video blogger, and then Rackspace and the Rackspace sponsored community site Building 43 promoting breakthrough technology and startups.
He currently works for Upload VR — a new media site covering virtual and augmented reality — as its entrepreneur in residence, where he develops new shows, events, and works with other entrepreneurs in the Upload Collective, a coworking space for virtual reality-focused startups.
Mentioned
Fragments Game on Microsoft Hololens
Robert’s Challenge; Get VR. Use it to connect with others. If you don’t, you’ll be out of business.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Robert
Website
Podcast
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the inevitable forces that will shape our future or episode 111 with Kash Dhanda where we discuss virtual reality and building a digital marketing agency.
Jacob Zax’s company, Edify, develops technologies that make learning more fun, creative, and accessible for people around the world.
Their current focus is music, with a new app, MusiQuest, that inspires beginners to love and understand music by teaching them to compose their own songs in styles from pop to classical. MusiQuest is an educational expansion of their first app, Sketch-a-Song, which has been used by over 300,000 people to create over 2,000,000 pieces to date.
Jacob’s Challenge; Diversify the media sources that you are consuming.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jacob
Website
jacob@edify.co
If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Matt Keener where we discuss telemedicine and delivering brain health.
Calvin Wayman is an author, speaker, sales expert and social media entrepreneur. In his early twenties, being awkward and shy, he held a company record for the WORST performance a sales agent ever had. After almost being fired, he found a mentor and went on from having the worst performance to the best. He attributes his tenacity of “never giving up” to lessons he learned going out and knocking on random households, selling door-to-door.
In 2016 alone, Calvin Wayman started a social media management business, wrote his first book, and was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Social Media Examiner, The Huffington Post. He was also named one of “The Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under The Age of 30” by Influencive.com.
Calvin’s 4 C’s of Social Media
Content - Show you Exist
Context - Know the Platform
Consistency - Build Trust & Brand
Connection - Create Real Relationships
Calvin’s Book
Fish Out of Water: The Guide to Achieving Breakthrough and Permanently Transforming into the New You
Calvin’s Challenge; Take a legit cold shower. It toughens your psyche and helps you focus on success.
Calvin’s Gift
Free Social Media Makeover
Connect with Calvin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 144 with Clinton Senkow where we discuss global entrepreneurship, influence, and developing your writing skills.
Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
Check out my most recent Instagram post for the book giveaway.
Three of my favorite challenges featured in this episode.
Also a reading from this great book;
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Aaron
Snapchat
Go check out that post on Instagram.
Mike’s Best Books
- Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram
- Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight
- The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing by Michael Mauboussin
- The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
- Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt by David McCullough
- One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
Aaron’s Best Books
- Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood's Creative Artists Agency by James Andrew Miller
- Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman
- Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson
- The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future by Kevin Kelly
Mike’s Favorite Subscriptions
- 25 IQ blog
- Farnam Street Sunday Email
Aaron’s Favorite Subscriptions
- The Gervais Principle from Ribbonfarm
- The Last Psychiatrist
Mike’s Preferred Podcasts
- Invest Like the Best
- How I Built This
- Jocko Podcast
Aaron’s Preferred Podcasts
- Reply All from Gimlet
- 3lau HAUS
Aaron’s Recommend YouTube Channels
- Nerdwriter
- Adam Ruins Everything
Also Mentioned
The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian
Smarter Faster Better: The Transformative Power of Real Productivity by Charles Duhigg
What were your favorites of 2016? Please let us know!
NEW SPONSOR ALERT!
Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by Audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/Aaron. With over 180,000 titles to choose from, you can enjoy from any mobile device.
Connect with Mike
Medium
Website
It was an honor to feature this mix. JRod is an emerging DJ out of Pittsburgh fresh off his festival debut at Thrival 2016. Stay tuned for big things from him in 2017.
Track List
Team - Krewella
Get Low - Dillon Francis and DJ Snake
Bangarang - Skrillex
Shut It Down - Party Favor and Dillon Francis
Alone (Slushii Remix) - Marshmello
Core - RL Grime
Core (Sharps Remix) - RL Grime
Dead (NGHTMRE Remix) - Slander
Both - Gucci Mane ft. Drake
Bad Things - Nom De Strip
Need You (DJ Hanzel and Drezo Remix) - Dillon Francis and NGHTMRE
Jawbreaker - Callie Reiff and Kandy
Lean On (Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike Festival Remix) - Major Lazer ft. Mo
Let Me Love You (Don Diablo Remix) - DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
Feel The Volume (JOYRYDE stick it in reverse remix) - Jauz
The Bomb (Live Mashup) - Bucketheads vs Kaaze vs Norman Doray
All We Know (Oliver Heldens Remix) - The Chainsmokers
Connect with JRod
Soundcloud
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 167 with Louie La Vella where we discuss music promotion and marketing music festivals.
Bonin Bough is one of the foremost-awarded marketing executives in his field, the host of the CNBC reality show Cleveland Hustles, and the author of Txt Me (646) 759-1837. Throughout his illustrious career as one of the youngest C-suite executives in a Fortune 50 company, Bough has spearheaded some of the industry’s largest global marketing campaigns across digital, mobile, television, print, and experiential, including the premier of the first ever 3D printed food product, the customizable, real-time 3D printed Oreo at South by Southwest.
Having served as the Chief Media & eCommerce Officer at Mondelēz International (formerly Kraft Foods) for the last four years, Bough has created some of the first marketing programs across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Paramount Films, ABC, NBC, Fox, to name a few, and takes precedence in fostering partnerships with startups including Instagram, Foursquare, and Buzzfeed. Before working at Mondelēz International, Bough led digital marketing globally for PepsiCo. Bough is seen as one of the top mobile marketers in the world, having been named “Mobile Marketer of the Year” by the MMA.
Over ten years of experience in the space, ranging from digital marketing, strategic planning and project execution to leading and building global digital marketing practices within agencies and on the client side. With a focus on creating industry-leading practices like Gatorade Mission Control, the industry's first model for real-time marketing, and PepsiCo10, a global digital innovation platform.
Bonin’s Book
Txt Me: Your Phone Has Changed Your Life. Let’s Talk about It
Bonin’s Challenge; Dedicate time to making a person or group better than they thought they could be. The mark of a great number one, is where their number two goes to lead.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Bonin
Website
(646) 759-1837
If you liked this interview, check out episode 161 with Tim Summers where we discuss how hackers think, or episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss brand building and book writing.
Ras Asan is the cofounder and CMO of Breaux Capital, a fintech startup dedicated to serving black male millennials.
Ras Asan is an early-stage business strategist and entrepreneur with a social conscience. Black Enterprise, CentricTV, Chicago Tribune, and New York Times have all covered Ras' work to increase higher education access and raise financial literacy awareness in traditionally underserved communities. Ras is also editor and head writer at The Crazy Rational, as well as a contributor to several other online publications.
Ras’s Challenge; Embrace doing nothing and being still.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Ras
The Crazy Rational
Breaux Capital
If you liked this interview, check out episode 126 with Derrius Quarles where we discuss scholarship, growing up on the southside of Chicago, and the current social climate.
Louie has been called a Media-preneur: Combining a successful TV executive producer and host role with being a sought after marketing/branding consultant in the nightlife and music industry. In his television days he had the opportunity to interview the likes of Lady Gaga, Richard Branson, Backstreet Boys, and more.
Louie La Vella’s clients include entertainment personalities, nightclubs, concerts and festivals, and he creates brand and marketing strategies to engage and connect with their audience. Working within the ‘shark infested waters’ of the nightlife and music industry as a marketing and branding consultant, La Vella has been delivering high profit solutions to both live entertainment events, musicians and venues for years.
With 20+ years experience in the nightlife consultant area and extensive development and production experience with national television and feature film projects. La Vella has produced and marketed over 30 live music concerts in the past few years.
Louie’s Challenge; Decide to post something on social media every day for 10 consecutive days.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Louie
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 162 with Kwame Christian where we discuss mastering negotiation and practicing law.
Boon Technical Clothing started out as a two-man operation with founder Aldwin Ibanez and just one seamstress. In 2007, Boon began supplying limited-edition t-shirts and athletic apparel, primarily to sport climbers. The company experienced rapid growth as it caught on with the burgeoning running scene, providing jerseys and singlets for the many running events in the Philippines. From time to time, it also produced custom-made jerseys for local ultimate frisbee teams.
In 2014, Boon set the goal of bolstering Boon’s presence in the international ultimate scene. Focusing on providing customized, full-sublimated jerseys at highly competitive prices, Boon has since supplied jerseys to teams in such countries as Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Sweden. In 2015, the company became the official outfitter of the American Ultimate Disc League, the fastest growing professional ultimate disc league in North America.
Jolas Larracas is currently the Operations Manager for the US market of Boon Technical Clothing. He got involved with the company when I migrated to the US from the Philippines.
Connect with John
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 39 with Tim DeByl where we discuss running the Madison Radicals and sitting on the AUDL board.
Ryan Purcell was an Assistant GM, Assistant Coach, and player on the 2016 Austin Sol.
After playing at the University of Michigan and leading the program to three National Championship appearances in the mid-2000s, Ryan has since coached and played on every continent except Antarctica. Ryan currently serves as President of the World Flying Disc Federation’s (WFDF) Global Athletes Commission which represents players from around the globe with the sport’s international governing body. Ryan also serves as a member of WFDF’s Board of Directors, and was an active participant in the multi-year process that resulted in official member status with the IOC for the organization.
Ryan is excited to share the sport that has given him so many opportunities and incredible experiences with the people of Austin and engage local youth with the game of ultimate.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Ryan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 139 with Jim Gerenscer where we discuss the Dallas Roughnecks first season and winning an AUDL championship.
Don Grage is co-owner and managing director of two small data analytics and information technology companies in Northern Virginia. He is also majority owner and managing partner of the DC Breeze, a professional Ultimate Disc team that plays in the 5-year old American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), and he serves on the Executive Council of the league. As a longtime entrepreneur from California, Don started his first company with a friend in high school and has been involved in more than 15 successful early stage companies over the past 30 years, ranging from skimboards and waterproof wallets to bioinformatics and fuel industry data analytics. He has a wife and three children, a 2nd-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, plays guitar in a local band, and plays ultimate every chance he gets... although that is not nearly often enough.
Don’s Challenge: Everyone with the smallest passion bone in their body can find 25 hours a month without giving up anything meaningful. Pick something that you’re interested in — hobby, skill, business idea, field of study, whatever — and dedicate 25 hours per month to it for 4 months.
It may turn out to a big new passion that changes your life. Or it may not! But either way, you’ve given up virtually nothing and will definitely learn 1) A whole bunch about a new topic you’re interested in; 2) Whether or not you’re truly passionate about that topic; and most importantly 3) That you really do have 25 hours a month to invest in whatever exciting thing comes along next in your life. Get to it!
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Don
Website
info@the-dcbreeze.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 156 with Jim Lloyd where we discuss owning three AUDL franchises and going all in on professional ultimate.
Dr. Young Byun, MD is a neonatologist, an MBA student, and an expectant father. Ultimate frisbee is his passion, and he is a proud owner and general manager of the 2016 AUDL Champion Dallas Roughnecks. On occasion, he waxes nostalgic about days gone by when he had a bit more free time.
Ivy Byun is an adoption specialist by day and a Dallas Roughnecks owner by day/night and on weekends. She has a BA in psychology and music, and an MA in marriage and family therapy and mental health counseling; she is pursuing a PhD in counselor education and supervision. Ivy enjoys traveling, eating, and playing ultimate frisbee.
Connect with the Dallas Roughnecks
Website
dallasroughnecks@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 139 with Jim Gerencser where we discuss owning the Dallas Roughnecks and the team’s first AUDL championship.
Kwame is a business lawyer and the founder of the American Negotiation Institute. He is passionate about teaching entrepreneurs and business professionals the art of negotiation so they can get better deals and advance their careers.
He is regularly invited to give negotiation seminars and consults with individuals and companies to create and implement powerful negotiation strategies. He also hosts the top negotiation podcast on iTunes, Negotiation for Entrepreneurs, where he interviews successful entrepreneurs and shares powerful persuasion techniques.
Kwame’s Challenge; Negotiate something intentionally within the next seven days. Use his prep guide.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Kwame
Podcast
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 149 with Ryan Stewman where we discuss sales and your online presence.
A hacker, professor, and consultation expert, Dr. Tim Summers is a cyber and risk strategist specializing in identifying cyber risks and sensitivities within public and private organizations. He is a specialist in understanding the relationship between human cognitive psychology and socio-technical systems. He has served as an Executive Advisor for one of the world’s oldest multinational strategic management firms.
He has also been a consultant for Fortune 500 companies worldwide and is a regularly invited speaker. He’s the CEO of Summers & Company, Founder of WikiBreach, and the Director of Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Engagement in the iSchool at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Summers is one of the world’s leading experts in understanding How Hackers Think.
Tim’s Challenge; Identify seven people and seek a unique way to inspire and empower them. Ways to empower include; Smile, be positive, encourage creativity, challenge others, and connect.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Tim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 95 with Dennis Mortensen where we discuss artificial intelligence, smart assistants, and entrepreneurship.
Stops on the 2017 tour of Asia Include;
Thailand
Chiang-Mai
Bangkok
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Taiwan
Taipei
China
Beijing
Shanghai
Japan
Tokyo
Hiroshima
Osaka
Nagoya
Nagasaki
South Korea
Seoul
Singapore
If you want to keep up with everything that we are up to and the places we travel, we will be documenting a lot of it on YouTube and Instagram. I'll also be sending out updates on my newsletter.
In late 2013, Joseph Lubin co-founded the Ethereum Project, and has been working on Ethereum and more recently ConsenSys since January 2014.
ConsenSys began as a blockchain production studio building decentralized applications, mostly on Ethereum. Many of those components are core elements that can be used to construct larger solutions as well as being standalone solutions in their own right. Since ConsenSys began operations before the Ethereum ecosystem existed, ConsenSys has also built core infrastructure elements like Ethereum clients, testing frameworks, rapid application development frameworks, and Integrated Development Environments.
ConsenSys Enterprise, the professional services arm, works with various enterprises to help them formulate their blockchain strategy and develop business processes for them on private or consortium blockchains, as well as on the public Ethereum network.
Prior to Ethereum, Lubin’s career has involved various posts in the fields of technology and finance and in their intersection. Subsequent to graduating cum laude with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton, he worked as research staff in the Robotics Lab at Princeton and then at Vision Applications, Inc. in the fields of autonomous mobile robotics, machine vision and artificial neural networks.
Joe’s Challenge; Learn about decentralization and disintermediation by checking out Ethereum and Consensys.
Like my crypto episodes? Support the work!
Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
If you liked this interview, check out episode 158 with Roger Ver where we discuss Bitcoin, voluntaryism, and the future of smart money.
Roger Ver has been a long time proponent of voluntaryism, the idea that all human interactions should be by mutual consent, or not at all. He is most well known for his work promoting Bitcoin. In 2011, his company, Memorydealers.com, became the first mainstream company to start accepting bitcoin as payment.
He then went on to create Bitcoinstore.com, the first website in the world to accept bitcoin as payment for hundreds of thousands of items, and was the impetus for the future wave of merchant adoption. He also became the first person in the entire world to start investing in Bitcoin startups. Nearly single-handedly, he funded the seed rounds for the entire first generation of Bitcoin businesses.
In his earlier life, he was most influenced by the works of Murray Rothbard, but was also inspired by the likes of Fredric Bastiat, Henry Hazlitt, Leonard Read, Frederick Hayek, Adam Smith, Milton Friedman, David Friedman, and many others in the Austrian school of economic thought.
Roger’s Challenge; Install a Bitcoin wallet and give it a try.
Like my crypto episodes? Support the work!
Ethereum: 0x1c5f5da1efad45078c41bceb18eb777099138e6b
Bitcoin: 13RcQZnZM4Lx6bw37YVdiv6Uc2X5b7anF3
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss how technological forces will influence the near future.
Andrew is the Founder and CEO of Venture for America, and has worked in startups and early-stage growth companies as a founder or executive for more than twelve years. He was the CEO and President of Manhattan GMAT, a test prep company that was acquired by the Washington Post/Kaplan in 2009. He has also served as the co-founder of an Internet company and an executive at a healthcare software startup.
Andrew has been selected by the White House as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship and a Champion of Change for his work with Venture for America. He is the author of “Smart People Should Build Things,” published by Harper Business, and he was named one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business”.
He is a graduate of Columbia Law and Brown University and lives in New York City with his wife and son.
Andrew’s Book = Smart People Should Build Things
Andrew’s Challenge; Find one company or store that you like and do one concrete thing that will help them.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Andrew
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 134 with Gisele Fetterman where we discuss building communities, food rescue and civic duty.
Jim Lloyd spent 28 years in IT before pushing his chips all-in on the AUDL. He is planning to draw on his experience in startups and at IBM to grow his three Canadian franchises.
He stopped by the show to discuss.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jim
If you liked this interview, check out episode 142 with Jean-Levy Champagne where we discuss record-setting AUDL crowds.
William Generett has been working to connect the Pittsburgh region’s innovation economy to underserved communities as the first president and CEO of Urban Innovation21.
