Startup Savants: Recent Episodes
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Meet Ethan and Annaka, the hosts of the Startup Savants podcast, a business podcast showcasing interviews with real startup founders and experts to share valuable industry insights, entrepreneur advice, and startup stories from launch to scale.
https://startupsavant.com/startup-savants-podcast
For feedback, interview requests and more, connect with Startup Savants at podcast@truic.com
This week on the Startup Savant podcast, we dove deep with Ken Gavranovic into scaling businesses that stand the test of time. We uncovered the essence of product-led growth – shining light on the user experience as a catalyst for organic expansion. Ken shared the riveting journey of Interland; from equity hurdles to a triumphant IPO, emphasizing the monumental leap from $0 to $200 million. We rallied behind his advocacy for employee ownership and aligning your team's heartbeat with the company's core mission.
Ken Gavranovic Links:
- https://kengavranovic.com/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Curtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods, joins the podcast to share the story and learnings of growing his company from its humble origins launching inside his garage. Curtis shares tales about convincing his girlfriend to leave her job and trust in his now wildly successful company and living at a Zen monastery.
Portland Leather Goods:
- https://www.portlandleathergoods.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-matsko
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Author Chris Matthews joins the podcast to share his experience in the startup world and how it led him to write his new book Start Telling People. This episode we dive into how to create superior product demos, mistakes you might be making when showcasing your products, and how to bridge the gap to create a better startup culture in your business.
Chris Matthews Links:
- http://www.verysmallrobots.com/
- http://www.starttellingpeople.com/
- https://www.amazon.com/Start-Telling-People-Chris-Matthews/dp/B0C4XWSXY9
- https://www.audible.com/pd/B0CJWG3994/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-366385&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_366385_rh_us
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
This week we are joined by Aravinda Seshadri founder of Venturous Counsel, a startup law firm specializing in helping diverse-led startups and their allies navigate the legal complexities of entrepreneurship. The pair chat about the insights and advice on the basics of startup legal, covering topics such as equity distribution, founder shares, funding options, building strategic partnerships, and much more. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned startup founder, this episode is packed with valuable information to help you navigate the legal landscape and set your startup up for success.
Venturous Counsel Links:
- https://www.venturouscounsel.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/aravindas/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Kori Estrada, founder of Risewell, joins the podcast. Kori shares the story behind her fluoride-free toothpaste brand, the problematic nature of fluoride in oral care products, and how the brand found the replacement ingredient, hydroxyapatite. With a background in finance, Kori didn't foresee a career in better-for-you products, the founder discusses the journey to becoming a founder and what she's learned along the way.
Risewell Links:
- https://risewell.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/koriestrada/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Wissam Tabbara, founder of Truebase, discusses how to build and scale startups, focusing on developing the right go-to-market strategy and not just the product. He emphasizes starting with identifying the problem you want to solve first, rather than starting with a solution looking for a problem to solve. Tabbara shares his experience founding multiple successful companies and insights on what makes startups succeed.
Truebase Links:
- https://truebase.io/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/wissamtabbara/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Devo Harris went from grammy award winning producer and founder of GOOD Music alongside Kanye West to successful tech startup founder. Harris founded Adventr to introduce interactive video marketing to the mainstream and to create valuable experiences for consumers. On this episode of the podcast, we chat with Devo about how his background influenced his entrepreneurial journey, the ways venture capital needs to change, and how working with Kanye impacted his story so far.
About the guest:
Devo Harris is a Grammy award winning producer, entrepreneur, and founding member of Kanye West’s label GOOD Music. Harris is notably responsible for propelling EGOT winner John Legend to fame by signing him to the label. His startup, Adventr, has caught the attention of major brands including Adidas, Nike, Lexus, H&M, 23andMe, Paramount+, and NASCAR.
Adventr Links:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/devoharris/
- https://adventr.ai/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
What is a weighted pillow and why did the founders of YouTube and GoPro invest in the company behind it?
Mikey Goldman, founder of Quiet Mind, joined the Startup Savant podcast to discuss the creation of the first-ever weighted pillow. Diagnosed with ADHD and math dyslexia, Mikey was overprescribed a litany of medications to manage his symptoms daily. The founder decided there must be another way. In this episode we discuss how Mikey created the weighted pillow in stealth mode, the necessity of NDAs even for friends, and how a mixture of PR and SEO has become the company’s most successful marketing strategy.
Quiet Mind Links:
- https://www.onequietmind.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/quietmind/
- https://twitter.com/quietmind
- https://www.tiktok.com/@onequietmind
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
77. Tiffany Yang, the co-founder of Sweety, shares her journey from taking her family’s small shaved ice cream shop and creating a nationally distributed brand in stores like Walmart and Costco. She shares the wild tale of landing Walmart as Sweety’s first retail customer and the challenges the startup faced along the way. Tiffany also highlights the importance of storytelling, persistence, and staying true to your brand values in the startup world.