Urban Innovation21 is a unique public-private partnership that is supporting the growth of the Pittsburgh region's innovation economy while simultaneously connecting that growth to underserved communities, the residents that live in those communities and diverse populations that have not traditionally been connected to the innovation economy. Urban Innovation21 is one of the first US based organizations to work under the "Inclusive Innovation" model.
William’s Challenge; Meet 10 new people outside your existing network and visit 5 neighborhoods you don’t usually visit.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with William
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 125 with Dan Gilman where we discuss how to make cities more attractive to younger generations and leadership.
Xtehn Titcomb first played ultimate in middle school at Spring Reign in 1997. Soon after that, ultimate became his main sport and a lifelong passion! He played and captained at The University of Chicago and played for Chicago's premier men's club team, Machine. Upon moving back to Seattle, Xtehn played with Voodoo, Emerald City Ultimate, Sockeye, and now is a player/coach on the men's club team Seattle Seaking.
Xtehn began coaching in 2006 at Roosevelt High School. After eight years, he transferred to Rainier Beach High School, where he currently coaches. Meanwhile, Xtehn has organized/coached dozens of youth and adult ultimate camps and clinics in the US, South America, Europe, and Asia. Xtehn plays and coaches with the mentality that hard work, mental toughness, and a teamwork make an ultimate player great.
Along with his two sisters and two brothers, Xtehn founded Five Ultimate in 2006. He has worked on various aspects of the company, mostly in the areas of operations and marketing. Xtehn and his siblings are also responsible for The All-Star Ultimate Tour, The Ultimate Project, Seattle Cascades, and a couple other projects that are in the works. He currently is CEO and General Manager at Seattle Cascades.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Xtehn
Website
Seattle Cascades
If you liked this interview, check out episode 62 with Steve Gordon where we discuss the AUDL and the role of self-officiation in the sport’s future.
Nick Adkins is a passionate kilt-wearing leader with start-up experience & 5 acquisition adventures. He is focusing on manifesting/attracting like-minded people who are making a difference/changing the world!
Nick’s Challenges
- If you’re asked to fax something by a healthcare company, refuse to do it.
- When you pass a stranger, make an effort to say hi and connect. Make it a practice.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Nick
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Dr. Matt Keener where we discuss brain health, telemedicine, and technology.
Dr. Rasu Shrestha is the Chief Innovation Officer at UPMC and Executive Vice President of UPMC Enterprises. As chief innovation officer for UPMC, Dr. Shrestha plays a leading role in driving UPMC’s innovation strategy, serving as a catalyst for transforming the organization into a more patient-focused and economically sustainable system.
As the leader of a team of over 200 technology professionals, Dr. Shrestha works to facilitate new health care intelligence, technology expertise and entrepreneurial drive to solve complex healthcare challenges. Through strategic partnerships, joint development agreements and investments in promising healthcare startups, Dr. Shrestha champions the development, implementation and commercialization of these innovations.
Dr. Shrestha has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the 26 “Smartest People in Health IT,” and InformationWeek named him one of the “Top 20 Health IT Leaders Driving Change” and a “Top Healthcare Innovator.” He is a frequent speaker at national and international health care, innovation and technology conferences.
Rasu’s Challenge; Practice empathy by turning off your smartphone and focus on connecting. It’s important not just to listen, but to hear. Not just to look, but to see.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Rasu
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Dr. Matt Keener where we discuss mental health, telemedicine, and the future of accessible care.
Dr. Keener is a board-certified psychiatrist passionate about applying neuroscience in non-traditional settings to help families and adolescents. He set out to work with "kids and brains" 20 years ago and never looked back.
Matt completed his medical training and residency in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, where he served as Chief Resident of Research. He subsequently undertook a postdoctoral research fellowship in Pediatric Neuroimaging Research under an NIH grant fellowship, studying brain systems/circuits that form our sense of self in bipolar disorder, depression.
Fascinated by big waves, however–and believing that applying neuroscience outside traditional routes could have a broader impact for good–in 2012, he jumped into the wave of healthcare innovation. He co-founded Emodt, a company quantifying emotion through language. LIke 99% (yes, that's the actual number) of digital health startups, Emodt didn't make it as a stand-alone business, but the team did have a win in helping one of the world's largest pharmaceutical firms create their first non-drug digital health tool to be launched in 2016, presently in pilot testing.
In 2015, wishing to put all this experience into serving adolescents and their supporters, Dr. Keener began assembling Blackbird Health as a way of delivering a supportive health framework for those in greatest need.
Book Recommendation
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Matt’s Challenge; Notice and pay attention to friends who are letting you know that they are struggling. Make an effort to reach out and affirm them.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Matt
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 140 with Richard Citrin where we discuss resilience and how to deal with stress.
A letter to a friend to inspire and cultivate creativity. Thank you for your attention.
@AaronWatson59 on Twitter and Instagram
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Ryan Stewman is a salesman. Ryan has not had a salaried job his entire life. By mastering the art of being a super effective communicator, Ryan has closed more transactions than he has time to add up. With his no BS approach to making things happen, Ryan has been able to help high income, and high net worth performers make adjustments in their businesses that have led to windfalls of profits for them.
Ryan’s background is in the mortgage industry. He was a loan officer in Dallas, Texas for almost 10 years. During his time as a Loan Officer Ryan closed 1000s of loans for people across the country. Ryan has been the top producing salesman at every sales job he’s had. He was born and raised in Dallas, Tx and is probably the proudest Texan you will ever meet.
Ryan’s Challenge; Take the 10 Day Hustle.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Ryan
Website
clyxo.com/closer
If you liked this interview, check out episode 108 with Oren Klaff where we discuss what most salespeople get wrong and professional trash talk.
Dinesh is a self-professed technophile, in addition to a speaker, mentor, and entrepreneur. He has taken part in three separate companies getting acquired, the third for over $200 million dollars. These days he stays busy investing, mentoring, and sharing wisdom.
He initially went to university for sciences, which lead him to a career in software. It wasn’t long before he realized that his pay would hit a ceiling. He saw the sales guys driving Porsches and Jaguars—and wanted in. Little did he know that his passions were in unlocking a business' potential, which goes far beyond the sale.
Dinesh’s Challenge; Count your “I can’t”s over the course of one week, then work to change one to “I can”.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Dinesh
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the technological trends that will shape our future.
Steve Shelton was born and raised in Pittsburgh. In his early teens, he began working in the masonry field as a laborer during summers and weekends. After enlisting in the Navy at 19, he became a naval aircraft electrician and finished his four-year enlistment working on the TA-4J aircraft. He has worked professionally as an electrician, a plumber, as masonry laborer, a bricklayer, and as a specialist in stone and brick restoration. In 2002, with one other employee and a wheelbarrow, Steve started Shelton Masonry, Inc.; a firm that was renowned for some of the finest restoration work done in the city, on many of its most beautiful historic homes.
In 2009, realizing the need in the masonry trade for a new generation of masonry professionals, Steve started the Shelton Trade Center, which is now a non-profit named The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh. The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh (TIP) was founded to train and place young adults in the skilled manual trades. TIP is especially committed to training young people with great needs and few resources.
Most of TIP's students have troubled backgrounds, coming from broken families in poor neighborhoods, and many have been in prison and/or drug and alcohol recovery. Our goal is to move them from being chronically unemployed to productively employed, in living-wage jobs with a future. Our hope is that through the resources and training provided by our organization, cycles of poverty and crime will be broken, and a brighter future will be realized for some of Pittsburgh’s most blighted communities.
Steve’s Challenge; Don’t judge a book by the cover. Give people a chance.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Steve
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 114 with Dan Bull where we discuss getting ex-cons to work and episode 60 with Mike Gable where we talk Construction Junction and creative reuse.
Bill has been awarded both Chef of the Year and Restaurateur of the Year from Pittsburgh Magazine, in addition to sharing in the numerous awards received by the restaurants he oversees. He is dedicated to developing relationships with individual local farmers and Penn's Corner Farm Alliance, publicly speaking on the benefits of locally farmed foods. Ongoing charity efforts include participating in the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and acting as an advisor to the culinary program the the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Bill
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 7 with Bobby Fry where we discuss the restaurant business and reinventing yourself.
Challenge = Change the Notification Settings on Your Phone
Book Recommendation
Trust Me I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday
Clinton Senkow is a hustler. Being the Co-founder and COO of Influencive, an online publication for millennial entrepreneurs, would be enough for most people. He is also one of Canada's representatives at the g20 Young Entrepreneur's Alliance.
Clinton came on the podcast to talk entrepreneurship and blazing your own trail.
Read Clinton’s Post
Why Every Entrepreneur Should be Blogging
Clinton’s Challenge; Go and ask someone a question that you’ve been losing sleep over.
Connect with Clinton
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 136 with Justin Lafazan where we discuss the youth movement in entrepreneurship and his tips for success.
For decades, radio was for many people the primary method of staying connected with the rest of the world. The ability to broadcast information over large distances constituted a major turning point in the course of human civilization, impacting everything from news and education to music and entertainment. Recent years have produced another shift: as technology has become more affordable and easy to use, listeners and creators around the world have been empowered to take more active roles in shaping our collective knowledge and interactions.
Three podcasters come together for a live recording of their respective shows. Thrival content partner Aaron Watson, from Going Deep with Aaron Watson, was joined by Marta on the Move’s Marta Mazzoni, and The Juice Crew 412 + Kelly Strayhorn Theater's Knowledge Build Hudson for a discussion on how this medium has impacted the way they learn, live, and engage with the world around them.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Aaron
Snapchat
Jean-Lévy ultimate player since 2002 and General Manager of the Montreal Ultimate Association from 2007 to 2012. Jean-Lévy comes from a family of ultimate players and is currently training the next generation. He was a Canadian Ultimate Championships gold medalist in 2009 and 2012.
Jean-Lévy has committed himself to training up and coming juniors. He has coached the UQAM university team for three years and promotes junior development in the Montreal region. Ultimate is Jean-Lévy’s life: he is a passionate player and contributor.
http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast
Connect with Jean-Lévy
Website
info@royalultimate.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 139 with Jim Gerencser where we discuss the Dallas Roughnecks, an AUDL championship, and the future of pro ultimate.
I'm Qxhna Titcomb and I've been playing disc sports since I was 5 years old. I went to Tufts University in Boston, played on Boston Brute Squad and am now on my second year on Seattle Riot. I have three older brothers and one older sister - they are the ones that inspire me to think bigger and be better. Together we have founded the ultimate frisbee apparel company Five Ultimate and are the owners of the men's professional team in Seattle called the Cascades. Most recently, I have been working on promoting women in ultimate via the All-Star Ultimate Tour. Check out www.AllStarUltimateTour.com to see what that's all about!
My name is Leila Tunnell and I have been playing Ultimate for 17 years. I grew up in Atlanta, GA, where I played for The Paideia School and with the Atlanta women's club team, Ozone. In 2004 and 2006 I was selected for the U-20 Girls National Team, winning silver and gold respectively. In college I played for UNC Chapel Hill, where I won the Callahan Award in 2011, and also helped start and played for the NC women's team Phoenix. I have coached high school programs all over the east coast and have also worked as a counselor and now Assistant Director of the Nationals Ultimate Training Camp in Amherst, MA, for 10 years. In 2014 I won the Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award for contribution to the sport, and in 2016 I was selected to play for the US Women's National Team at the World Ultimate and Guts Championships in London where we won a gold medal. I currently live in Amherst, MA, and play for the reigning national champions, Boston Brutesquad and also help coach the Amherst High School Boys Varsity team.
My name is Octavia Payne, but many people call me Opi. I grew up mostly in Baltimore and I began playing ultimate at UPenn in 2007. I've played for a number of club teams, including a 5 year stint with DC Scandal with whom I won two national championships. I've also won a gold medal with the U.S. Mixed National Team at the 2013 World Games and with the U.S. Women's National Team at the 2016 World Ultimate and Guts Championship. I currently play on Denver Molly Brown.
Their Challenges
- Don’t shy away from being accountable.
- Find a storyline in women’s ultimate and follow it for a season.
- Have a conversation with your team about gender equity
- Watch one women's highlight video
Connect with Them
Opi’s Twitter
Qxhna’s Twitter
All-star Website
genderequityactiongroup@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 39 with Tim DeByl where we discuss the AUDL and Madison Radicals.
Richard Citrin, Ph.D., MBA brings more than 25 years of business leadership and consulting experience to his clients and their organizations, focusing on using a practical and pragmatic approach to his work.
His unique perspective on leadership development, talent management and resilience is based on the idea that by using strengths, assets, and skills, and by aligning them in a purposeful and powerful manner, real change occurs.
Early in his career, Richard worked on Wall Street where he loved the excitement and pace of the financial world, but he also saw how the impact of poor leadership, underutilization of employee capabilities and management overconfidence led to destructive workplaces. His observations helped him decide to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology.
Following his academic work, Richard began his business career. He built a successful healthcare business in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex in the 1990’s that he successfully sold to a national healthcare company. Richard oversaw multiple aspects of this acquisition and merger and helped the company develop new product lines that led to a tripling of valuation and their eventual purchase by one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies.
Richard’s Book
The Resilience Advantage: Stop Managing Stress and Find Your Resilience
Book Recommendation
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Richard’s Challenge; Congratulate anyone who has lost their job. Practice being actively constructive.
Connect with Richard
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lenarduzzi where we discuss gratitude, YouTube, and Snapchat.
It was a pleasure to interview the 56-year-old co-owner of the Dallas Roughnecks. In their inaugural season, the Roughnecks won the 2016 AUDL championship in dominant fashion, beating the Seattle Cascades 33-27. The win capped an undefeated 17-0 season and the birth of a potential juggernaut.
Jim Gerencser is also the CEO & President of Nationwide Auto Services. Jim started the company in 1982 and has continually refined the process used in overspray removal and administering large-scale claims.
Connect with Jim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 62 with AUDL Commissioner Steve Gordon where we discuss running the American Ultimate Disc League and the future of pro ultimate.
Mike was most recently the CEO at Green Building Alliance, and was previously the founder of Confluence, Venture Outdoors, and Kayak Pittsburgh.
For the past decade, the Room Leopard team has been searching for places to hold classes, meetings, networking events and lectures. We found this process frustrating and we often depended on our personal network of colleagues and friends. We also noticed the surplus of spaces around the city that owners could utilize more actively. RoomLeopard strives to make it easier to match these unused spaces with the people who need them.
As a guest, be it an hour or a day, RoomLeopard is the spot to connect you with affordable spaces for your next meeting or event.
As a host, be it a conference room, a lobby or an auditorium, RoomLeopard is the spot to put surplus spaces to work for you.
Mike’s Challenge; Invite some people into your home that you normally wouldn’t have over.
Quote from our Interview
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back — concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.“
~ Goethe
Connect with Mike
Website
mjschiller@roomleopard.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 3 with Larry Gioia, another outdoorsman and entrepreneur.
Hershey Hilado is not your typical 24-year old. Her difficult upbringing enabled her to develop the resilience and natural drive to find success. Her father was murdered by her own uncle when she was 12. Her own mother traded her for money when she was only 15 and forced her to marry a man 3 times her age when she was 16.
After escaping that terrible ordeal, she was homeless for 2 years and eventually moved to Australia. She started her own business 2 years later and now runs a Women's Fashion Label called Ohmagosh, currently sold in over 15 countries across the globe.
Her passion and purpose stretch beyond overcoming adversity and Entrepreneurship. As a philanthropist, she is one of the Ambassadors for The Freedom Hub, a not for profit organization that helps rebuild the lives of survivors of Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery in Australia.
She speaks for those who needed a voice. She is a spiritual and passionate human being who chose to live LIFE with so much gratitude, positive intentions, and a purpose to change people's lives through SERVICE, SURRENDERING herself to total selflessness and IMPACTING millions of lives.
Hershey’s Challenge; Identity one negative behavior or habit and focus exclusively on getting rid of it.
Connect with Hershey
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 134 with Gisele Fetterman where we discuss helping those who are less fortunate or in need.
At age 20, Justin is an experienced entrepreneur, consultant, speaker, and best-selling author.
Justin began his adventure with the creation of Students4Students College Advisory, a full-service higher education consulting agency. Enjoying his experience helping youth maximize their potential, Justin wanted to further leverage the power of young people. Millennial Marketing Strategy has evolved into a boutique, digital media strategy consulting agency, assisting Fortune 500 firms, as well as select medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs, leverage powerful marketing tools to grow online.
Justin proceeded to launch Next Gen Summit, the premier community for millennial entrepreneurs. Since its inception over two years ago, Next Gen Summit was more than just a conference. NGS is a mission to bring together the world’s most talented young entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and inspire each other, and give them the resources they need to be successful.
In December of 2015, Justin published his best-selling book - What Wakes You Up?: Designing Kick-Ass Lives Through Entrepreneurship - choosing to donate 100% of launch profits to the Next Gen Foundation, a scholarship granting nonprofit organization.
Justin’s Challenge; Find someone in your network who’s done something cool and email them to set up a 30-minute interview to learn how they did it.
Connect with Justin
Website
Next Gen
If you liked this interview, check out episode 46 with Taylor Pearson where we discuss the end of jobs and the need to develop entrepreneurial skills.
Babs Carryer teaches entrepreneurship, provides mentorship and coaching to early-stage companies, and writes about entrepreneurship. At the University of Pittsburgh, Babs works for the Innovation Institute, as Director of Education and Outreach. She teaches the Benchtop to Bedside technology commercialization course to clinicians, researchers.
Babs is a co-founder and past chapter chair of Women in Bio. She also teaches at Thrill Mill, educating their teams about entrepreneurship and how to build better businesses. She is also President of Carryer Consulting which provides strategic business planning services to technology companies.
Babs co-founded LaunchCyte, which currently has five life sciences portfolio companies, including Crystalplex, Immunetrics, Knopp Biosciences, and Reaction Biology.
Bab’s Challenge; Find 3 women in your life (one younger, one the same age, one older) and give them a hug.
Connect with Babs
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 67 with Kit Mueller where we discuss Pittsburgh entrepreneurship.
Gisele was born in Rio de Janeiro and immigrated to the U.S. at age eight with her mother and was undocumented for many years. Growing up in the cities, she was acutely aware of the vast inequalities between Brazil and the United States, and between the working-class community that she lived in and the more affluent communities where her mother secured work as a housekeeper.
These days, you can probably find her at the Free Store – a brightly painted converted storage container that Gisele Fetterman stocks with donated or surplus clothing and necessities for her neighbors in Braddock and nearby communities in Allegheny County. The concept was something she imagined as a kid and new immigrant in New York City. Gisele was frustrated by how easily people were willing to throw things away. Now, three years into the endeavor in Braddock, it’s a full-fledged enterprise run entirely by volunteers and serves 1,600 folks monthly.
In Braddock, Gisele is a force in her own right behind the good works and progressive change she and her husband, Mayor John, are sowing in their home town.
In addition to the Free Store, Gisele co-founded the 412 Food Rescue, which aims to fight hunger by collecting fresh, healthy food scheduled to be wastefully discarded and distributing it to community organizations that serve those in need.
Gisele’s Challenge; Connect in some small way with 5 strangers every day.
Connect with Gisele
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 48 with her partner at 412 Food Rescue Leah Lizarondo where we discuss food deserts and community service.
Squonk has created and toured our outdoor spectacles around the world, with reviews that include “insane majesty" from The Scotsman, “surreal and poetic” from USA Today and “ingenious, hallucinatory, hypnotic" from The New York Times. Squonkwork is fast, funny, and shameless: our first show was performed in a Pittsburgh junkyard, with choreographed cranes and roaring earthmovers. Squonk creates post-industrial outdoor performances for major civic venues and festivals and have toured to 39 states and 3 continents, and have received 7 N.E.A. grants.
Jackie Dempsey (Artistic Director/Composer/Pianist/Accordionist) has created twelve multimedia productions with Squonk Opera and has been touring nationally and internationally for over two decades. Last year, she was awarded an Investing in Professional Artists grant from The Pittsburgh Foundation and Heinz Endowments. She has worked as composer and sound designer for Quantum Theatre through a Heinz Endowments’ Creative Heights grant and has been awarded five Interdisciplinary Arts fellowships from the PA Council on the Arts. She has produced all nine of the group’s recordings, one of which was Squonk’s major label debut for Capitol Records.
Steve O’Hearn (Artistic Director/Artist/Wind Player) contributes environmental and product designs, and theater productions to the group. He had a solo show of work at the Andy Warhol Museum, where he was Heinz Artist-in-Residence. He has also received the American Theater Wing’s Hewes Award for his work on Broadway, three International Design Awards and five PA Council on the Arts fellowships. His work has been published and exhibited internationally, and he has been invited three times to exhibit his designs at the Prague Quadrennial. He has designed for a score of theater productions, including the multimedia Macbeth with the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Marc Masterson, and also for the Hawaii Theater in Honolulu.
Sqonk’s Challenge; See the art in the everyday.
Connect with Sqonk
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 124 with Baron Batch where we discuss the melding of art and entrepreneurship.
Sean Douglas is a veteran of the United States Air Force, a certified Master Resilience Trainer, and a professional Motivational Speaker. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2001 right after 9/11, has been deployed to multiple locations, and performed a multitude of duties all over the world. Sean gives many speeches throughout the year on various topics, such as Developing Leaders, Leadership Principles, Team Building, Stages of Team Forming, Self-Defeating Behaviors, Decisions, and much more. As a Master Resilience Trainer, he teaches the following skill sets: Counting Blessings, Accomplishing Goals, ABC (Activating Event, Brain's Interpretation, Consequences), Check Your Playbook, Balance Your Thinking, Acceptance, Capitalizing On Strengths, Physical Resilience, Spiritual Resilience, Interpersonal Problem Solving, and Good Listening & Active Constructive Responding.
Sean's passion is Resilience and inspiring others to succeed. His love for helping others achieve their dreams and instilling in them that extra motivation to finish strong is at the forefront of every speech and presentation he delivers. His main goal is to save at least one person from a self-defeating behavior and to inspire change in their lives. Sean is also a published author of a book titled, "Decisions: The Power To Overcome Self-Defeating Behaviors".
Sean’s Challenge; Pick one of your values and review how much money & time you’ve actually put into your “priority” over the last 30 days.
Connect with Sean
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 70 with Michael Port where we discuss public speaking and stealing the show.
Larry Gioia’s philosophy “Always Be Connecting the Dots” infects all of his relationships. In this episode, we discuss how to grow and connect a network with actionable tactics that he’d recommend to anyone.
Larry and Aaron’s Challenge; Join Connection University on Facebook to continue to learn and grow.
Connect with Larry
Ray Gastil is currently Director of City Planning for Pittsburgh. Previously, he was an urban designer in Seattle, where his work was focused on connecting innovative program and design concepts to the pragmatic challenges of making extraordinary projects and places, grounded in their communities.
Expertise includes comprehensive city and regional planning, with a focus on planning and urban design guidelines and arts, housing, and public realm incentive frameworks for campuses, mixed-use districts, arts districts, waterfront redevelopment and public spaces. His work has included strategic planning, division and team management, and designer selection including design competitions.
Ray’s Challenge; Recognize most were decisions. Interactive map of Pittsburgh
Connect with Raymond
ray.gastil@pittsburghpa.gov
If you liked this interview, check out episode 125 with Dan Gilman where we discuss city politics and civic duty.
Radiant Hall founder Ryan Lammie was born in Pittsburgh and educated at the Pratt Institute in New York. In 2011 he was selected for the Yale / Norfolk Summer Residency in Connecticut and graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Lammie’s sculptural work often assembled from found materials (discarded furniture, old radios, and the like), is driven by two tendencies in tension with one another: a skepticism of exchange value and a love of maximalism.
As an entrepreneur, Lammie has built Radiant Hall into a nonprofit venture that supports over 50 Pittsburgh artists at four locations city-wide. He is also a creative consultant at the new Energy Innovation Center, overseeing design projects that support the EIC’s social and educational goals.
Ryan’s Challenge; Go out of your way to meet a new artist or reconnect with an artist you already know. Unpack their process.
Connect with Ryan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 124 with Baron Batch where we discuss art, entrepreneurship, and the creative process.
James Andrew Miller is an award-winning journalist who has worked in politics, media, and entertainment in a career spanning more than 20 years.
In 1985, he wrote the bestselling book RUNNING IN PLACE: Inside the Senate. Later, he and co-author Tom Shales wrote LIVE FROM NEW YORK: an Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, which spent more than four months on the New York Times bestseller list and was named by Fortune as one of the top 75 “Smartest Books We Know.” In 2011, he co-authored with Shales, THOSE GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN: Inside the World of ESPN, which was an instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
He newest book is Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood's Creative Artists Agency. Through interviews with more than five hundred industry movers and shakers --- a virtual Who’s Who of Hollywood that includes, for the first time, the entire current leadership of the notoriously secretive CAA as well as nearly three dozen top agents, many of CAA’s most aggressive competitors, and scores of major movie, television, music, and sports stars – Miller spins a tale with all the glamour, treachery and groping for power of the most lurid Hollywood blockbuster – except that this time, it’s all true.
Connect with Jim
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 123 with Tucker Max where we discuss the secrets of a bestseller and why you should write a book.
Derrius Quarles makes things happen. Having grown up in a financially humble background and as an alumnus of foster care, his journey to becoming an award-winning entrepreneur and a globally recognized social change maker has been complex. His turning point came when as a high school student and he made the decision that he wanted to become the first in my family to go to college. Living in poverty at the time, scholarships were an invaluable resource to his pursuit of higher education. Before entering Morehouse College, he gained over one million dollars in scholarship awards.
He graduated disenchanted with the state of higher education access for low-income youth and those who have experienced foster care. The led him to become the Founder & CEO of Million Dollar Scholar, an ed-tech social venture that provides a high-impact low-cost scholarship and financial aid curriculum to decrease financial barriers to higher-ed.
He is now a sought-after speaker in the areas of scholarship education, youth/foster youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship. He is also the author of the education bestseller MillionDollarScholar: Winning The Scholarship Race.
Derrius’s Challenge; Try meditation. Even if it’s just 3 minutes.
Connect with Derrius
Personal Website
MDS Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 114 with Dan Bull where we discuss giving inmates a second chance through entrepreneurship.
Dan Gilman is currently serving his first term as City Council member for the 8th Council District of Pittsburgh. Gilman has been very active in his first year on Council, having passed two pieces of legislation and a resolution aimed at reducing the discrimination and stigma pregnant women and nursing mothers continue to face. He has also been active in imploring the PA legislature to support the PA Women's Health Agenda.
The Councilman worked extensively with the Mayor’s office to implement smart technology that will vastly improve City services such as snow removal, paving, online permitting, and the 311 system. He also called for online auctioning of unused equipment—including vehicles—as a revenue generating measure for the City; an idea that the mayoral administration has started to pursue.
Gilman has received many awards and accolades for his hard work. He was selected as one of only twelve leaders nationwide to join The New DEAL, a national network committed to highlighting innovative ideas from state and local elected leaders. He has also been recognized as one of Pittsburgh’s “40 Under 40” by Pittsburgh Magazine and PUMP, as well as one of Pittsburgh’s “50 Finest” by Whirl Magazine.
Dan’s Challenge; Don’t be passive. Take up a cause or mission and make something happen.
Connect with Dan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 107 with Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto where we discuss politics, Pittsburgh, and leadership.
Baron Batch is a cultural icon, community builder, dot connector, conceptual multimedia artist, and entrepreneur based out of Homestead, PA. He rose to fame through his street art and currently serves as Creative Director of Studio AM.
Studio AM is a multifaceted creative collective that specializes in guerilla marketing, unique private events, and is a production facility for his “Angry Man Salsa”. He has an extensive background in public speaking is a graduate of Texas Tech.
Baron’s Challenge; Practice Stoicism.
Connect with Baron
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 114 with Dan Bull where we discuss giving inmates a second chance through entrepreneurship.
Tucker Max is an American author and public speaker. He chronicled his drinking and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website TuckerMax.com, which has received millions of visitors since Max launched it as the result of a bet in 2000.
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell was a New York Times #1 Bestseller and made the Bestseller List each year from 2006 to 2012. It has sold over one million copies worldwide, including 400,000 copies in 2009 alone. In 2010, he released a book titled Assholes Finish First, and in 2012 marked the literary releases of both Hilarity Ensues and Sloppy Seconds: The Tucker Max Leftovers. He was a 2009 Time 100 finalist based on internet votes, although he did not make the magazine list
His new company, Book in a Box, is a service for helping busy experts transfer their wisdom into book format. The company interviews clients in a systematic way that properly structures their ideas. They then turn those words into a book. All clients need to do, as the author, is answer questions about what they already know. Everything else is handled by BIAB’s team of experienced publishing professionals.
Tucker’s Challenge; Ask yourself “Why” multiple times until you reach an irreducible answer.
Get a Free PDF of Tucker’s How-To-Guide
Connect with Tucker
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the inevitable technological trends shaping our future.
Kris Reid is the founder of Ardor SEO and Media Factory. He founded the company after losing his job as a software engineer, opening offices in Cambodia and the Philippines.
Ardor Media Factory is a multi-national backlink building company. They help businesses achieve success in their respective niches by offering a wide range of services including search engine optimization, search engine ranking, and link building. They also produce high-quality content for business websites through informative articles and free services such as keyword research and web analysis.
Kris’s Challenge; Do something that you are scared of. Step out of your comfort zone and do something that makes you nervous.
Connect with Kris
kris@ardorseo.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 93 with Phil Laboon where we discuss entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and lifestyle design.
John Thornton is the CEO of Astrobotic, a company aspiring to be the logistics company for Space.
Astrobotic delivers lunar payload and services to government and commercial customers. The company’s first Moon mission will carry customer payloads, win the $20M Google Lunar XPRIZE, and explore a possible cave entrance on the surface of the Moon. Astrobotic has 17 prior and ongoing NASA contracts, strong partnerships, and world-leading staff and technology for the development of robotic landers.
John’s Challenge; Find the darkest place you can and look up at the stars.
Connect with John
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 27 with Henry Thorne where we discuss building a technology company and building businesses.
Robin Hanson is a professor of economics at George Mason University and a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. He is an expert on idea futures and markets, and he was involved in the creation of the Foresight Institute’s Foresight Exchange and DARPA's FutureMAP project. He invented market scoring rules used by prediction markets and has conducted research on signaling.
Hanson received a B.S. in physics from the University of California, Irvine in 1981, an M.S. in physics and an M.A. in Conceptual Foundations of Science from the University of Chicago in 1984, and a Ph.D. in social science from Caltech in 1997. Before getting his Ph.D. he researched artificial intelligence, Bayesian statistics, and hypertext publishing. In addition, he started the first internal corporate prediction market at Xanadu in 1990.
Robin’s Challenge; Pursue your interests and start new projects in your free time. Your life will be long. You’ll have lots of time to pursue a lot of odd projects.
Check out Robin’s Book; Age of Em: Work, Love and Life when Robots Rule the Earth
Connect with Robin
Website
hanson@gmu.edu
If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the inevitable technological trends shaping our future.
Kevin Kelly is the founding executive editor of Wired magazine and a former editor/publisher of the Whole Earth Review. He has also been a writer, photographer, conservationist, and student of Asian and digital culture.
Kelly stepped down as executive editor of Wired in 1999; his current job title is Senior Maverick. Partially due to his reputation as Wired's editor, he is noted as a participant in and an observer of cyberculture.
His books include;
- Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World
- New Rules for the New Economy: 10 Radical Strategies for a Connected World
- What Technology Wants
- The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future
Kevin’s Challenge; Take $100 and invest it into someone that cannot pay you back directly. Learn to be full of gratitude. Try Kiva.
Acknowledgements
John Craig
Mike Dariano
Kiva
Connect with Kevin
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 109 where I rant about the current state of the internet.
Isaac Morehouse is an entrepreneur, thinker, and communicator dedicated to the relentless pursuit of freedom, and an advocate of self-directed learning and living. He is the founder and CEO of Praxis, an intensive nine-month program combining a paid apprenticeship at a startup with personal coaching, professional development projects, and interdisciplinary education leading directly to a full-time job offer for those who want more than college.
Isaac previously worked at the Institute for Humane Studies where he raised support, mentored students, and directed educational programs. Prior to IHS, Isaac was at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy where he created and directed Students for a Free Economy. He’s been involved in numerous businesses and nonprofit start-ups, and loves connecting people and helping them discover and realize their dreams.
Isaac writes, speaks, and teaches on entrepreneurship, economics, education, philosophy, freedom, communication skills, how to change the world and an assortment of other topics. He is the author/co-author of six books; Better Off Free, The Future of School, Freedom Without Permission, Why Haven’t You Read This Book?, How to Get Any Job You Want, and Don’t Do Stuff You Hate.
Isaac’s Challenge; Try to write down a list of things you hate and find a way to remove one from your life.
Connect with Isaac
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 66 with Zak Slayback where we discuss Praxis, education, and entrepreneurship.
Dan Bull is the Founder of Zero Six Eight, an organization dedicated to developing entrepreneurs with ideas into companies that solve real problems in a socially responsible manner. 068 is one of the top resources in the city for employing ex-offenders and offering second chances.
Dan’s Challenge; Forgive.
Connect with Dan
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 2 with Michael Van Ness where we discuss 068 and Michael’s social work.
Todd is an author who helps creative people find their untapped potential. He is the author of The Creative's Curse, a book about the pains of being creative at every phase - Discover, Discipline, and Destiny. He is also the founder of Snap Swipe Post, a site which creates custom SnapChat geo-filters.
His goal in business is to create things people enjoy, whether that means a well-crafted document, a funny video, or just a simple acronym.
He loves his redhead, Chacos, and sweet potatoes.
We referenced his post The Answer is No
Todd’s Challenge; Work one Saturday. Don’t write off your spare time or believe that you don’t have the time.
Preview his book here http://toddbrison.com/godeep
Connect with Todd
Anchor
Medium
If you liked this interview, check out episode 105 with Declan Wilson here we discuss how millennials can step up and attack their goals.
Kash Dhanda is an entrepreneur. He is currently the founder and CEO of Ezra Digital (his digital marketing agency), previous co-founder of Upside Sounds (a concert promotion company).