Sweety Links:
- https://www.sweetyicecream.com/
- IG/TikTok: @sweetyicecreamco
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
What caused the rise of clickbait? This week we are joined by Sivani Babu, co-founder of Hidden Compass, to discuss the rise of clickbait or ‘junk food media,’ its role in the devolution of journalism as we know it today, and how Hidden Compass is turning the tides to create a better tomorrow for media.
Hidden Compass Links:
- https://hiddencompass.net/
- https://www.instagram.com/hiddencompassmedia/
- https://twitter.com/Hidden_Compass
- https://www.instagram.com/wayfaringsiv/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
This startup shaped the ready-to-drink coffee aisle we know today. This week we are joined by Jash Mehta, co-founder of Pop & Bottle. You’ll probably recognize Pop & Bottle from your local refrigerated drink section, however, achieving nationwide distribution was no stroke of good luck. Jash discusses carving out a niche early on, building based on data and feedback, and the importance of keeping fundraising top of mind at all points in time.
Pop & Bottle Links:
- https://www.popandbottle.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/popandbottle/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Are you undervaluing PR as an IPO-strategy? Paul Wilke, founder of Upright Position Communications joins the podcast to discuss the relationship between PR and exiting. Paul also provides valuable advice on evaluating PR firms, identifying your internal PR person, representing yourself as an executive during an IPO, and the importance of clear communication in promoting a company.
Upright Position Communications Links:
- https://uprightcomms.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/pwilke/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
73. Are low-ABV beverages here to stay?
The co-founders of Libby, Grant Hemingway and John Green, are on a mission to create a better-for-you wine experience that scales. John and Grant emphasize the need for transparency and authenticity in marketing, and they share their journey of creating Libby as a response to the demand for refreshing, low-alcohol, low-calorie wines. They also discuss the challenges of entering the wholesale market, the importance of understanding consumer preferences, and their mission to make the wine industry more inclusive and accessible.
Libby Links:
- https://drinklibby.com/
- https://instagram.com/drinklibby
- https://twitter.com/drinklibby
- https://tiktok.com/@drinklibby
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
Could your hiring and firing strategy be hurting your startup? This week on the Startup Savant podcast, Ethan is joined by Karn Saroya, founder of Re a blockchain-based reinsurance startup. The pair discuss Karn’s evolution as a leader from his first startup to now, how performance management and hiring (or firing) employees can make or break your startup, and the real value behind Y Combinator’s personalized growth metrics.
Re Links:
- https://re.xyz/
- https://twitter.com/REprotocol
- Email Karn: karn@re.xyz
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
71. In this episode of the Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Melissa and Lee, the co-founders of Frame, a fitness company specializing in Pilates reformers. They discuss their journey from closing their brick-and-mortar studio due to the pandemic to creating a home version of the reformer. The couple delves into the challenges of designing, prototyping and manufacturing a physical product with no experience.
Frame Links:
- https://www.framefitness.com/
- https://instagram.com/framereformer
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-belzberg-7831301b/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-bentivoglio-227369222/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
70. Lucas DiPietrantonio and Jackson Corey, co-founders of Darkroom, join the podcast. DiPietrantonio and Corey discuss their three-year roadmap, which includes building their own educational resource, Darkroom University. They also delve into their unique perspective as entrepreneurs and investors, their focus on customer satisfaction and bottom-line results, and their proprietary framework for assessing and diagnosing businesses' growth challenges. They stress the need for long-term partnerships and the importance of a strong product-market fit and continuous improvement.
Darkroom Links:
- https://www.darkroomagency.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcorey/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasdipietrantonio/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
69. In this episode of Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Rachel Krupa, founder of The Goods Mart. Rachel shares her experience of reinventing the beloved convenience store by offering better-for-you products. She discusses the importance of location in the retail and food industry and trusting your gut as an entrepreneur. Rachel also talks about her journey of balancing her PR agency, Krupa Consulting, with The Goods Mart, and how she redefined her definition of success.
The Goods Mart Links:
- https://www.thegoodsmart.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/rachkrupa/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkrupa/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
68: Rishi Khanna, CEO of Stocktwits, joins the podcast to discuss the trials and triumphs of user-generated communities. They discuss the recent Reddit API turmoil, how Rishi’s role as CEO helped facilitate Stocktwits’ growth to over 7 million users, and the secret behind building an activated user community you can monetize.
Stocktwits Links:
- https://stocktwits.com/
- https://stocktwits.com/rkhanna
- https://twitter.com/rkhanna
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishikhanna/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
67. On this episode of the Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Joe Calderon, founder, and CEO of Pelipost. Joe's mother's incarceration ignited the idea for Pelipost, a print-on-demand photo company that serves families of incarcerated individuals across the US. Joe discusses the challenges of starting Pelipost while being self-funded and facing competition. The episode also delves into the importance of effective communication with facilities and the power of a strong social media strategy.
Pelipost Links:
- https://www.pelipost.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/pelipostapp/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@pelipost
- https://twitter.com/pelipostapp
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
66: John Goscha, founder and CEO of Native Voice, joins Ethan to discuss how his startup harmonizes various AI assistants. John highlights how voice assistants like Siri and Alexa need to focus on quality user experience to succeed in the ambient computing era. He also predicts that devices like headphones will be integrated with voice assistants to enable seamless human-device interaction.
Native Voice Links:
- https://www.nativevoice.ai/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goscha-548000b/
- jgoscha@nativevoice.ai
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
65: On this episode of Startup Savant Podcast, we hear from Jesse Randall, founder of Sweater Ventures, about his journey to create a venture capital fund that is open to anyone, regardless of wealth or accreditation status. He explains how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), once created to protect everyday people from investment scams, has now become outdated and condescending towards smart individuals who are not wealthy. Jesse also shares how a bold marketing choice early on helped the startup to build a 60,000 person waitlist.
Sweater Ventures Links:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sweaterceo/
- https://www.sweaterventures.com/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
64: In this episode of the podcast, we speak with Andrew Jamison, co-founder of Extend, a platform that enables businesses to issue and manage digital credit cards. Jamison shares his journey from leaving the corporate world of American Express to embarking on entrepreneurship. He recounts his experience implementing solutions for corporate clients in SAP consulting and developing an interest in payments while working at Amex. Jamison explains that the idea for Extend came from identifying a gap in the market for a solution that would capture spend, reconciliation, and expense management, particularly for the middle market. Jamison also touches on the challenges of starting a company, including the need to secure investments from friends and family before reaching out to professional investors.
Extend Links:
- https://www.paywithextend.com/
- https://twitter.com/PayWithExtend
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/paywithextend
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
63. On this episode of Startup Savant Podcast Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE, shares her insights on business mentorship. SCORE is a nationwide network of over 10,000 volunteers that offers free one-to-one mentorship, workshops, and assistance with business plans to small business owners across the US. Weston discusses the importance of goal-setting, clear communication, and having skin in the game for success. She also explains how SCORE is using AI to better connect small business owners with mentors who meet their needs. The episode highlights SCORE's track record of success in helping start over 30,000 new businesses and add over 82,000 jobs last year.
SCORE Links:
- https://www.score.org/
- https://www.instagram.com/score_mentors/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/score-mentors/
- getstarted@score.org
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
62: Ethan chats with Tristan Kalos and Antoine Carossio, the co-founders of the cybersecurity startup Escape. The main objective of Escape is to assist companies in developing secure GraphQL applications by identifying and resolving any security concerns in their API. Tristan and Antoine share how they first met and how their unique skills contributed to the development of Escape. The group discusses their research and development process for Escape and how a research paper inspired their algorithm. Tristan and Antoine discuss their successful recruitment strategies and hiring process for engineers. They explain how their early strategic marketing led to a mass of inbound calls and how Escape's continuing technical blogging marketing strategy has succeeded.
Escape Links:
- https://escape.tech/
- https://twitter.com/EscapeTechHQ
- https://discord.gg/G9FEuFuKfd
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapetech/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
61: Adrian Fagerlund and Ethan discuss Linkby, a global two-sided marketplace connecting advertisers and premium publishers. They explore Linkby's role in facilitating this relationship and their plans for future expansion. Their conversation also touches on the other co-founders, Chris and Andrew, their roles, and the group dynamic as a team. Adrian gives Ethan a glimpse at Linkby’s unique hiring process.
Mention the Startup Savant podcast for free services on Linkby!
Linkby Links:
- https://linkby.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianfagerlund/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkby/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
60: Chen Amit joins Ethan to chat about his fintech startup, Tipalti, a global, scalable, and holistic payables automation system. Chen recalls the process of creating Tipalti and deciding to start as a one-man show. The pair discuss what factors led to Tipalti’s success and growth, how skills from Chen’s former poker career are useful for business, and his evolutions of leadership. Chen also provides valuable insight on handling difficult situations, creating a high-quality team, and knowing when to say no or walk away.
Tipalti Links:
- https://tipalti.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/tipalti/
- https://www.instagram.com/tipalti/
- https://twitter.com/tipalti/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
59: Marina Martianova joins Ethan to discuss her innovative web3 digital fashion startup, Seamm, a startup that produces virtual replicas of physical fashions to be utilized in the metaverse, in tandem with fashion houses. The pair chat about the future of the metaverse, refining an investor pitch, and building Seamm as a two-sided marketplace.
Seamm Links:
- https://www.seamm.io/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-martianova-84198810a/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
58: Andy Choi joins the podcast chat about his mission-driven startup and how he found the 'why' behind his company. Andy is the founder of Do Good Points, a nonprofit and tech startup hybrid that offers a rewards system for charitable donations incentivizing people to give back to their communities.
Check out the Cashing Out podcast: https://cashingout.exitwise.com/
In this episode we dive into:
- How Do Good Points leveraged data to create a hyper-targeted customer base
- Why as a founder you should be searching for solutions, not problems
- The value of Effective Altruism
Do Good Points Links:
- https://www.dogoodpoints.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyhchoi/
- Book recommendation: Startup With Why by Simon Sinek
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
57: James Graham joins Ethan to chat about his telecom startup, Community Phone which provides cell and landline service to users all across America. The pair have a riveting conversation about product market fit, the necessity of experimentation, and how you can generate unique startup ideas in order to disrupt the marketplace.