Kash is also an avid Virtual Reality enthusiast. We discuss a number of resources to learn more about VR including;
Google Cardboard
NYT VR app
Oculus subreddit
Twitch VR
Writers like Ben Thompson (Stratechery) and Benedict Evans
Needless to say, we both think it’s a big deal.
Kash is a tech lover, Pittsburgher, traveler, meditator, poker player, and probably a few other things. He is also a volunteer. He sits on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project, the advisory board for The Cultural Trust Jazz Festival, marketing committee for the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Host Committee for the Thrival Music and Innovation Festival.
Kash’s Challenge; Put 30 minutes on your calendar this Friday to plan your next week. Use time-blocking to set up all your meetings and objectives.
Connect with Kash
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 93 with Phil Laboon where we discuss digital marketing, SEO, and Pittsburgh.
A brief essay on the current state of the internet. Over the past two decades, global internet users have increased from 35 million people to an astounding 3 billion today.
More than three-quarters of all internet advertising revenue is split between Google and Facebook.
What’s next? Stay tuned to this podcast for interviews with Robin Hanson and Kevin Kelly.
Oren Klaff is the Managing Director of Intersection Capital and a #1 Bestselling Author for his book Pitch Anything. With over $400M in deals on his resume, Oren is well-qualified to cut through sales guru BS and give it to you straight.
His secret? Neuroeconomics. A single field of study that sorted out the different motivation and economic responses of the human mind and shows how the brain responds to pitches. Neuroeconomics combines neuroscience, economics, and psychology to study how people make decisions. It looks at the role of the brain when we evaluate decisions, categorize risks and rewards, and interact with each other.
In his book and this interview, Oren describes how to override the brain’s programming and close more deals.
Oren’s Challenge; In your next few meetings, don’t talk about weather, sports, or politics. It’s a waste of time and lowers your status.
If you are in sales, you need to get his book; Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal
Connect with Oren
Website
FREE COURSE
If you liked this interview, check out episode 71 with Bob Seawright where we discuss cognitive biases, finance writing and the red team/black team approach.
Bill Peduto was elected to the office of Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh in November 2013. Prior, he worked for 19 years on Pittsburgh City Council. A self-described “Reform Democrat”, Bill Peduto wrote the most comprehensive package of government reform legislation in Pittsburgh’s history.
During Pittsburgh’s ongoing financial crisis, Bill Peduto has been the consistent voice of fiscal discipline. Decades of financial mismanagement and antiquated policies have left Pittsburgh with the highest debt ratio and lowest pension funding in the nation. He helped to write a new budget, lobbied to get others on board and after a year of hard work he was able to lead the city into a new five-year plan. He wasn’t afraid to make the tough votes to secure Pittsburgh’s future.
Adding his own charity fund-raising activities, such as Executive Producer of a documentary about the Allegheny Observatory and the only politician who laces his skates as a member of Pittsburgh’s Celebrity Hockey Team and it is pretty easy to see — Bill Peduto is not your typical Mayor.
Connect with Bill
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 83 with Kristi Woolsey where we discuss the future of work and how technology will change the workplace.
Declan is an author of the recently released “The Millennial Way: Step Up, Step Out, Step Forward”. Declan originally set out to write a book to debunk the misconceptions and stigma surrounding the Millennial generation.
After interviewing Millennials doing “awesome things” with their lives, Declan noticed a recurring pattern among all their personal journeys, including his own. The pattern of Stepping Up, Stepping Out, and Stepping Forward became what Declan calls The Millennial Way. It’s not a 3 step process to achieve your dreams, it’s not a self-help book, it’s not a formula for success. Rather, it’s a beacon of self-awareness and clarity to your journey.
Together with his wife Erica, Declan runs the blog Millennial Type. Besides working full-time and running this blog, Declan is an avid fan of bike riding, anything Pittsburgh, reading, listening to NPR, binge-watching Netflix with Erica, cuddling with their cats, playing with their son Henry, watching Ted Talks, finding awesome podcasts and cooking.
Declan’s Challenge; Step up. Recognize your dream isn’t as silly as you think and start building the skills you're going
Check Out Declan’s Book; The Millennial Way: Step Up, Step Out, Step Forward
If you liked this interview, check out episode 46 with Taylor Pearson where we discuss the end of jobs and the future of entrepreneurship.
This is a story of evolution. Or maybe revolution is more accurate. Mike Vacanti left his cushy corporate gig to pursue a life of fitness entrepreneurship. For the last 12 years, he has been studying nutrition and training for fat loss and muscle gain and wants to pass this knowledge on to anyone who needs it.
He has trained hundreds of clients in the gym and thousands on the internet. He has helped a woman trim 150 pounds of body fat, countless men overcome bedroom issues, and teenagers use the barbell to find their way, He has also helped doctors and teachers and students and lawyers and hair stylists and entrepreneurs and millionaire hedge fund analysts lose fat, gain muscle and change their lives forever.
To learn more, grab a copy of his Beginner’s Fitness Guide or check out his clients’ Before and After Shots.
Mike’s Challenge; Challenge yourself to make a decision where there are uncertain outcomes. It’s easy to want safety and security.
Connect with Mike
Snapchat
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 18 with Melissa Witmer where we discuss building an online fitness business and location independence.
Hassan Osman is a PMO Manager at Cisco and a Carnegie Mellon and Harvard University graduate. My main area of expertise is in leading large and complex technology programs – particularly in a virtual team environment.
At Cisco, he is responsible for leading and managing a team of 20+ project & program managers on delivering projects to Cisco's Enterprise clients in the eastern United States. Previously at Cisco, he was a Senior Program Manager, where he was responsible for scoping, negotiating, planning and executing multi-million dollar projects for their customers.
He has written two Amazon bestselling books and teaches an online course about virtual teams. He is obsessed with hacking productivity and lives in Boston with his wife & 2 daughters.
Hassan’s Challenge; Write something 5 days/week, 20 minutes per day to clarify your thought process and articulate your ideas.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 83 with Kristi Woolsey where we discuss remote employment and the future of workplaces.
I’ve been doing this less than a year. So much is happening for me and this is just the beginning.
I want you to learn from my story and start aiming higher. I’ve got big things on my horizon, and I'm positive that you do, too.
Aaron’s Challenge; Reach out to @AntonioBrown84 and ask him to come on the show.
Connect with Aaron
Snapchat
Brian helps enterprise technology companies utilize new technology such as Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud Computing to be more productive and become more involved in their communities as a social business. He hosts Twitter Hangouts #SbizHour & #CloudTalk & weekly Podcast Host: SMACtalk and iSocialTalks.
His passion for change and people is evident as in every keynote he delivers, covering a range of topics including employee advocacy, social selling, personal branding, and his personal social philosophy which is called #ShowUcare. He recently has been teaching people "digital storytelling with live streaming".
Brian was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa and the proud dad of 3 girls.
Brian’s Challenge; Wherever you primarily engage on social, create a video with your mobile device about what you do and why you do it.
Connect with Brian
Snapchat
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lenarduzzi where we discuss social broadcasting and building an audience for video.
Saba Sedighi is a Marketing Strategist and Video Content Creator. She takes on an innovative approach towards social selling to connect brands with their audience. Tech savvy, with a broad understanding of social media, influencer and email marketing, Saba is focused on leveraging her expertise in digital marketing combined with strategic insights.
Founder of iStream Social, she consults and collaborates with up-and-coming SMBs to help them establish, grow and manage their social presence, profile and audience on live/replay channels. iStream specializes in developing highly effective, real-world, clever strategies for Blab, Periscope, and Meerkat. They design and implement content strategies which yield maximum engagement and train companies to fully leverage multiple live stream channels.
Saba is also currently co-hosting 3 popular shows on Blab.im, regularly attracting a total of 1300+ viewers on a weekly basis.
Saba’s Challenge; Go on YouTube and google a topic you are interested in and watch 3 videos about it.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lenarduzzi where we discuss Snapchat and YouTube.
There is one mistake I consistently see people making on Snapchat. It was happening 2 years ago, and it continues to happen today. Be considerate, understand your context, and practice good Snap etiquette.
Thanks to Ashley for helping! Follow her;
Snapchat = ahh_chuu
Instagram = achu739
Adam Haritan is the founder of Learn Your Land, as well as a wild food enthusiast, researcher, and forager. He learned the value of wild food foraging while studying nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh, where he discovered just how beneficial wild foods could be in optimizing human health.
Wild plants, on average, are more nutritious than their cultivated counterparts (i.e. wild blueberries vs. domesticated blueberries, wild lettuce vs. iceberg lettuce). The wild food diet is the diet that we, as Homo sapiens, have been consuming for the majority of our time on this planet, and it is the diet that we are most adapted to. Today, very few Americans consume any wild foods, and instead subsist on nutrient-deficient products that scarcely resemble anything real or natural. It’s no wonder that degenerative diseases like cancer, diabetes, and chronic inflammation are so prevalent. We have abandoned our natural diet and are suffering as a result.
This realization has led Adam to pursue a lifestyle of wild food foraging while unearthing the forgotten knowledge we once cherished. It is Adam’s hope to share the enthusiasm and passion he has for wild foods with you!
Adam’s Challenge; Attend a nature walk where someone is going to teach you about the natural world.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 37 with Jennifer Pharr Davis where we discuss her record-setting hiking career.
Jake Voelker is the driving force behind Voodoo Brewery’s expansion into Pittsburgh and opening of the Homestead location. Following the purchase and extensive renovation of the oldest fire and police building in Allegheny County, Jake has continued expanding Voodoo’s visibility, market share, and profitability in the Pittsburgh area market while providing oversight of Voelker Contracting’s operations. Voelker Contracting is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Company that maintains contracts with the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies and various other private companies.
Following his college graduation, Jake was commissioned as an officer in the US Army and subsequently deployed in support of combat operations in Afghanistan. Jake separated from the US Army in 2010 at the rank of Captain. Directly following his time in the US Army Jake moved to Pittsburgh, got married, and obtained his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Jake mentors many veterans returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in personal and professional life. He can also be seen as a regular cast member of the podcast “Veterans on Fire”.
Jake’s Challenge; Take the opportunity to go outside and do a new physical activity or challenge.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 68 with Wes Shonk where we discuss whiskey and digital brand building.
Dennis is the CEO and Founder of x.ai, whose artificial intelligence driven personal assistant lets people schedule meetings using plain English and nothing more than a CC to amy@x.ai. Founded in 2014, x.ai is backed by blue chip investors, including IA Ventures, Firstmark, and Two Sigma Ventures, and located in New York City.
Dennis is a pioneer and expert in the analytics, optimization and big data space and has been since its inception – he is also a fully-fledged entrepreneur and successfully delivered a number of company exits. He’s an accredited Associate Analytics Instructor at the University of British Columbia, the Author of Data Driven Insights from Wiley and a frequent speaker on the subject of Analytics and Data. A native of Denmark, Mortensen currently calls New York City his home.
Dennis’s Challenge; Take public transportation far away from home and walk back. Leave your phone at home so you can be alone with your mind.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 85 with Sean Ammirati where we discuss startups, exponential growth, and being LinkedIn’s first acquisition.
When I explain to people what I do, this is always one of the first questions out of their mouth. It’s not hard, you just have to start looking in new places.
Aaron’s Challenge; Make yourself an AngelList profile.
Check out AngelList.
As an entrepreneur, Phil Laboon started his first company in my parent’s basement back in 2001. Back then, no one was thinking about SEO. 15 years later, SEO is one of the most sought after inbound marketing services, and his basement company is one of the leading digital marketing agencies in the country. His company, Eyeflow Internet Marketing provides clients with consulting and digital marketing services that help their business stand up and be heard by audiences both on and off the web.
Additionally, Phil hosts Pittsburgh Tech Talk, an online show that brings attention to some of the city’s biggest names and companies in tech. He speak publicly and offers consulting services to help show startups how to be successful in the fast-paced world of technology. Phil also invests in several startups as a way to help them hit the ground running and build their business.
Phil’s Challenge; Reach out to five high-status individuals in a creative way. Do something other than just sending an email or a tweet.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 12 with Scott Rogerson where we discuss twisting career arcs, entrepreneurship, and investing.
Brad Kriel wants construction firms and Do-it-yourselfers to get projects done more efficiently. His company is dedicated to leveraging modern technology to help save builders time.
At Velocity Robotics he used lean startup methods, developed an MVP application, hired graphic designers to optimize UI and UX of mobile apps and website, and managed legal and accounting team to handle company formation and complexities of bringing in initial startup capital.
In this episode, we discuss finding product-market fit and Brad’s core values.
Brad’s Challenge; Set a date and finish one of your incomplete projects.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 8 with Jason Miller where we discuss developing a website as his side hustle.
Aaron Martinez is a Snapchat storyteller, YouTube personality, and professional voice actor. A lot of people know him as "AaronFPS" or "That Snapchat Guy from YouTube" and he has been blowing up recently.
He has been on YouTube scene for almost 5 years now and focuses on keeping his audience up to date with everything in the technology world! Be it social media like Snapchat, unboxings/reviews on technology, or different giveaways, Aaron brings it.
He has recently risen to prominence as a Snapchat influencer and you need to be following him if you are serious about learning this social media platform.
Aaron’s Challenge; Experiment with Snapchat. Watch “How to Use Snapchat” on Aaron’s channel.
Connect with Aaron on Snapchat; Aaronfps
Add me on Snapchat; aaron_watson
If you liked this interview, check out episode 88 with Sunny Lenarduzzi where we discuss why she loves Snapchat, how she built a YouTube audience, and social media development.
Sunny works with entrepreneurs, personal brands, and corporations to help them bring their business online through social media and video marketing. After reporting at the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, she had an ‘a-ha’ moment and followed her heart into starting a business that serves people who desperately want to live life on their own terms.
She has a decade of experience as a video, social media, and brand strategist. She has created video campaigns for Hootsuite and made history with Applebee’s – earning over 1 billion impressions in 1 day. She has been featured on national radio, television and online platforms like Entrepreneur.com and The Huffington Post.
Sunny’s Challenge; Write down 5 things in a journal every night that your are grateful for.
Connect with Sunny on Snapchat at; sunnylenarduzzi
If you liked this interview, check out episode 84 with Todd Tresidder where we discuss building an online brand and reinventing your business.
Pay attention, because Snapchat is going mainstream. The former sexting app is coming straight for Twitter, Facebook,andInstagram.
I've got two huge interviews coming this week where we will be talking Snapchat and how to make moves on this new platform.
Add me on Snapchat; aaron_watson
Chris Hill is a podcast host at the Motley Fool. One of his shows, Motley Fool Money, airs every week on radio stations across America, including top-10 markets Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Boston and Washington, DC. Its companion podcast is consistently ranked as one of the top business & investing shows on iTunes.
Chris joined the Motley fool in 1997 and has helped the company build out their podcast network.
Chris’s Challenge; Find time to get space from business and social media to be alone with your thoughts. You can figure things out in the quiet of your own mind.
Connect with Chris
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss investing philosophy and cognitive biases.
Sean Ammirati joined Birchmere Ventures in 2012 to as the partner leading Birchmere Labs, a seed and studio fund focused on community driven commerce start-ups. Prior to that, he had over 12 years founding, building and selling businesses in the media and software industries. Sean was previously Chief Operating Officer of ReadWriteWeb, one of the most influential sites about the future of technology and innovation. In December 2011, the company was acquired by SAY Media to strengthen its technology channel. Sean was previously co-founder and CEO of mSpoke, which was the first acquisition of LinkedIn.
Sean is currently an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University. He also was a founding advisor to Innovation Works’ AlphaLab accelerator. He holds a B.S. in computer information systems from Grove City College and was a research fellow at Carnegie Mellon’s Sloan Software Industry Center.
Check out his new book about how lean startups can find growth; The Science of Growth: How Facebook Beat Friendster--and How Nine Other Startups Left the Rest in the Dust
Sean’s Challenge; We need to do a better job conditioning ourselves to understand that failure is not as scary as we tend to think it is.
Connect with Sean
Website
If you liked this interview, check out episode 16 with Zach Malone where we discuss raising venture capital and the Pittsburgh startups scene.
Todd Tresidder got a B.A. in Economics from University of California at Davis and is a member of the Economics Honors Society and Dean’s List. A serial entrepreneur since childhood, Todd has built many businesses and retiring at age 35 from his position as a Hedge Fund Investment Manager responsible for a 20+ million dollar portfolio.
Through hard work, Todd raised his net worth from less than zero at age 23 to self-made millionaire 12 years later by using the same personal finance and investment strategies taught on his web site. He has been financially independent since age 35 through investing – not marketing – unlike many other financial gurus who made their money through marketing courses and books.
His mission now is to teach personal finance and investing based on real experience.
Todd’s Challenge; Embrace the adventure. Go out and live it.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 65 with James Osborne where we discuss the future of financial services.
Kristi is the Creative Environments Lead at Maya Design consultancy and innovation lab. She pulls together interdisciplinary teams to think deeply about the interaction between physical and virtual space, and explores the widest possible definition of “environment” in service of our client’s desired outcome.
Prior to joining MAYA, Kristi worked in Washington, DC as a management consultant, facilitating culture change tied to physical change for federal agencies. She has worked in California and Arizona as a behavioral strategist creating the workplace, mixed use development, and hospitality strategies. Kristi was also the CEO of her own firm that provided consultative services for architecture, interiors, FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment), and construction.