In this episode we dive into:
- The importance of product market fit
- Why James asks himself simple questions and allows himself to be confused
- Community Phone's experience in Y-Combinator
Community Phone Links:
- https://www.communityphone.org/
- https://www.instagram.com/communityphoneco/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/community-phone/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/wittedhaddock/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavantpodcast
56: Mir Hwang is the CEO and Co-Founder of GigFinesse, a platform that connects music artists with venues to the benefit of both parties. Mir is an NYU alumni who utilized their extensive entrepreneurial support system to build the startup into what it is today.
In this episode we dive into:
- Going from app to desktop due to consumer demand
- The choice to move from New York to Austin during the pandemic
- Leaving medical school to pursue entrepreneurship
GigFinesse Links:
- https://www.gigfinesse.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/gigfinesse/
- https://www.instagram.com/gigfinesse/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavantpodcast
55: Annafi Wahed joins Ethan to discuss her political newsletter and social media platform, The Flip Side, which uses “equal bias” in order to explore both liberal and conservative perspectives. The pair chat about the polarization of American politics today, cultivating an audience by utilizing incentives as well as self-created luck, and the dire need for balanced discussion in America’s divided political landscape today.
In this episode we dive into:
- Annafi's journey from corporate America to politics
- How The Flip Side is actively combatting political divisiveness in the US
- Why creating your own luck is crucial for founders
The Flip Side Links:
- https://www.theflipside.io/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annafiwahed/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavantpodcast
54: Jeremy Barnett sits down with Ethan to discuss his martech startup Rad AI. A startup that utilizes influencers or what Jeremy calls, “key opinion leaders,” and artificial intelligence to assist companies on their marketing journeys. The pair discuss the makings of a strong content marketing strategy, how AI has impacted the martech space, and how to leverage influencer marketing to grow your business.
In this episode we dive into:
- What you need to know about influencer marketing for your business
- What content marketing is and how you should deploy this kind of strategy
- How much you should anticipate spending with a marketing agency
Rad AI Links:
- Jeremy@radintel.ai
- https://www.radintel.ai/
- https://wefunder.com/rad
53: Adam Nash is the co-founder and CEO of Daffy. With an extensive background in Silicon Valley, Nash previously served as CEO of Wealthfront, VP at LinkedIn as well as Dropbox, and Director at eBay. In addition to his role at Daffy, he is also an angel investor and board member at companies such as Acorns and Shift.
Visit Daffy.org/AdamNash/invite for a discount at Daffy!
In this episode we dive into:
- How business model influences company culture
- The key differences between founder and leadership roles
- How Adam uses Twitter and blogging to ideate
Daffy Links:
- https://www.daffy.org/
- https://twitter.com/adamnash
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamnash/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
52: Founder and CEO, Sufian Chowdhury joins the podcast to discuss his fast growing and essential startup, Kinetik. Committed to serving the underserved, Kinetik is a non-emergency medical platform which connects patients on medicare or medicaid with transportation services. Sufian dives deep into the logistics of Kinetik, including the origins of Kinetik, how he gained his clientele and the funding of his business. He also proves valuable insight into the significance of mentorship, networking, and removing ego from the process of building a business.
In this episode we dive into:
- The fundraising power of being a mission-driven startup
- Why relationship building is crucial for founders
- Kinetik's hiring strategy during economic turmoil
Kinetik Links:
- https://kinetik.care/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sufian-chowdhury/
Startup Savant Links:
- https://startupsavant.com/podcast
- https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
- https://twitter.com/StartupSavant
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
51: Co-Founder and CTO, Simone May joins the podcast to discuss her innovative digital marketing freelancing platform, Clutch. Clutch connects businesses who need social media marketing and web design support to college student creators who are able to easily keep up with trends and assist clients meet their marketing goals. Simone breaks down the mission of Clutch, the future of the gig economy, how to make a killer survey, and more!
Clutch Links:
-
https://www.thatsclutch.com/
-
https://www.instagram.com/thatsclutch_com/
Startup Savant Links:
-
https://startupsavant.com/
-
https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/
-
https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/featured
50: Ethan is joined by founder and CEO David McFarland to chat about his cutting edge business insurance company, Coterie. Coterie is committed to providing high quality insurance policies for small businesses who may not have been approved by other companies. David discusses his impassioned decision to start Coterie, how the company is funded, the importance of making insurance simple for entrepreneurs and more.
Coterie Links:
https://coterieinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmcfarland23/
Startup Savant Links:
https://startupsavant.com/
https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavant
https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
50: Andrew Holler and Max Rebarber are co-founders of the startup, Fig. After discovering their own dietary restrictions, they realized the frustration and isolation associated with not knowing what brands of foods they could eat without flaring up symptoms. Dedicated to helping others with the same plight, the pair started Fig. With the help of TikTok and word of mouth, they have grown to over five hundred thousand users in two and a half years.
In this episode we dive into:
- How the co-founders have overcome challenges
- Fig's customer acquisition strategy
- The importance of consumer feedback
Fig Links:
https://foodisgood.com/
https://www.instagram.com/foodisgoodco/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fig-food-is-good
Startup Savant Links:
https://startupsavant.com/
https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavant
https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
Startup Savant Links:
48: Olive oil enthusiast and startup founder Katina Mountanos sits down with Ethan to discuss her exceptional company, Kosterina. A startup that is dedicated to making quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO for short), the Mediterranean lifestyle, and its associated health benefits accessible to Americans. Kosterina is a lifestyle brand that has gained overwhelmingly positive reviews, leading Whole Foods to reach out to Mountanos for partnership!
In this episode we dive into:
- The power of 'launching what you know'
- Why Katina believe's in rapid prototyping
- The choice to take on venture capital
Kosterina Links:
https://www.kosterina.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kosterina/
Startup Savant Links:
https://startupsavant.com/
https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavant
https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
47: Suki Mulberg Altamirano is the founder and CEO of Lexington Public Relations. She initially began doing PR in the beauty industry at KENZO and Elizabeth Arden, but after a period of burnout, Suki decided to go independent and start her own company. In addition to Lexington PR, Suki is also a partner at PressReady, which works to provide newer companies and startups with the tools they need to craft their brand and begin DIY PR.
In this episode we dive into:
- The importance of PR and how your startup should start telling its story
- Establishing your value proposition and finding your target audience
- How to ensure your outreach messages are being read
Lexington PR Links:
https://lexingtonpr.com/
Startup Savant Links:
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StartupSavant
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startupsavantpodcast
46: Tony Tran is the founder and CEO of Lumanu, a company working to build the financial infrastructure needed for our modern day creative economy. Lumanu currently has over 40,000 users and has raised $12 million in their Series A. Tony studied computer science at MIT and initially began working for big name companies like Google, McKinsey, and Booz Allen, but after learning about the difficulties freelancers and creatives face when billing for their work, Tony changed gears and created Lumanu.
In this episode we dive into:
- Why billing can be challenging for freelancers and contractors
- How to make a rejection valuable
- The importance of growing your network and making meaningful connections
Lumanu Links:
https://www.lumanu.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hieumanity/
Startup Savant Links:
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
Follow us:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/StartupSavant
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45: David Utley, M.D. is the founder and CEO of Pivot, a digital health company helping users eliminate their tobacco use. Pivot has raised over $40 million, and David has over 100 published US patents. David is a seasoned entrepreneur and had previously been a founder at BARRX, which raised $70+ million in VC funding before being acquired in 2012. He has also served on the board of numerous startups and continues to engineer new solutions towards improving health outcomes.
In this episode we dive into:
- Establishing partnerships with employers and large companies
- Why you may want to consider hiring an experienced CEO
- The power of innovating a neglected space
___________________________________________________
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
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44: Jaideep Singh is the founder and CEO FlyFin, a VC backed startup helping automate finances for freelancers and business owners. While he initially began working as a software engineer, he later went on to become a founder of various companies and received an MBA from Wharton. One of his first startups, Spock, worked to create a database of over 1 Billion people to help companies find talent. Jaideep is a serial entrepreneur and says the first step for validating a startup idea involves asking whether you are working on a problem you personally care about.
In this episode we dive into:
- Why paying taxes can be a challenge for freelancers and self-employed entrepreneurs
- How to validate if a business idea is worth pursuing
- Getting your product off the ground in the early stages
___________________________________________________
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
Follow Startup Savant:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
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43: Josh Cliffords is the founder and CEO of FreeWater, the world’s first free beverage company. Josh has founded numerous companies, but in 2018, he decided to tackle the world’s water crisis and hasn’t looked back. Josh’s ‘negatively-priced’ business model leverages advertising to make goods and services pay for themselves, and while he is currently focused on growing FreeWater, he has plans to continue expanding this business model into new industries.
In this episode we dive into:
- Their ‘negatively-priced’ business model
- Disrupting industry juggernauts
- Developing new skills as a founder
___________________________________________________
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast
Follow Startup Savant
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
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42: Former NFL player turned entrepreneur Parker Graham joins Ethan to discuss his startup Finotta, which offers banks a digital platform geared towards improving their customers’ financial health. Parker details his journey from a professional athlete to a startup founder. He discusses how his first company’s initial failures shaped his approach to creating Finotta and ultimately raising over $3 million dollars from one of his early customers.
In this episode we dive into:
- Overcoming difficult obstacles as a founder
- Building company culture by establishing values
- The importance of a founder’s pain tolerance threshold
_____________________
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantTRUiC/featured
Follow Startup Savant
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
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TikTok:
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41: Kyle York is the founder and CEO of York IE. Kyle has advised and invested in 100+ startups and is a board member for several companies. Kyle initially began working in EdTech, and after developing an interest in the tech space, he became the CRO at Dyn, a software company that was later acquired by Oracle. In addition to York IE, Kyle is a co-founder of York Real Estate and York Athletics.