Additionally, she was on the faculty at Arizona State University teaching in both the Colleges of Architecture and Business, with research focused on the impact physical environment has on human behavior.
You can also find her speaking about workplace, culture, community, and the future of work at conferences across the country.
Kristi’s Challenge; The boundaries of your potential are drawn in your own mind. Ask yourself Is there more? Aim higher. Advice from Christopher Dorris.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 74 with John Beck where we discuss product design and the internet of things.
Russ Roberts has taught at George Mason University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Rochester, Stanford University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a regular commentator on business and economics for National Public Radio's Morning Edition and has written for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Roberts also blogs at Cafe Hayek with Donald J. Boudreaux at George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia. He published the novel The Invisible Heart which conveys economic ideas in the context of a narrative. In 2008, Roberts released another novel, The Price of Everything, which addresses concepts such as spontaneous order, price gouging, and market economics in crisis situations.
Roberts’ podcast EconTalk is carried by The Library of Economics and Liberty and is a weekly talk show features one-on-one discussions with an eclectic mix of authors, professors, Nobel Laureates, entrepreneurs, leaders of charities and businesses, and people on the street. The emphases are on using topical books and the news to illustrate economic principles. Exploring how economics emerges in practice is a primary theme.
Russ’s Challenges; Try to think about your own biases and be aware of what you’re doing subconsciously. AND realize economics is not about money. Economics is about flourishing, choices and resources.
Book Recommendations
Individualism and Economic Order by F.A. Hayek
Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Taleb
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman
The Path to Power by Robert A. Caro
Referenced Media
Jonathan Haidt-Tyler Cowen Conversation
Connect with Russ
russroberts@gmail.com
If you liked this interview, check out episode 77 with Steve Patterson where we discuss philosophy and breaking away from academic institutions.
Have you ever wanted to get into real estate? Jason Hartman thinks that’s a great idea.
Jason Hartman is the Founder and CEO of Platinum Properties Investor Network, The Hartman Media Company and The Jason Hartman Foundation. Starting with very little, Jason, while still in college at the age of 19, embarked on a career in real estate while brokering properties for clients, he was investing in he own portfolio along the way. Through creativity, persistence and hard work, he soon joined the ranks of the top one-percent of Realtors in the U.S..
Hartman is a self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur, author, investor, lender and developer. He has owned properties in 11 states, had hundreds of tenants and been involved in several thousand real estate transactions. He is the host of 20 podcasts with about 3,000 episodes where he shares powerful strategies for business, investing and living the good life.
He has visited 78 countries, enjoys adventure, fitness and lifelong learning.
Jason’s Challenge; Give something away without any expectation of getting anything back. If you give things away, you are teaching your subconscious that the world is abundant.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss personal investment philosophy and financial decision-making.
Chris Guillebeau is a New York Times bestselling author and modern-day explorer. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. Since then he has modeled the proven definition of an entrepreneur: “Someone who will work 24 hours a day for themselves to avoid working one hour a day for someone else.”
Chris’s first book, The Art of Non-Conformity, was translated into more than twenty languages. His second book, The $100 Startup, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, selling more than 300,000 copies worldwide. His latest book, The Happiness of Pursuit, was published in September 2014 and was also a New York Times bestseller.
Every summer in Portland, Oregon, Chris hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people with thousands in attendance. Chris is also the founder of Pioneer Nation, Unconventional Guides, the Travel Hacking Cartel, and numerous other projects.
Chris’s Challenge; Create a measurable metric for some form of creative output and execute on it. Example; write 1,000 words per day for 6 days per week.
Check out Chris’ Books
The Art of Nonconformity
The $100 Startup
The Happiness of Pursuit
Born For This
Connect with Chris
Website
Jonathan Abrams is an award-winning journalist who has covered the NBA for ESPN’s Grantland, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
His first book, Boys Among Men, chronicles the generation of NBA players that jumped directly to the pros from high school and the struggles they faced along the way.
Jonathan’s Challenge; Buy Shea Serrano’s book, The Rap Yearbook.
Check out Abrams’ book; Boys Among Men
Steve Patterson is a rationalist philosopher and author who works outside of the academic establishment. He believes the internet is revolutionizing every industry, including the world of ideas and that the future of intellectual progress belongs to independent scholars, not ivory tower professors.
He also believes truth can be discovered through a deep enough understanding of anything, as every pursuit ultimately points back to philosophy. He laments that the culture is stuck in an era of irrationalism, which glorifies blurry thinking and imprecise theories and his work is trying to change that.
Steve’s Challenge; Go out and try to break apart your worldview.
Steve’s Suggestion
Closer to Truth
If you liked this interview, check out episode 46 with Taylor Pearson where we discuss the decline of traditional jobs around the economy and rise of small entrepreneurs.
Neil’s site, Above Avalon, originated from a Tumblr blog about Apple in 2010. At the time, he was a Wall Street analyst focused on the financial sector, while all things related to Apple and technology were his evening and weekend projects. After being disappointed with the lack of relevant Apple analysis from both a financial and business point of view, he decided to begin building a new kind of Apple analysis site based on his financial background and critical thinking skills. By examining Apple from both a Wall Street and Silicon Valley perspective, he has positioned Above Avalon to provide unique insight into how Apple functions and its worldview.
Along with weekly Above Avalon posts and podcast episodes, Neil publishes exclusive daily updates for Above Avalon members. Members range from Wall Street experts to weekend hobbyists.
Neil’s Challenge; Try saying “No” to things that you can’t put your whole self into. No one has enough time to do everything.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 47 with Avi Geller where we discuss technology and the future of hearable tech.
Jessica Strong was engaged in the world of freelance work for years. She knew all about the never-ending to-do list of client requests, paperwork, social media updates, billing, tracking down receipts, fighting with WordPress plug-ins, and answering a million emails.
So she founded Whetstone Workgroup to help freelancers, consultants, and “mompreneurs” succeed in three specific ways. She created a physical space where freelancers can work more efficiently, with drop-in daycare available for attention-craving children. She also provides administrative services and software so Whetstone members can get through their monster to-do list more easily. And finally she offers consultations, trainings and workshops so her members can keep learning and growing as professionals.
Jessica’s Challenge; Create a cross section of things you are good at and things you enjoy doing. Execute on the things that qualify for both.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 28 with Emily and Kate from Propelle, where we discuss masterminds and the challenges mompreneurs face.
John Beck leads the development of TrueFit’s human-centered design methodology and his team’s design research, information design, product interaction, and user interface design. Through John’s leadership, Truefit helps clients create innovative web, mobile, social media and commercial software products that have positive practical impact.
John is part of Truefit's business development team and is skilled at helping clients understand the impact of good user experience and the best practices for success drawn from years of experience working with several of the world’s most distinguished health and technology brands including Samsung, Precor, Rolls-Royce, Kodak, and BodyMedia.
Prior to joining Truefit, John served as a Co-Founder and President of Gist Design, acquired by Truefit in 2013. John has also served as a Senior Interaction Designer at wearable body monitoring pioneer, BodyMedia, which was recently acquired by Jawbone.
John’s work has been cited in many industry and commercial publications including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Wired Magazine, Business Week, and Engadget. John’s work has won numerous design and innovation awards including the IDEA Gold Medal sponsored by Businessweek and the Industrial Designers Society of America. He also serves as occasional lecturer and teacher.
John’s Challenge; Challenge yourself to practice design-thinking by carefully examining someone completing a task.
Mike Dariano is a writer, an educator, and a creator. He writes about productivity and better work at Productivityist and edits the site 27GoodThings.com which features good things to read, watch, and use. He also writes at The Waiter’s Pad – a blog that shares in depth notes from podcast interviews around the web.
He has written a few books including; My Meditations: What a Roman Emperor Taught me About Parenting, Read More Books: Hijack your Habits, Tame your Time, and Find Better Tools for Reading More Books, and Children’s Poems for the Couch on a Sunday Afternoon.
Mike’s Challenge; Read more books.
Mentioned Media
Helsinki Bus Station Theory
Gary Vaynerchuk on Rich Roll podcast
Venkatesh Rao on the Tropical MBA podcast
Check out Mike’s Book; 28 Lessons from Startups that Failed
If you liked this interview, check out episode 46 with Taylor Pearson where we discuss entrepreneurship and the future of the economy.
Robert P. Seawright is the Chief Investment & Information Officer for Madison Avenue Securities, a boutique broker-dealer and investment advisory firm headquartered in San Diego, California. At Madison, Bob’s role is a thought leader for the firm’s independent advisors, providing counsel and guidance with respect to the latest industry trends, research and best practices. In September of 2014, The Wall Street Journal published a list of fifteen smart people for investors to follow that included Bob, along with Warren Buffett, Howard Marks, William Bernstein and the CFA Institute.
Bob is a columnist for Research magazine, a Contributing Editor at Portfolioist as well as a contributor to the Financial Times, The Big Picture, The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch, Pragmatic Capitalism, and ThinkAdvisor. Bob’s blog, Above the Market, has received “best of” recognition from a wide variety of sources, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Planning, the CFA Institute, Insider Monkey, Financial Social Media, and Investment News. He also speaks regularly to a variety of audiences on topics related to finance, investing and the markets.
Bob’s Challenge; Sit down and think of a few examples of mistakes you are making.
If you liked this interview, check out episode 55 with Morgan Housel, where we discuss finance writing and cognitive biases.
Michael Port has written six books, including Book Yourself Solid and Steal the Show, the latter which—according to the former President of Starbucks—“might be the most unique and practical book ever written on the topic of public speaking.” He's been called an “uncommonly honest author" by the Boston Globe, a "marketing guru" by The Wall Street Journal, a “sales guru” by the Financial Times, “a public speaking phenom” by Jonathan Fields and “the best public speaking coach in the world” by Lewis Howes.
The founder of MastermindTalks, Jayson Gaignard, declared, "Michael Port is the best speaker I've ever seen." His books have been on the bestseller lists of the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly.
He was once a professional actor, having received his MFA from NYU's Graduate Acting Program, guest starring on shows like Sex & The City and Law & Order, and in films like The Pelican Brief and Down to Earth. These days, Michael can be seen on MSNBC, CNBC, and PBS as an on air expert in communication and business development and as the host of the most popular podcast on public speaking and performance, Steal the Show with Michael Port.
Michael’s Challenge; Save money. Even if it is just a little bit, start investing now. Check out Jack Bogle’s book The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.
Connect with Michael
Website
Colin is a professional author and international speaker, and co-founded a publishing company. He travels full-time, moving to a new country every four months or so, with the country being determined by the votes of readers of his blog.
In the six years since starting his blog, Colin has lived in New Zealand, Thailand, Iceland, India, Romania, and Czech Republic, visited the 48 contiguous US states twice, road tripped through South America, rode the rails through Southeast Asia, and visited about 30 other countries.
Since hitting the road, he has pivoted from building brands for other companies, to consulting on branding, to building brands for himself. He has run nearly a dozen medium- and small-scale endeavors, in industries ranging from sustainable product design to subscription-based publishing technologies. He currently makes a living by publishing books through a publishing company called Asymmetrical Press, which he also co-founded with two fellow authors, Josh and Ryan from The Minimalists.
He also periodically teaches classes, gives talks at schools, conferences, and events, and runs workshops all over the world.
Colin’s Challenge; 20 minutes per day away from technology and other people to allow your mind to free associate and be creative.
Colin’s Writing
On Failing Gracefully
If you liked this interview, check out episode 23 with Nathan Chan. We discuss publishing and brand-building.
If there’s something interesting going on in Pittsburgh, Kit Mueller is probably involved in it. If there’s someone important you want to meet, he probably knows how to get an intro.
Kit is a relentless self-starter, with recent projects including Speak Freely, Data Driven Creative and Fygment. In addition to his own endeavors, Kit is dedicated to his community and constantly pushing to raise awareness for young aspiring companies and causes.
His story is one we can all learn from.
Kit’s Challenge; Go get coffee with someone who look different than you do. From a different background than you.
Zachary Slayback is an entrepreneur who writes on issues of education, innovation, and philosophy. He is an Ivy League dropout and speaks regularly on education, college, how and why to foster more entrepreneurship and issues related to professional development. He believes that entrepreneurs are the primary actors of social change.
Zak is a co-founder of Praxis, an alternative to the traditional route of attending college. Participants work at growing startups and learn firsthand what it takes to be an entrepreneur while creating real value and working alongside founders and CEOs. Getting fully immersed in the world of innovative enterprise offers an experience that a classroom simply cannot provide.
He was one of LinkedIn’s most influential voices on education in 2015 and has been published in Newsweek, the New York Examiner, the Daily Caller, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the Christian Science Monitor, and more. He has also appeared on The Glenn Beck Program and HuffPost Live.
Zak lives in and works from Pittsburgh, PA. Feel free to contact him if you are visiting and want to grab a coffee.
Zak’s Challenge; Drop out of college.
Zak’s Writing
Where are all the Young Entrepreneurs?
James Osborne is a Certified Financial Planner who has spent his career in the investment management industry, helping clients manage their portfolios and plan for retirement, legacy, and lifetime goals. In addition to the CFP professional designation, he has an MBA in Investment Management from the University of Colorado. His disillusionment with the standard practice of investment management firms led to the creation of Bason Asset Management in late 2012.
Bason Asset Management is a flat fee only asset management firm offering tax-efficient and cost-effective portfolio management based in Lakewood, Colorado. The firm’s philosophy is centered around low costs, passive (index) investments, tax management and fair dealing with clients.
James serves clients throughout the front range and Denver metro area and across the country. He has contributed to or been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Motley Fool, Investment News, Financial Planning, CoBiz Magazine, USA Today, Morningstar Magazine, ThinkAdvisor, Money magazine and Business Insider. James was named to Brightscope’s “Top 100 Social Influencer” list for financial professionals in 2014. He is an Indiana native, lifelong Hoosier basketball fan, and avid cyclist.
James’s Challenge; Give serious consideration to your weaknesses when it comes to your investments personal psychology and comes to terms with them.
Rob McLeod is a competitive athlete and motivational speaker living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He competes in ultimate frisbee, disc golf, dog disc and overall flying disc competitions. He currently holds 13 World Records (including 6 Guinness World Records), the Canadian Distance Record, 10 World Championships and 2 Quadruped titles.
Rob has also appeared in the 2014 & 2015 Guinness Book of World Records, the 2015 Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! book and the 2015 Reader’s Digest Canada Day edition. He is a brand ambassador for a number of companies and an ambassador for disc sports around the globe.
Rob’s Challenge; Go to agelessgame.com to try a different disc sport.
This episode of Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by the Ultimate Athlete Project. UAP is founded on helping athletes get results through well-developed workout plans that relieve you of the need to research effective workouts or worry about your workouts becoming boring. Check out a free core workout and learn more about what regular users are saying about the program.
Tadas Viskanta is the Founder and Editor of Abnormal Returns. His “forecast-free investment blog” has become a fixture on the financial scene for over nine years. Tadas is a private investor with over 25 years of experience in the financial markets. He is the co-author of over a dozen investment-related papers that have appeared in publications like the Financial Analysts Journal, Journal of Portfolio Management among others.
Tadas is also the author of the well-received book: Abnormal Returns: Winning Strategies from the Frontlines of the Investment Blogosphere that distills lessons learned from his time blogging.
Tadas holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA from Indiana University and lives with his family in
Tadas’s Challenge; People are too hard on themselves when it comes to investing. Give yourself a break and do the best you can. The most important thing is learning from your mistakes.
Tadas’ Book
Abnormal Returns: Winning Strategies from the Frontlines of the Investment Blogosphere
Connect with Tadas
Stocktwits
Website
Steve Gordon is co-founder and President of Ultimate Xperience Ventures, LLC, a sports and entertainment holding company. UXV owns a majority interest in the American Ultimate Disc League and has interests in video, print and digital services relating to Ultimate Disc content. Mr. Gordon also serves as the AUDL League Commissioner.
Steve is also founder & managing partner of the Chicago Wildfire, Chicago's professional Ultimate Disc team in the AUDL. The Wildfire began play in the 2013 season and play at Lane Tech Stadium in Chicago.
Steve is also founder of Capstone Concepts, Inc, a firm dedicated to bringing products and/or services that are unique or early in their life cycle to mass markets. Industry concentrations include financial programs, smartphone apps, sports and health-related products.
Steve’s Challenge; Eat organic 3x per week for one month and see how it affects your body.
Connect with Steve
Website
Email; sgordon@theaudl.com
This episode of Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by the Ultimate Athlete Project. UAP is founded on helping athletes get results through well-developed workout plans that relieve you of the need to research effective workouts or worry about your workouts becoming boring. Check out a free core workout and learn more about what regular users are saying about the program.
Ben is the Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management. He helps the team create detailed investment plans and manage portfolios for institutions and individuals to help them achieve their goals.
Ben has been managing institutional portfolios his entire career, starting out with an institutional investment consulting firm developing portfolio strategies and creating investment plans for various foundations, endowments, pensions, hospitals, insurance companies and high net worth individuals. More recently, he was part of the portfolio management team for an investment office that managed a large endowment fund for a charitable organization.
Ben’s blogging mission is to try to explain the complexities of the various aspects of finance in a way that everyone could understand them. Both the economy and the financial markets are complex adaptive systems, but they don’t necessarily require complex solutions. Common sense and self-awareness are extremely underrated attributes in the world of finance.
Ben’s Challenge; Reach out to someone you admire and take them out for lunch/coffee. Networks are underrated.
Ben’s Book
A Wealth of Common Sense: Why Simplicity Trumps Complexity in Any Investment Plan
Connect with Ben
Twitter
LinkedIn
Website
Mike Gable has been running Construction Junction since 1999. The nonprofit collects and sells salvageable building materials around the Pittsburgh area. This environmental recycling mission has been growing consistently year by year and Mike deserves much of the credit.
He works with contractors around the area, spreading his organization’s mission. He has applied business principles to a nonprofit, focusing on revenue, marketing and profits, instead of being reliant on donations and grants.
Mike’s Challenge; Be on the lookout for building materials that can be reused in projects around your city.
Connect with Mike
Website
Aaron T. Walker, a businessman and life coach, inspires through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. 35 years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron an opportunity to broaden his perspective by examining his experiences and growing from them.
For 19 years and counting, Aaron has taken classes from and has been coached personally by his friend, financial guru, Dave Ramsey. Spiritual mentors David Landrith and Bob Warren have impacted his spiritual life beyond measure. Two other disciplined mastermind groups, 48 Days led by friend Dan Miller and The Torch have played a role in his understanding of how to live a significant, successful life.
Years ago, it only took a few years as a partner with David Patton Construction LLC for Aaron to help take the business from doing one to two projects per year to a multi-million dollar company, voted number one builder for three consecutive years by Nashville’s House & Home & Garden Magazine's People's Choice Awards. He sold his retail business to Cash America USA, a Fortune 500 company. In addition to being the owner of eight lucrative businesses, Aaron participates in civic endeavors.
Aaron’s Challenge; Call people randomly without asking for anything.
Aaron’s Book Recommendations
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Connect with Aaron
Website
Jim, Executive Director of Pittsburgh’s AlphaLab accelerator program, provides mentorship, education and network-building for technology startups. His accelerator helps companies rapidly iterate through early stages of product and customer development.
Launched in 2008, AlphaLab is ranked #6 among accelerators in the US and a charter member of the Global Accelerator Network, where Jim currently serves on the Advisory Board. AlphaLab alumni companies include The Resumator, No Wait, Black Locus (acquired by Home Depot), Shoefitr and SolePower.
Jim guides companies by leveraging his experience and network gained from working closely with over eighty companies in the Innovation Works and AlphaLab portfolios and from his prior management experience in Silicon Valley. In the Bay Area, Jim built and managed software businesses at Hewlett-Packard, Agile Software (acquired by Oracle), and Instill Corporation (acquired by iTradeNetwork Inc). As a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton, Jim advised executive management of Fortune 500 companies on marketing, strategy, and organizational issues.
Jim holds a BA and MA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
Jim’s Challenge; Go out of your way to explore viewpoints opposite of the ones you hold.
Connect with Jim
Website
Eric Brown co-founded ImpactGames to influence society and promote change through interactive media. Toward this end, ImpactGames developed PeaceMaker, a video game simulation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to promote dialogue and understanding. Unlike most serious games, PeaceMaker aims to bridge the gap between education and entertainment while reaching a mass market. PeaceMaker has been sold in over 60 countries, been featured in media outlets around the world, and has won several international awards.
Eric was listed among "100 Social Entrepreneurs Changing the World" in Newsweek Japan. He holds a Masters of Entertainment Technology from Carnegie Mellon University and received a BFA in Painting with focused studies in education and computer graphics from Washington University in St. Louis.
Recently, Eric has been working with different groups around Pittsburgh to help bring products to market including Walkingthumbs’ product Blabcake. He has also helped found a non-profit called The Additive Project that has created 3D printing curriculum that is being used by Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and the Carnegie Library Labs group among others.
Eric’s Challenge; Make an effort to keep in contact with former colleagues and mentors that you admire and nurture those relationships.
Connect with Eric
Website
Hitting my Kickstarter goal in 3 days was exhilarating! I want to teach you exactly how I did it and what I learned along the way!
My Kickstarter Page
Two Associated Posts
What I Learned from a Successful Kickstarter Campaign
The Steps I Took After a Successful Kickstarter Campaign
Book Recommendation
Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World by Peter Diamandis
Aaron’s Challenge; Spend 30 minutes away from your phone and think about something that you really want. This can be something that you haven’t told anyone because it may seem a little ridiculous. Acknowledge it, and put together a rough draft of a plan for how you would make it happen.
People to Thank
Liam Rosen, TopScore & Skyd Magazine
Joe Marmerstein,
Kenny Chen
Alex Galbraith
Art & Denise Chau
Squirrel Hill Chiropractic
Pitt Ultimate
Greeno, who has helped me edit a few episodes of the podcast
Dan O'Connor, the very first backer
Tyler Kunsa
StartNow Pittsburgh
Jimmy Leppert, UpCall Ultimate
Dan Tremblay
Larry Gioia
Whiskey with Wes
James Park, Los Angeles Aviators
Kevin Tang
Elizabeth Craig Photography
Ryan, CB Insights
Karly Schwab
Michael Wilson
Ryan Richardson
Adam Pelleg
JoJo
Paulson Domasky
Alex Thorne
Mark Fedorenko
Dave & Portie Watson
Nathan D Hessington VI
A special thank you to my family members who supported me;
Aunt Cheryl & Uncle Denny - You guys rock. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Holly - You’re the best!
Mom & Dad - Thank you for always believing in me.
Ashley - I couldn’t have done any of this without you.
Morgan came on the podcast to talk cognitive biases, personal finance, and writing. He took an interesting path to his current career and uses that to his advantage when teaching through his writing.
Morgan Housel is a columnist at the Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal. His work is also featured in USA Today, The Huffington Post, and Business Insider.
He is a two-time winner of the Best in Business award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and was selected by the Columbia Journalism Review for the Best Business Writing 2012 anthology. In 2013 he was a finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award and Scripps Howard Award. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Southern California.
Morgan’s Challenge; Go out and read things that you know you are going to disagree with to round out your view of the world.
Morgan’s Book Recommendations
The Intelligent Investor by Ben Graham
Confessions of a Street Addict by Jim Cramer
Morgan’s Writing
Financial Advice for My New Son
122 Things Everyone Should Know About Investing and the Economy
Why I’m an Optimist
Connect with Morgan
Website
Apart from his family, and new technologies, Ultimate Frisbee is Patrick's biggest passion. He has been very involved in the World Flying Disc Federation, personally launched the Portuguese Beach Ultimate tournament (Bar do Peixe), and an international organization that focuses on promoting Beach Ultimate, called BULA (Beach Ultimate Lovers Association).
In 2004 Patrick and BULA organized the first World Championships Beach Ultimate in Figueira de Foz, Portugal. With 450 participants from 22 countries it turned out to be a serious success, and he has continued to put the event on for over a decade.
The 2nd World Championships in Brazil in December 2007 and the 3rd in 2011 in Italy were also organized by BULA, Patrick, and local players. Just last year, he led efforts to produce the 2015 World Championships in Dubai.
Patrick played on the Portuguese national team through 2014, as well as with national champions LUC, and in Paganello top international all-star team: SeXXXpensive. He has also the Chairman of the WFDF Spirit of the Game Committee and served as president of the Portuguese flying disc federation through 2014.
At the heart of the new economy Patrick turned into a highly effective marketer and 'evangelic' salesman. One company he co-founded, ChemConnect, has been covered in several case-studies and an article in the Wall Street Journal "Top Online Chemical Exchange Is Unlikely Success Story".
Patrick’s Challenge; Find a way to be more efficient with your professional time so that you can spend more time with your friends and family.
Efficiency Tools
Zero Inbox
Clear Context
Boomerang
Connect with Patrick
Twitter
LinkedIn
Website
Adriana Withers is one of the partners in Vicious Circle Ultimate, an apparel company dedicated to custom manufacturing high performance gear for ultimate frisbee athletes. Her partner Don Cooper came up with the idea for VC just before Canadian Nationals in the summer of 1998 and the company has been growing ever since.
In this episode, Adriana discusses throwing apartment parties to pay rent, the challenges of starting up, and the proliferation of companies in her industry in recent years.
Adriana’s Challenge; Practice gratitude regularly and show appreciation for the people in your life.
Connect with Adriana
Website
email; adriana@vcultimate.com
Hahna is the Chief Technical Officer and cofounder of Sole Power Technologies. The company builds an shoe insole that charges a battery while the used walks. That battery can be used to charge a cell phone or other electronic device.
As a child, Hahna was inspired by the technology in science fiction books, shows, and comics. She became an engineer because she wanted to make such technology a reality. For her, developing an energy harvesting shoe insert meant creating a device that could be found in an Isaac Asimov book. She also has a lifelong dream of going to space, which grew bigger while designing robots at NASA. As company CTO, she leads product design and is the only one capable of drawing more than stick figures.
Hahna’s Challenge; Spend some time every day learning about a topic you want to get smarter on.
Popular Science Invention of the Year
Connect with Hahna
Website
email; info@solepowertech.com
Ilana Diamond is the Managing Director of AlphaLab Gear, Innovation Works’ hardware start-up accelerator which provides physical product startups with connections, investment, mentorship and more. Ilana helps entrepreneurs rapidly progress through the early stages of product and customer development by leveraging her experience and network, gained from over 20 years of leading and growing companies, from early stage to exit.
Prior to running AlphaLab Gear, Ilana served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Sima Products. She built Sima’s management team, developed and managed a network of Asian manufacturers and led profitable sales growth at national brick and mortar retail chains such as Target and Walmart, internet retailers such as Amazon.com, and specialty catalog retailers.Based on innovative technology developed by Sima, she also founded and managed a commercial alerting startup, raised outside capital spun it off into a separate entity. In 2010, Ms. Diamond negotiated the sale of Sima and transitioned operations to the new owners.
Ilana currently serves as a Member of the advisory board at Sole Power, LLC. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Tie Pittsburgh. Previously, she sat on the Executive Board of the Consumer Electronics Association.
Ilana’s Challenge; Pick one thing every day that you are going to do well. You can’t do everything well every single day.
Connect with Ilana
Twitter @Ilanadiamond
@AlphalabGear
AlphaLab Gear Website
Hardware Cup
Theresa Brown, BSN, RN, works as a clinical nurse in Pittsburgh and recently wrote a NYT best-selling book, The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives.
Theresa received her BSN from the University of Pittsburgh, but before that earned, a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago and taught at Tufts University. Her column "Bedside" has appeared on the New York Times op-ed page as well as on the Times blog “Opinionator” and she is a frequent contributor to the New York Times. Previously she wrote for the New York Times blog “Well." Her writing has also appeared on CNN.com, and in The American Journal of Nursing and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She is an Advisory Board Member of the Center for Health Media and Policy at the Bellevue School of Nursing at Hunter College, and a participant in two different Robert Wood Johnson initiatives: "Flip the Clinic" and "The Power of Narrative."
Her first book Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between has been adopted as a textbook in Schools of Nursing across the country. Theresa lectures nationally on issues related to nursing, health care, and end of life. Her clinical work has been in medical oncology, hospice, and palliative care. Becoming a mom led Theresa to leave academia and pursue nursing. It is a career change she has never regretted.
Theresa’s Challenge; Spend 30 minutes reading one poem per week.
Theresa’s Books
Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between
The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives
Connect with Theresa
Website
This episode of Going Deep with Aaron Watson is brought to you by the Ultimate Athlete Project. The Ultimate Athlete Project is founded on helping athletes get results through well-developed workout plans that relieve you of the need to research effective workouts or worry about your workouts becoming boring. Check out a free core workout and learn more about what regular users are saying about the program.
Leah Lizarondo is an innovator and food advocate. She is also the founder of The Brazen Kitchen, a food education practice and influential blog and the co-founder of 412 Food Rescue, an innovative technology-driven nonprofit that fights hunger and waste.
Leah received her Master's Degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University graduating with Highest Distinction and is an advocate for healthy food accessibility, food safety policy and sustainability. She has trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and received her Certification in Plant-based Nutrition from Cornell University.
She served as one of the Trustees at the global Awesome Foundation: Food, serving with leaders and creative innovators in food and is an Ambassador for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.
She began her career as a product manager in Southeast Asia, working in consumer packaged goods and as a consultant working with technology startups. She served in leadership positions at global nonprofits before moving on to her passion in food and health advocacy. She is interested in the intersection of food, health and innovation.
Leah’s work has been featured in print and online publications including MSN’s Re:Discover Series, NPR, Oprah.com, GOOD Magazine online, and lots of local media. The Brazen Kitchen was named one of the Top 100 Foodie Blogs in 2013 by IPE and won the 2013 National City & Regional Magazine Awards for Best Blog. In April 2014, she gave the TEDx Talk “Why the Farm Is Not Getting to the Table.”
Check out the CrowdRise Campaign
Leah’s Challenge; Write a letter to yourself one year from today explaining your vision for yourself.
Connect with Leah
Twitter @LeahLizarondo
@412FoodRescue
Instagram @412FoodRescue
@brazenkitchen
Website
Avi Geller has taken a long and thoughtful route to entrepreneurship. During his time on Going Deep, he discusses how he moved to progressively smaller companies and developed a vision for the future of wearable tech.
He is now focused on “hearables”, a segment of tech focused on headsets and earpieces that deliver real time information to users. As a member of the AlphaLab accelerator, Avi is leading Maven Machines towards being a player in the Internet of Things.
Avi’s Challenge; Start something, like a social gathering or a project, that you take ownership of and do a great job.
Next Pittsburgh Article
Connect with Avi
Twitter @avishaigeller
@MavenMachines
Website
avishai@mavenmachines.com
Ever wondered what the path to being an Amazon #1 bestseller looks like? Meet Taylor Pearson.
Taylor taught himself Portuguese while working as a freelance Spanish interpreter, then bought a one-way plane ticket to Brazil to teach English. Between teaching classes, he played semi-pro football and built a profitable publishing business selling advertising to kitchen furniture manufacturers.
He cold-called marketing agencies using my small kitchen furniture publishing business to get a job. Went from intern to lead project manager in less than six months at the leading digital marketing agency in Memphis. While there, he managed accounts for international manufacturing brands and higher education institutions.
He left that to join the Tropical MBA team, a top 25 iTunes podcast and 10k+ subscriber blog. There he assisted in event planning and community management for The Dynamite Circle, a private mastermind forum of over 1000 of the web’s top location independent entrepreneurs. He also managed the online marketing and sales for a portfolio of 7-figure eCommerce businesses in the hospitality industry, primarily the Portable Bar Company, which grew over 527%. Then, he ran sales and product development for a valet parking software startup, selling into enterprise parking operators while managing product development and strategy.
Now, he primarily writes on his blog and consults with authors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs about how to find clarity and confidence in their businesses, expand their marketing through thought leadership and scale their internal business systems.
Taylor’s Challenge; Publish something publicly this week and share it on social media.
Taylor’s Book = The End of Jobs
Book Recommendations
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont
Connect with Taylor
Website
email; taylor@taylorpearson.me
Dick Zhang is President and CEO of Pittsburgh, PA based Identified Technologies. Dick leads his rapidly growing team’s efforts to deliver real-time job site updates to industrial companies around the world using robotic aerial drones.
Prior to founding Identified Technologies, his previous work included corporate finance at Goldman Sachs and project management at Bristol-Myers Squibb. A technologist as well as an entrepreneur, he is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania with training in Mechanical Engineering and holds several U.S. patents.
Dick has been featured as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, Pittsburgh Business Times Fast Tracker, and Point Park University guest lecturer.
Dick’s Challenge; Push yourself outside of your comfort zone so that you’ll continue to grow.
Media Coverage
Tech Crunch
Connect with Dick
Twitter @thedickzhang
@identifiedtech
CrunchBase
Website
Matt Zieger moved to Pittsburgh to join The Forbes Funds in August of 2014 as the Executive-in-Residence for Social Innovation. As a former foundation CEO, small business owner, and long-time economic policy leader Matt has fifteen years of experience bringing together Governors, CEOs, civic leaders, philanthropies, and global innovators to build and advance transformative investments in public education, international business development, government innovation, and knowledge-driven economic development.
In this role, Matt leads the Forbes Funds efforts to accelerate regional understanding and adoption of emerging tools to affect positive societal outcomes at substantial scale. His current focus areas include the development of new platforms to increase access to capital and advanced technologies for nonprofits and social entrepreneurs such as impact investing funds, social impact bonds, and prototyping technology solutions that positively impact the communities and organizations we serve.
Matt’s Challenge; Say yes more often.
Articles
Pittsburgh Business Times
Connect with Matt
Website
Email; zieger@forbesfunds.org
Sean McComb's rise to thought leadership in the realm of education started decades ago. Growing up outside of Philadelphia, what began as a comfortable childhood was later torn apart by strife. Facing chaos and despair at home, he turned to school as his sanctuary and found inspiration in extraordinary teachers. His experiences compelled him to go into education, and pay forward the gifts that he received.