In this episode we dive into:
- The difference between York IE and traditional VC firms
- The market in approach
- Defining success for yourself
- Vanity metrics & their impact on startups
________
Transcripts, episode summaries, and more can be found at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- https://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantTRUiC/featured
Follow Startup Savant
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsavant/
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40. Matt Blumberg is the Founder and CEO of Bolster, a company working to help startups scale by pairing them with executive talent and board members. In addition to running Bolster, Matt is the author of Startup CEO: A field guide to scaling up your business, and he runs a popular entrepreneurship blog, StartupCEO.com. Matt has worked with many companies throughout the years, and he has continued to write books dedicated to entrepreneurship.
In this episode we dive into:
- What is and isn't the role of a CEO
- How to scale yourself as a leader
- The importance of a balanced board of directors
38: Anthony Nitsos joins Annaka and Ethan to discuss startup Finances. As a fractional CFO, Anthony works with startups to build their financial systems and ensure that they have the correct figures to make informed decisions. Anthony recommends startups put in the work building a strong financial system in their early stages to help facilitate growth and success.
In this episode we dive into:
- The value of hiring a fractional CFO
- Common pitfalls for young startups building their financial systems
- Key areas startups need to focus on during the early stages of their company
38: Alex Song is the CEO and founder of Proxima, which helps brands boost their marketing abilities by using big data and Proxima’s AI-powered software. Alex began his career in finance, but eventually he decided to start his own business. He is no stranger to entrepreneurship and has confounded many companies over the years. While Proxima works to help other companies leverage data to improve marketing, Alex initially built Proxima to help solve problems he had been experiencing with his own ventures.
In this episode we dive into:
- Changes in the advertising industry due to iOS 14.5
- The rise of social platforms and how we consume content
- Audience Personas
- How to target your audience in our new digital age
For the full episode summary and notes, visit StartupSavant.com/podcast!
37: Ksenia Yudina joins Annaka and Ethan to discuss her journey founding UNest, a fintech app designed to help families invest in their kids’ futures. Ksenia walks us through the problem she saw with traditional options for families, and she shares her story innovating the finance industry, an industry that is often reluctant to change.
In this episode we dive into:
- Innovating an industry
- Using direct feedback to create changes
- Acquiring another company
- Fundraising and the doubt that can accompany a new founder
Read the full episode summary at StartupSavant.com/podcast!
Shellye Archambeau serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta. She previously served as the CEO of MetricStream, a software company focused on risk management and compliance. Her book, Unapologetically Ambitious was chosen by Fortune magazine as the business book of the year.
In this episode we dive into:
- Analyzing the risk in order to decide if an opportunity is worth pursuing
- Overcoming imposter syndrome
- Finding mentors and establishing connections with mentors
- Why you shouldn't fall in love with your product
Read the full episode notes and summary on Startup Savant!
Buy Shellye's book here.
Margaret Wishingrad is the CEO and founder of Three Wishes, a high protein, low sugar, grain-free cereal. After struggling to find a healthy cereal for her son, Margaret decided to create her own. Taking on the cereal industry juggernauts is a daunting task, but having had experience running an advertising agency with her husband, Margaret has used her marketing skills to develop a brand and build a following around a product that she is proud of.
In this episode we dive into:
- How to begin creating, testing, and reiterating a product
- Branding 101 and using your brand to build customer relationships
- Growing retail partnerships
- Unorthodox marketing strategies
Read the full episode summary on Startup Savant!
34. Fran Maier is the CEO and founder of BabyQuip, the "Airbnb of baby rental equipment." Having been a co-founder for Match.com, Fran is no stranger to the startup world. In fact, Fran has been involved in starting numerous enterprises and continues to invest in other startups. Fran encourages founders to differentiate their business from the market and talk with customers in order to establish a successful brand.
In this episode we dive into:
- Why building brand trust is important
- Co-founding Match.com, TrustE, and BabyQuip
- BabyQuip's unique Shark Tank experience
- Fran's tips for navigating your board of directors
33: Alex French is the CEO and founder of Bizzy Coffee. Frustrated by the lack of cold brew coffee available in retail stores, Alex got to work developing what would become the #1 best-selling cold brew coffee on Amazon. Alex leveraged his previous experience at General Mills to better understand the beverage market and ultimately scaled his product from an apartment creation to a profitable business venture.
In this episode we dive into:
- How Bizzy Coffee quadrupled their retail partnerships in a year
- The best tactics for securing funding for a CPG company
- Developing a competitive edge in a saturated market
Read the full episode summary at StartupSavant.com/podcast!
32: Andrew Gershfeld is a partner at Flint Capital, a VC firm that has invested in big-name companies such as Source, WalkMe, and Flo. Andrew began his entrepreneurial journey in management consulting and eventually led his own startup. Andrew emphasizes the importance of listening and growing empathy while working with startup founders.
In this episode we dive into:
- Andrew’s journey from a scientist to a startup founder and VC investor
- How investors approach economic downturns
- Strategies for preparing for and navigating economic downturn
Read the full podcast summary on Startup Savant.
Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or by email at ag@flintcap.com
Greg Giniel is the founder of Giniel Financial Group, a real estate startup focused on simplifying the mortgage process. Greg joins Annaka and Ethan to talk about his company Giniel Financial Group, a mortgage company that puts people first. Greg explains why it can be difficult to obtain a mortgage if you are a self-employed business owner, and we discuss the importance of establishing your business’s values.
This episode we dive into:
- Mortgages difficulties for self-employed business owners
- Planning for your future financially
- Greg’s life on the road with his business, his wife, their four kids, and their dog
- The importance of establishing your business’s values
For the full episode notes and summary visit Startup Savant and read our guide to the Best Mortgage Lenders for Entrepreneurs.
30: John Salzinger and Seungah Jeong join Annaka and Ethan to talk about MPOWERD, a B Corp whose signature product, the solar-powered Luci Light, aims to help create a more sustainable future while providing light to those without access to electricity. John and Seungah share their story building MPOWERD and how to use business as a tool for change.
This episode we dive into:
- The importance Trademarks and patents
- How creating an impact can be a powerful motivator
- Using corporate social responsibility (CSR) to form partnerships
For a full episode summary and transcript, visit startupsavant.com/podcast!
29: Juan Andrade joins Annaka and Ethan to talk about Rebank, a startup-to-startup software company that provides young businesses with the financial operation systems needed to succeed. Juan discusses the importance of trial-and-error marketing and how his own issues at his previous job led him to conceptualize Rebank.
This episode we dive into:
- Finding a target audience and understanding the problem you solve
- Marketing without an experienced marketer
- The benefits of working with an accelerator and Juan’s experience at Y Combinator
For the full episode summary, visit startupsavant.com/podcast!
28: Alex Iceman is a serial entrepreneur and, most recently, the founder and CEO of Genium, a tech startup that provides solutions for affordable, quality tech hiring on a global scale. Iceman is also an advisor at Hawaii-based accelerator, Blue Startups, and in his spare time works as a hockey referee for the NHL. In this episode we dive into:
- Hiring and vetting developers overseas
- Iceman's 'reverse pyramid' management style
- What hockey has taught Iceman about entrepreneurship
- His role as a startup advisor: what that means and how he got there
Read the full episode summary at https://startupsavant.com/podcast!
27 BONUS EPISODE: This week, Annaka and Ethan are joined by Dr. David Vik or 'Doc' to discuss how he helped Zappos find their 'wow factor' and his top advice for startups looking to establish their competitive edge. Doc is a former chiropractor turned startup advisor, investor, and expert known most prominently for his role in the success of Zappos.
In this special episode we dive into:
- How Doc helped Zappos find their 'wow-factor'
- How your startup can find it's winning strategy
- The flywheel and its importance in startup marketing
- The main takeaways from his book, The Culture Secret
Read the full episode notes at startupsavant.com/podcast
26: Chadwick Carlson and Marc Gingras join Annaka and Ethan to talk about Nook, a software company working to give users better agency over their scheduling through their calendar tool. Their first product, Nook Calendar, was Product Hunt’s #1 Product of the Day. Chad and Marc walk us through their decision to pivot their business, their philosophy for merging innovation with familiarity, and the importance of building strong teams that can succeed.
This episode we dive into:
- Learning to pivot and navigate a changing environment
- Success on Product Hunt
- The importance of building a great team and why CEOs should see themselves as a head coach
Join Nook's waitlist and let them know you heard them on the podcast to get bumped to the top of the list at support@getnook.app. Read the full episode summary at startupsavant.com/podcast
Luís Valente is the CEO and founder of iLof, a health tech startup using photonic and AI to gather biological data that will be used to improve clinical trials and drug discovery. Luís has an engineering background and prior to iLof he founded a computer hardware manufacturing company.
This episode we dive into:
- How they are using data to help companies develop treatments for illnesses such as Alzheimer's
- Building strong co-founder relationships
- What Luis calls "smart money" and choosing the right investors
- Iterating startup ideas and building your network
Full episode notes at: https://startupsavant.com/podcast
Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @startupsavant
Joshua Sear is the CEO and founder of Empower, a software platform that targets drivers as their primary customer, taking on the rideshare giants Uber and Lyft.
In this episode we dive into:
- How Joshua created Empower
- What sets this SaaS startup apart from Uber and Lyft
- Innovating an established business model and disrupting an industry
- Finding unorthodox ways to connect and appeal to your target market
Read the full episode summary and notes on https://startupsavant.com/startup-savants-podcast/episodes/empower
Connect with us on social (@startupsavant) on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Andrew Hoag is the CEO and founder of Teampay, a startup working to simplify businesses’ financial processes. Andrew began his career working for the National Science Foundation Internet, and he later went on to work at NASA. Following his time at NASA, Andrew started numerous ventures. Today, he serves as an angel investor for startups and has raised over $21 Million for Teampay.