During his 10 years at Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts in Baltimore County, Maryland, Sean became an integral member of an outstanding school and community. Sean's English courses are deep dives into the exploration of humanity through literature and building communication skills. He regularly led his students in community service projects and led the construction of the AVID college-preparatory program in his school.
AVID targets students in the academic middle who have college dreams and provides them a pathway and a partner to achieve them. It's through this program that AVID students have what every child needs, a champion: an adult in their life who values them, believes in them and expects great things from them until the child can come to expect those things of themselves.
Sean’s Challenge; Practice gratitude and take ten to fifteen minutes every day to write notes affirming others.
Articles
Washington Post
Teaching Channel
Connect with Sean
Website
Bobby is the CEO and cofounder of Thrill Mill, Pittsburgh's premier early-stage incubator/accelerator for entrepreneurs looking to turn that great idea into the next big thing. Thrill Mill, a non-profit organization, accepts applications annually, awarding a minimum of $5,000 per startup in exchange for 1% equity. Startups, which come from all industries and all growth models (including non-profits), are selected through the competitive application process gain access to first-class programming, mentorship, advisors, and broad networks to refine business models, reach target customer audiences and fund startups through their growth stages.
He is also a "reformed lawyer" and unapologetically Pittsburgh-proud. He is focused on the present and future of his city. He also created Thrival Festival, a music and innovation festival, to shine a national and international spotlight on the beautiful, creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial city that Pittsburgh has become.
Bobby’s Challenge; For a week, smile as much as possible and always say “please” and “thank you”. Focus on your people skills and let Bobby and Aaron know your results!
Articles
Urban Innovation Exchange
Connect with Bobby
Twitter @bigzintheburgh
@thrivalfestival
@ThrillMillPgh
LinkedIn
Thrill Mill
Thrival
Tim DeByl started the Madison Radicals franchise in the AUDL in 2012 and has coached the team to the championship game of the AUDL playoffs twice. He has leveraged his experience running a marketing and design company for over a decade to make the Radicals one of the marquee teams in professional ultimate.
In episode thirty-nine, Tim and Aaron discuss the expansion of the league, wearing multiple hats for the Radicals, and Tim’s hope for the future of the sport.
Tim’s Challenge; The next time you are in a heated conversation with someone, take the time to really listen to what they are saying and not just waiting for your turn to speak.
Connect with Tim
Website
email; tim@theaudl.com
Dan McCoy was born with Spina Bifida, a birth defect caused by the incomplete formation of vertebrae, and hydrocephalus, a medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain. He’s never let those conditions stop him from becoming an athlete, though, as he started playing sled hockey at age five and even served as goalie for his high school’s junior varsity lacrosse team for a season.
He helped Team USA earn a Gold Medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. As a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, he has played in three International Paralympic Committee Ice Sled Hockey World Championships (gold – 2012, 2015; silver – 2013) and six World Sled Hockey Challenge tournaments.
Dan McCoy’s sled hockey career began with the Pittsburgh Penguins Sled Hockey Team in 1999 and continues to play with that same team today. He made his first U.S. National Developmental Sled Hockey Team in 2008. Following an outstanding 2010-11 debut with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team in which he was tied for the lead among Team USA rookies with eight points (5-3) in 13 games, McCoy was named 2011 Rookie of the Year.
McCoy is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is pursuing a degree in Communications and Sports Medicine.
Dan’s Challenge; Do something to jumpstart your heart rate every day.
Articles
Team USA profile
Pittsburgh Tribune Live
Connect with Dan
Jennifer is the owner and founder of Blue Ridge Hiking Company. The speed-hiker set a new overall thru-hike record on the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail by completing it in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. It was the quickest recorded completion of the iconic East Coast trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. Davis began her journey from Mount Katahdin in Maine, the trail’s northern terminus and ended at Springer Mountain, Georgia on July 31, 2011. To break the record, Davis hiked an average of almost 50 miles a day, camping along the trail
Founded in 2008, Blue Ridge Hiking Co. is committed to getting people outdoors on their own terms. By providing custom trips and individualized itineraries, they create trips for a backpacking novices or groups seeking a challenge.
Jen’s adventures have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. She has appeared on national television shows such as CNN Headline News, Fox and Friends, the CBS Early Show and the 700 Club. Jennifer has been named Blue Ridge Outdoors Person of the Year and a National Geographic Adventurer of the year. Her Appalachian Trail record was voted Ultrarunning Magazine’s Female Performance of 2011.
Jenn’s Challenge; Go outside and spend 20 minutes alone in nature.
Jen’s Books
Becoming Odyssea: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
Called Again: A Story of Love and Triumph
Articles
Backpacker Q&A
Connect with Jen
Twitter @jenpharrdavis
@blueridgehiking
Website
Sophia is the CEO and co-founder of Trusst Lingerie, a company that has reengineered the bra for larger-busted women. She left her job as a product manager in August of 2014 to co-found her company and enter the AlphaLab Gear accelerator in Pittsburgh.
Sophia comes on the show and discusses launching her first product, running a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $80k with just a $25k goal, and building her team.
Trusst’s first product launched in October 2015 and will be delivered in the spring. Check it out!
Sophia’s Challenge; Track your fitness for 100 days. 100 day challenges will help you build new effective habits.
Articles
Today feature article
Connect with Sophia
Trusst Lingerie Website
Email; sophia@trusstlingerie.com
Barry L. Ritholtz is the founder and chief investment officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management. Launched in 2013, RWM is a financial planning and asset management firm, with over $175 million in assets. The firm offers a variety of services to the investing public, including LiftOff — a low cost online-only investment site.
In addition to running a wealth management and financial planning firm, Ritholtz is a frequent commentator on many financial topics. He was named one of the “15 Most Important Economic Journalists” in the United States, and has been called one of The 25 Most Dangerous People in Financial Media. He writes a daily column for Bloomberg View and a twice monthly column on Personal Finance and Investing for The Washington Post.
His book Bailout Nation became the best reviewed book on the bailouts, with NYT calling it “an important book about a complicated subject, and yet you could still read it at the beach.” It was named “Investment Book of the Year” by Stock Trader’s Almanac.
Ritholtz hosts a series on Bloomberg Radio, called Masters in Business. He also authors The Big Picture — a leading financial weblog, generating several million page views per month. The Big Picture covers investing, trading, macroeconomics, and much more. The blog has amassed over 130 million visitors. TED named TBP one of top 100 Websites You Should Know and Use and numerous traffic sites rank The Big Picture as one of the most trafficked Markets/Economics blogs on the web.
Barry’s Challenge; Constantly work to be aware of your personal cognitive biases and challenge yourself to improve them.
Barry’s Media
His Book = Bailout Nation
His podcast = Masters in Business
Connect with Barry
Big Picture Blog
Ritholtz Wealth Management
Want to learn about the photography business? What about a creative foundation aimed at empowering women and sharing impactful stories? Meet John Craig.
John has been a photographer for over 25 years and has photographed everything from weddings and portraits to landscape photography and corporate gigs. John likes to keep tons of side projects going to keep the machine oiled and as such has an incredible "Pittsburgh at Night" collection that has been on display in several gallery shows throughout the 'Burgh. Also pretty savvy with the film side of a camera, John has a pretty impressive portfolio of films for local events, small business commercials, special interest projects and random awesome people (like his wife).
John started The Beauty Within Foundation with his wife Elizabeth. The foundation’s mission is to inspire and empower women to not only recognize their outer beauty through photography but also their beauty within through storytelling. The project aims to reach women that have survived, achieved or triumphed over difficult circumstances that challenged their self-confidence, their sense of self or their power and are utilizing those experiences to inspire and empower other individuals or communities.
Their site is a collection of these stories and photos that can be viewed, shared and used as a resource of strength and inspiration with the hope that women from all around the world will read these stories, see these photos and realize, no matter what they are going through, they are not alone.
John’s Challenge; Go on a walk and take 5 pictures of things that go unnoticed
Connect with John
Photography Business
Beauty Within Foundation
Scott Wolovich started New Sun Rising to help incubate social enterprises and artists in the greater Pittsburgh area. The organization’s mission is to empower creative projects in the Pittsburgh region through fiscal sponsorship, mentoring, and community building.
New Sun Rising ignites, launches, and grows impact throughout the social innovation ecosystem. Their programs operate at the intersection of people + place + innovation. They also help non-profits and for profits build, test, and implement plans that funders love.
We discussed non-profits v. for-profit organizations, courting investors and much more.
Scott’s Challenge; Carry a notebook to get ideas out of your head and into the world.
Recommended Media
The Do Something Principle - Mark Manson
“Ah, so you run a lifestyle business?” - Happy Startup School
Social Enterprise: An Idea Whose Time Has Come - British Council
Connect with Scott
Twitter @newsunrisingpgh
Website
Alan shared an hour of his time to explain how he was able to retire at 35 and lays out the principles by which he lived.
Alan’s three core principles
- Keep your spending in check so you save a lot - preferably by automating your savings
- Seek out ways to increase your income through education, hard work, and challenging careers
- Implement a sound investment strategy that keeps fees low and generates high rates of return early on
Alan discusses the merits of going back to school to get a graduate degree. He also explains why living in a low-cost city like Pittsburgh was a boon and how he lost more than 100 lbs after he retired.
THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, INTERNATIONAL PODCASTING DAY, at the EPICAST NETWORK STUDIOS.
Alan’s Challenge; Keep a journal of all your expenses for one week and reflect on necessary vs. discretionary purchases. By investing savings in securities generating an average of 10%/year (i.e. total stock market funds), in 20 years, each dollar saved could turn into $7. If you’d rather have the $7, automate your savings.
Reading Suggestion; BogleHeads
Connect with Alan
Twitter @alancharness
Mark is a partner at a public relations and advertising agency based in Pittsburgh. He helps clients achieve results in a multitude of difficult environments. In episode 30, he talks about running a boutique advertising and public affairs firm that specializes in political campaigns and issue advocacy.
His company was named to on of Inc.’s 1000 fastest growing companies in the country by helping candidates, causes, and corporations achieve their goals through television, radio, print, digital, grassroots, and earned media.
Book Recommendations
On Advertising by David Ogilvy
Confessions of an Ad Man by David Ogilvy
The Real Mad Men: The Renegades of Madison Avenue and the Golden Age of Advertising by Andrew Cracknell
Mark’s Challenge; Take someone that you haven’t seen in awhile out to lunch.
Connect with Mark
Twitter @markdharris
@coldsparkmedia
Website
Erik Kulick is the owner, founder and chief instructor of the True North Wilderness Survival School. He drew upon his passion for the outdoors and his almost thirty years of teaching experience to found True North in 2011. Growing up as a backpacker and paddler, Erik has taught for regional and national outdoor programs, including the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School. He has spent the last ten years focusing his training on wilderness survival in various programs and has studied under Byron Kerns, a former US Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) instructor.
Erik also works in emergency medicine as a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician, a Wilderness EMT, and a Pennsylvania certified EMS Instructor. He is also a Wilderness Emergency Care Instructor for American Safety & Health Institute, and a BLS Instructor for the American Heart Association. Erik teaches at the Center for Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He runs a series of programs which trains EMS providers, physicians, and law enforcement in wilderness medicine and survival skills. Erik is a member of the National Association of EMTs and the Wilderness Medical Society, where he is also a candidate for Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). Erik also actively serves in the Allegheny County EMS system helping the residents of various communities.
With a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters in Business from Duquesne University, Erik draws upon his experience from the corporate world to help individuals and organizations maximize their potential. Erik is a registered Merit Badge Counselor with the Boy Scouts of America serving the Laurel Highlands and Westmoreland-Fayette Councils.
Erik’s Challenge; Push yourself beyond your boundaries and acquire a new skill, be it wilderness survival related or otherwise.
Articles
CNN Interview
The Guardian
CBS
Connect with Erik
Website
Kate and Emily founded Propelle in 2011, with the mission of bringing together the amazing female entrepreneurs in their community and to provide the tools and resources necessary to help women grow and evolve, both personally and professionally.
Their business has grown to include a robust newsletter, in-person networking events, a members-only Facebook community, and a monthly Mastermind group. They are passionate about building a strong and supportive community of women entrepreneurs that can support each other when the going gets rough.
In the show’s first trio podcast, we discuss successful partnerships, the composition of their Mastermind program and much more.
Book Recommendations
#GirlBoss by Sophia Amoruso
The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life by Hal Elrod
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
6 Months to 6 Figures by Peter Voogd
Kate and Emily’’s Challenge; Celebrate a win every day for 30 days. Take it a step further by using their challenge sheet.
Connect with Kate and Emily
Twitter: @emilylevenson
Instagram: @emilylevenson
Pinterest: @emilylevenson
Twitter: @katestoltzfus
Instagram: @katestoltzfus_
Pinterest: @katestoltzfus
And Propelle
Website
Twitter: @wepropelle
Instagram: @wepropelle
Facebook: facebook.com/wepropelle
Henry Thorne serves as a Mentor at AlphaLab Gear. He founded Aethon Inc. in 1997 and served as its President. He co-founded Thorley Industries LLC in 2005 and serves as its Chief Technology Officer. Henry is a mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, graphic user interface designer and computer scientist. He received BS degree in 1982 and MS degree in 1984 from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Upon graduation, Henry joined General Motors Corporation. During his five years there, among his many accomplishments were the invention of the first weld path adjustment system, the invention of the first fully automatic tool center point calibration system (eliminated the single largest cause of downtime in automated arc welding); the design and implementation of the world's largest automated arc welding system (still running today with the lowest downtime in the auto industry); and the development of a spot weld controller (software installed on thousands of robotic welding machines). Further, Henry invented and patented the world's leading system for calibrating robotic tools, still licensed to ABB.
In 1990, Henry left General Motors Corporation and founded Cycle Time Corporation to design and market "Tophat," a graphic user interface for robotic welding. Under contract to ALCOA, he also invented the first system for real time arc weld quality measurement, still the best available measurement of the quality of a weld as it is being produced. He served as Director of Aethon Inc. It was here that he invented and patented three technologies that solve the “navigation riddle,” without using elaborate and expensive laser and inertial guidance systems.
He is currently the CTO for 4moms, a company he co-founded with partner Rob Daley. He is also the longest sitting board member for USA Ultimate and has remained very active in the ultimate community. He also serves as a special advisor for Ultimate Peace, a non-profit committed to using ultimate to help teach conflict resolution in Israel.
ArticlesForbes
Inc.
Connect with Henry
@4moms
@HenryFThorne
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
Website
Evan Lepler is the AUDL’s lead play-by-play announcer for ESPN3. He also calls games for USA Ultimate’s Triple Crown Tour and College Championships. His goal is to introduce more casual sports fans to ultimate, and getting league games broadcast on ESPN3 is a good first step.
Lepler stumbled into ultimate in his first year at Wake Forest University. In his first week on campus, he spotted a flyer for ultimate in his dorm and headed to the quad to check it. He played barefoot for hours and was hooked. The summer between freshman and sophomore year he threw for one or two hours a day, and eventually captained the men’s squad at Wake Forest for two years.
Evan wanted to be a sports broadcaster since he was 8 or 9 years old, so after graduation, he decided not to get involved in the ultimate club scene, which would require practices on nights and weekends, in favor of working his way up the broadcast ladder. For many years, he has covered men’s and women’s college basketball, minor league baseball, and college football.
Evan’s Challenge; Share ultimate media with folks who are not familiar with the sport to spread awareness and acceptance.
Evan’s Save the Planet Team
Mark Lloyd
Tyler Degirolamo
Ashlin Joye
Kurt Gibson
Sandy Jorgensen
Anna Nazarov
Georgia Bosscher
Articles
Evan’s Tuesday Toss
Connect with Evan
Email; audlmailbag@gmail.com
As Director of Research, Michael Batnick spends much of his time reading research publications and keeping abreast of the latest trends in the industry. He assists Barry Ritholtz and Joshua Brown with portfolio management and data analytics and works closely with Kris Venne on the implementation and maintenance of client investments.
Michael talks with prospective and current clients about the RWM portfolios, aiming to educate them about our how we are able to keep emotions out of our decision-making process. Michael passed the third and final CFA exam in June 2015.
In his spare time, he enjoys reading and spending time with his wife and dog. He also writes a blog discussing financial markets called “The Irrelevant Investor”.
Book Recommendations
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Jesse Livermore
The Intelligent Investor by Ben Graham
Mike’s Challenge; Read outside of your comfort zone/area of expertise to get a more well-rounded understanding of the world.
Connect with Michael
@michaelbatnick
Website
Nathan Chan is the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Foundr, a digital magazine for entrepreneurs. He launched the magazine in 2013 on Apple Newsstand and the Google Play Store and quickly built it into a 6-figure business. He has interviewed top modern entrepreneurs and business leaders including Sir Richard Branson (Founder of Virgin Group), Barbara Corcoran (Shark Tank) and Tim Ferriss (Author, The 4 Hour Workweek).
Currently based in Melbourne, Australia, he previously worked as an IT professional in various industries such as publishing, travel, and accounting. Nathan and I discussed what it took to get his magazine off the ground and the lessons he has learned.
Book Recommendations
Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
Life in Half a Second by Matthew Michalewicz
Nathan’s Challenge; Place a wager on yourself through Stickk to hold yourself accountable. Copy Nathan and I on your challenge at goingdeepaaron@gmail.com & nathan@foundrmag.com.
Articles
Get More Followers on Instagram
Connect with Nathan
@NathanHChan
@foundrmag
Website
Podcast
Qxhna Titcomb was born the youngest sibling of a family that loves the sport of ultimate. In 2006, she and her siblings created the ultimate frisbee apparel company Five Ultimate. The company’s mission? To “serve the sport of ultimate”. Over the next decade, Qxhna learned about business, event planning and the culture of her sport while traveling around the world playing ultimate and working at tournaments. She and her siblings also own and operate the AUDL’s Seattle Cascades, which she credits with teaching her to put on great single game productions.
She also has enjoyed a decorated playing career that has included;
- 4 years at Tufts University
- Representing Team USA at Beach Worlds 2015, U23 Championships 2015, and Jr Worlds 2012
- Playing for Boston Brute Squad 2015 and Seattle Riot 2015
- Named Spirit Captain for Team USA at Beach Worlds
She launched the All-Star Ultimate Tour in 2015 as a way to showcase women’s ultimate and improve media coverage for the women’s game. The tour raised over $45,000 through a crowdfunding campaign in less than 2 weeks. The tour visited 9 countries, with the all-stars going 6-3. Two plays from the tour made it onto SportCenter’s prestigious Top 10 plays.
Fun Facts: Qxhna hates oranges and brownies as well as onions and mushrooms. Her favorite foods include Pop-Tarts, cereal, and mayonnaise.
Qxhna’s Challenge; Say yes to opportunities, even if they will be challenging.
Articles
Revived by Hayley Wahlroos
Connect with Qxhna
All-Star Ultimate Twitter
All-Star Ultimate Facebook
All-Star Ultimate Youtube
All-Star Ultimate Website
Five Ultimate Facebook
Five Ultimate Website
Josh is the founder of Work Hard Pittsburgh formerly The Hardware Store. He is dedicated to making entrepreneurial opportunities available to underserved populations and demographics. Before starting the Work Hard Pittsburgh, Josh ran several startups including Crowdasaurus and AsOne. Josh also taught high school chemistry for over a decade.
Josh’s Challenge; Go to a neighborhood that you don’t usually visit, get dinner, and walk around.
Articles
Hard Work Pittsburgh press
Connect with Josh
@workhardpgh
Website
Episode twenty recaps the launch of the show and the lessons I have learned along the way. Thank you so much for listening! Many more episodes to come.
What I’ve learned
- Just Do It
-
- One of the hardest parts was getting started, I waited weeks to release my first episode after I had completed it
- Ask the person who your are afraid to contact, they will probably say yes, and if they don’t, you’ll get over it
- When you play the waiting game, you overthink things and drive yourself crazy
- Networking is SO important
-
- Put yourself out there
- People are excited to help people who have passion and are prepared
- The best people will introduce you to more great people.
What I have done well
- Question Prep
- Networking/finding guests
What I need to work on
- Sound Quality
- Advertising and Marketing the show
- Tonality
What you can expect in the future
- More badass guests from around the country
- More challenges on the blog that you can follow along with
- Video/Periscope projects
What can you do
- Leave a
rating and review * Email an episode to a friend/family member explaining why they would enjoy the show. CC me on the email at goingdeepaaron@gmail.com * Email or tweet at me with critiques, suggestions/introductions for guests, challenges you’d like to see me try * Keep listening!
Ken began playing Ultimate in the summer of 2007 and found leadership opportunity in organizing his high school ultimate club. Attending Kettering University in 2009, Ken quickly worked on establishing a team, pursuing varsity status and full funding granted 2.5 years later. Ken went on to serve as a college regional director, then developmental division director for USA Ultimate and director of operations for the Detroit Mechanix.
While working as a mechanical engineer, he started Aero Ultimate as a simple outlet of his ideas like the SkyLight. Ken set out to reform Aero in late 2013 to provide meaning to Ultimate's future. Ken's talents and passion can be found in almost everything Aero produces.
Ken’s Challenge; When defining what success looks like to you, consider what you will have to do to obtain it AND what you may have to give up. If you aren’t willing to give up those things, redefine what success looks like to you.
Articles
Starting an ultimate team
SkyLight data analysis
Reddit AMA
Connect with Ken
@kenkam3
kenkaminski@aeroultimate.com
@aeroulti
Aero Website
Melissa is an NCSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who, through her online business The Ultimate Athlete Project, is on a mission to improve the training techniques of folks in the ultimate frisbee community. With a background degrees in Chemistry and Kinesiology, she is uniquely suited to sort through the sea of available research to find what’s most important, effective, and applicable for developing superior athletes and teams.
The Ultimate Athlete Project was designed to give players the tools they need to train like the serious athletes they are. In addition to writing The Ultimate Athlete Handbook and starting The Ultimate Athlete Project, Melissa gives ultimate fitness clinics nationally and internationally. She has enjoyed teaching players from Ireland, Colombia, and all over Europe. When not trotting the globe playing and coaching, she enjoy reading, hiking and enjoying the outdoors.
Melissa’s Challenge; Give something and ask for something every day for 30 days
Skyd Magazine Review
Connect with Melissa
Twitter @mwitmer33
Website
The Ultimate Athlete Project
25 Ultimate Tips
Youtube
Email; mwitmer15@gmail.com
Isaac is currently an editor at A Plus, a digital media company co-founded by Ashton Kutcher. The site features stories that make a difference and create positive change that, in less than a year, has reached an audience of approximately 50 million monthly visitors by highlighting social issues, sharing breaking news, and creating original, entertaining content.
Isaac and I were teammates on the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds in 2015 and on the University of Pittsburgh’s ultimate team from 2010-2013. We co-captained the team in the 2012-13 season where we won our second national championship.
Isaac is a lifelong ultimate player whose interests extend into music, writing, sports, politics and thoughtful conversation. He is also great at talking shit and giving speeches in team huddles.
Isaac’s Challenge; Don't hesitate to do something nice for someone else. Don't let excuses stop you.
Articles
What Richard Sherman Taught Us About America
The Financial Trap of PayDay Loans
Connect with Isaac
Twitter @ike_saul
LinkedIn
Website
Zach is an Associate at Draper Triangle Ventures where he helps identify and conduct due diligence on potential investments. He spends his days meeting with entrepreneurs, attending tech-community events, and developing relationships in the innovation community.
Draper Triangle is a Venture Capital Firm that partners with the Midwest’s most extraordinary entrepreneurs who set out to change the world. Founded in 1999, Draper Triangle has invested in some of the Midwest’s most successful startups including TOA Technologies, Renal Solutions, BodyMedia, CardioInsight, and Carnegie Learning. DTVC partners with early stage companies to create iconic and disruptive businesses in emerging markets including software, digital media, robotics and medical devices. Draper Triangle is a proud member of the Draper Venture Network, a robust venture collective bringing together experienced investors and innovative entrepreneurs from around the globe to share strategies, source opportunities, and create greater value. Over the last 25 years the Draper Venture Network has grown into a self-governed organization of independent venture funds on four continents who cooperate on investment diligence, marketing intelligence, corporate relationships and co-investments. Through DVN, members can leverage the collective intelligence of 100+ invested more than $3B in over 500 ventures.
Zach’s Challenge; Meet an early stage entrepreneur and help introduce them to a new potential customer. This will stoke the local economy and solidify a valuable connection
Connect with Zach
Twitter @zacharymalone
Website
Draper Triangle
twitter @drapertriangle
Website
Draper Venture Network
twitter @drapernetwork
Website
Victor is a recognized technical cycling expert and is co-host of the top-ranked podcast, Cycling 360. Which has a worldwide audience and downloaded by more than 40k listeners each month and over 2 million lifetime listeners. Victor also created several online video-based courses to help road cyclists and triathletes become better riders while consulting with select athletes one-on-one to help with the technical aspects of cycling.
Victor Jimenez has been a trusted advisor and enabler, helping people have fun and do what they love for nearly 30 years. A consummate entrepreneur Victor has founded many small businesses focused around his passions of fitness, cycling, business, marketing, and conversation. The one thing that has connected all of his ventures is helping people do what they love. Some have been wildly successful and some have been abysmal failures. One thing that has been common among all of his ventures, is they were based on interests and dreams. He knows what it feels like to start from scratch and also to salvage a good business that is not reaching its potential.
Victor’s Challenge; Write down your five immaterial values and post them somewhere you will see them every day so that they may guide your daily activities.
Book Recommendations:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers
Connect with Victor
Twitter @VictorJimenez
Website
Scott Rogerson, Chief Executive Officer at Community Elf, specializes in strategic and business planning, data-driven decision making, process improvement, security, management, and compliance, as well as the development of custom applications for data collection and analysis.
He is also President-elect of the Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. (PCSI) Board of Directors. PCSI is the Community Action Agency of the City of Pittsburgh. The goal of PCSI is to help low income persons achieve self-sufficiency through the development of processes and activities that empower individuals and families to make life-altering changes, which can reduce the barriers and characteristics of poverty.
Prior to joining Community Elf, Scott was co-founder and Managing Director of Oakhill Equity, an operator-led private investment fund employing the search fund model. Oakhill was capitalized by a diverse mix of institutional and individual investors.
A magna cum laude graduate of Duquesne University, Scott earned a BSBA degree in Economics, Information Systems Management, and International Business. He earned an MBA at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University with concentrations in Finance, Operations, and Marketing.
Book Recommendation
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Challenge; Don't be passive in sharing the best content you find on the web and adding your opinion/perspective to people in your network.
Links
PR Web - UpContent Launch
CIO.com - Top Startup
Easy Ways To Find High-quality Content
Connect to Scott
twitter @scottarogerson
LinkedIn
Community Elf
UpContent
Email
Community Elf on Twitter
@communityelf
@getupcontent
Po Shen Loh took an hour out of his day to sit down with the Going Deep podcast and discuss his company Expii that helps students learn difficult STEM topics.
He represented the USA Math team at the International Mathematical Olympiad as a high schooler in 1999, where he won a silver medal. He came back to the team as a deputy leader (assistant coach) in 2004 and 2010-2013. He took over the Head Lead role in 2014 and led the US to its first championship in 21 years in 2015. Po founded Expii Inc. in January of 2014 as a learning tool to help replicate the most effective methods of teaching students all over the world. Expii's mission is as follows; "We believe that high-quality educational resources should be available to anyone, no matter where they are or what they can afford. We also believe that students and teachers are the best at explaining things. We build the tools ordinary people need to educate one another. So far, we've designed an approachable markup language that enthusiasts have used to create thousands of lessons. We've also created a free platform to interconnect these lessons."
Po got his PHD in Mathematics from Princeton in 2010, where his thesis discussed combinatorics (the study of discrete systems) and probability theory. Prior to his work at Princeton, Po-Shen received the equivalent of a masters degree in mathematics from the University of Cambridge in 2005, where he was supported by a Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarship. He received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Caltech in 2004, graduating first in his class, and his undergraduate thesis later received the Honorable Mention for the 2004 AMS-MAA-SIAM Morgan Prize.
After getting his PHD, he went on to immediately begin an assistant professorship in mathematics at Carnegie Mellon University. Articles Washington Post 1-hour lesson on probability Connect Twitter @PoShenLoh @ExpiiInc Expii website
Jason is true kid at heart. Anything that involves play or being active is fair game for him. This very well could explain the hobbies and career path he's taken throughout the years. In his professional life, Jason serves as the Assistant Director for the Department of Intramurals & Recreation at the University of Pittsburgh. In his roll he helps to oversee all aspects of campus recreation for the University community, including club sports, intramural leagues, aquatics, special events and facility rentals. Prior to working at Pitt, Jason was Director of Aquatics at Central York High School in York, PA. During his time there he oversaw all programs and operations for a brand new, state of the art natatorium. He was also the head coach and president of Central York Aquatics (CYA), a competitive age group swim team that he grew to a 140 member club. Jason earned Bachelor and Master Degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and was a member of the Varsity Swimming & Diving Team where he broke several team records, earned back to back MVP awards, earned Academic All-American status, and was the 2006 recipient of the Varsity Walk Blue-Gold Award. In 2008, Jason competed in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, placing 48th overall in the 100M Butterfly. In his spare time Jason enjoys spending time with his wife (Megan), two kids (Jenna & Jacob) and two dogs (Riley & Carey). He also enjoys cycling, family runs, and of course working on his project, Active Cities.
Jason's points for success:
- Be observant of the world around you and always be thinking. - Remain curious and continually explore new ideas. - Never lose the desire to achieve, it's your driving force.
Charlie Eisenhood is the Editor and Founder of Ultiworld, "the premier media site for the sport of ultimate". Charlie started Ultiworld in 2012 after graduating cum laude from NYU with a degree in economic theory. He grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has worked at the Albuquerque Journal, Center for American Progress, and NYU Abu Dhabi before starting his own media site.
He has played ultimate since 2005 and captained the NYU team his senior year. He currently resides in Brooklyn and travels the country covering elite ultimate in all divisions and leagues.
From the Show
The original article that inspired Charlie to launch Ultiworld.
Charlie's challenge to the listeners; Consider what you are doing with your life and if it is really fulfilling and meaningful. Make a change if it doesn't feel right.
Connect with Charlie
@Ulti_world
@ceisenhood
A self-described ‘activator and connector,’ Larry Gioia doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet (and thinks that sleep is overrated!)
Larry, a Pittsburgh native, graduated from Gannon University in 2004 and Carnegie Mellon in 2005. At Gannon, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems. During his sophomore year, Larry began exploring his entrepreneurial interests and started GioiaDesign.net, where he worked as an independent consultant advising Erie businesses as they established their presence on the Internet.
After Gannon, Larry went on to attend the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). It was here that he earned his Master of Information Systems Management degree. While at CMU, Larry continued his passion for leadership and entrepreneurship. He was the recipient of the MISM Student Leadership Award and also helped launch COMPackage.com, the Alphabot mobile app, and advised numerous other technology start-up ventures.
Upon graduation from CMU, Larry joined Diamond Management & Technology Consultants in 2005 as a technology consultant. Diamond was later acquired by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2011. At PwC, Larry serves as a Senior Director in PwC’s Health Industries Advisory technology consulting practice. As a digital architect and thinking partner, Larry has worked alongside healthcare executives and innovators across the healthcare ecosystem – predominately in big pharma. He is passionate about the future of healthcare and how technology is disrupting the delivery and consumption of health services in the New Health Economy.
Beyond his work at PwC, Larry remains active with his alma maters and also in the Pittsburgh community. Larry is a regular guest lecturer at CMU on the topics of leadership, consulting, enterprise architecture, and technology trends, he has sponsored four IS capstone projects, serves as the lead for PwC Advisory recruiting efforts across campus, serves as an alumni mentor, and is the recipient of the 2015 Carnegie Mellon Alumni Meritorious Service Award.
Larry also proudly served Gannon as a Director on the National Alumni Board from 2011-2013, was a speaker at the inaugural Gannon Ongoing Leadership Development (GOLD) Conference in 2013, and is a recipient of the 2015 Gannon Distinguished Alumni Award.
In his community, Larry serves on the Board of Directors of two Pittsburgh-based non-profits - Find Some Flow and Paddle Without Pollution, he volunteers as a Trip Leader with Venture Outdoors, and serves on the organizing committee of PwC’s United Way Giving Campaign.
Larry still actively maintains his entrepreneurial interests as the Founder of Dynamic Paddlers – a kayaking school which specializes in kayak instruction for people with disabilities and the Co-Founder of the Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network (PASN) – a consortium of adaptive sports/recreation organizations from around the greater Pittsburgh area. Most recently, Larry helped launch the Pittsburgh Kindness Initiative – a global social experiment that aims to measure to the ripple effect of human kindness and ‘paying it forward.’
When not jet setting around the country on business or connecting the dots in the community, it’s a safe bet that you can find Larry in the outdoors taking advantage of the multitude of outlets we have in the region to stay active. Larry resides in Pittsburgh, PA and enjoys spending time (usually in the outdoors!) with family, friends, his better half, Maria Balestrino, and their dog, Bruna.
Larry's (2 week) Challenge: Every day for a week, meet one new person or find something new about one person you already know. In the second week, connect every one of those seven people with another one of those seven people. Always be connecting the dots!
Connect with Larry on Social Media
lg@dynamicpaddlers.com
Follow on Twitter at @LGin412
Connect on LinkedIn
Dynamic Paddlers
Facebook
Follow on Twitter at @DynamicPaddlers
Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network
pittsburghadaptive@gmail.com
Facebook
Follow on Twitter at @AdaptPittsburgh
Pittsburgh Kindness Initiative
Email bekindpgh@gmail.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/kindnesspgh
Follow on Twitter at @bekindPGH
When I finally decided to start this podcast, "Mick" was the first person I asked to be on the show. He has been an amazing mentor, teammate and friend to me over the years and is always up for a great conversation.
We recorded in a shared work space that he occupies when putting in hours for Zero Six Eight.
Mike's Challenge; Put other people's problems ahead of your own. This completely typifies Mike's personal philosophy and I encourage you to make a greater effort to incorporate this into your own life.
Connect with him on Twitter @paxnobiscum
Aaron lays out his plans for the show.
Be sure to check out goingdeepwithaaron.com
Twitter @AaronWatson59
Snapchat aaron_watson
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