Teampay links:
https://www.teampay.co/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-labs-inc./
Episode Notes How Andrew’s own experience and observations led him to create Teampay [1:16]
Getting energized to create [3:45]
What does Teampay do? [5:01]
Acquiring your first customers, using your network, and finding an ideal market [6:20]
Constantly changing your messaging and harnessing the power of second and third degree connections to find customers [8:50]
“If you aren’t explicit about the culture, the culture will form itself” [12:28]
Navigating remote work and building company culture across teams [17:42]
All employees want autonomy, purpose, and mastery [18:44]
Why Andrew choose to pursue venture capital to fund his company [23:10]
If you are looking to raise funding, show that you have paying customers and can build a successful business [28:52]
Focus on building a sustainable business and the things within your control [30:42]
Integrating with other platforms and the importance of user experience and design [34:41]
Getting over the resistance employees have to change and using new tools [37:52]
When customers express needs make sure they are quickly addressed [39:55]
Andrew’s advice for navigating through an uncertain economy [46:11]
Survival is important for ridding out difficult economic times [48:38]
Committing fulltime to your startup is important, and this process must be verified before going all in [53:44]
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social media:
Troy Bannister is the CEO and founder of Particle Health, a startup working to revolutionize data sharing across the healthcare industry. Troy’s experience with patient care began while working as an EMT. He considered pursuing a career in medicine but ultimately went on to work in the healthcare VC space. Troy’s experience within the healthcare industry showed him the difficulties associated with trying to transfer patient data from one healthcare system to another, and he ultimately decided to create Particle Health in order to innovate the digital healthcare space.
Episode Notes From working as an EMT to finding a niche within the virtual health industry [1:10]
The problem: Why can’t we easily get medical records from one doctor to another? [3:34]
Developing an API that connects hospital systems and allows data to be easily shared [6:06]
How Troy quit his job without a plan [7:18]
Learning how to jump into the unknown [9:28]
Working to understand industry laws and researching how to address this problem [10:17]
Zooming into a target market and niching down to focus on one target audience [12:36]
Taking a year to fill up your calendar and validate your product [15:27]
Building credibility and crafting a winning pitch to receive funding [18:13]
Troy’s advice — you need an enormous vision and a realistic plan [21:49]
Transitioning to a remote work environment [23:22]
How to approach your company during periods of burnout [29:02]
Hiring the right people is essential for creating a great company culture [30:33]
The growing pains of scaling and learning to build a working structure [33:02]
Using OKRs and KPIs to create quantifiable goals [36:12]
Many decisions depends on your current mindset, and you need to find out how to achieve the best mindset for making those decisions [39:42]
Starting a company was the only thing that was exciting to Troy and allowed him to take the plunge into entrepreneurship [43:35]
Troy’s prediction for the future of the healthcare industry [46:15]
Scaling to be a healthy business rather than trying to grow at all costs [48:27]
As the economy changes and buying cash becomes more expensive, evaluations decrease and become more dependent on revenue [49:27]
Entrepreneurship is hard and does not have an off switch [51:55]
Troy’s advice for founders — expect things to take at least five times as long as you initially thought [53:32]
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social media:
Alisa Pospekhova is the CEO and founder of Kindroot, a supplement company fusing the benefits of herbs into a lozenges that taste like candy. Alisa has a background in global brand marketing, and she used her marketing skills to develop the vision for her company. Alisa always wanted to start her own company, and she developed Kindroot to revamp the lozenges industry, an industry that has seen relatively few changes in the past. When she struggled to find partners willing to manufacture her product, she brought her vision to life and manufactured it herself.
Episode Notes Alisa’s story traveling and the inception of Kindroot [1:08]
What are Adaptogens? [4:30]
After hearing “No” numerous times, Alisa decided to make her own product and launch it herself using a commercial kitchen [6:35]
Staying organized, scheduling activities, and being hyper focused allow Alisa to run her business while still working a traditional nine-to-five job [11:19]
Making the leap to working on your startup full time [13:00]
Building a large partnership with a retailer can be a large turning point for a company [17:43]
What pushed Alisa over the edge to start her first business, Kindroot [18:49]
Combining two industries to create a new, unique product. “Make a tiny tweak to something that is already existing” [21:36]
Starting a company without any co founders [24:16]
Creating a network of entrepreneurs to help problem solve and combat loneliness [27:00]
Reach out to brands, find other entrepreneurs, and be open to serendipitous interactions [28:59]
The importance of confidence and how to build the confidence needed to start a startup [30:59]
Determining the best marketing strategy for your product [35:37]
Take the time to find your brand’s identity before brining other onboard to help [38:00]
Finding your first customers and using feedback to shape the brand [48:43]
Using old-school marketing and partnerships to get Kindroot out to new audiences [50:52]
Be intentional with your marketing budget [53:36]
How Kindroot got a partnership with Target [54:41]
Alisa’s advice — Find something as an outlook and stick to it [1:04:08]
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social media:
James Avery is the founder and CEO of Kevel, which helps users launch their own custom ad platforms. After working as a consultant, James saw an opportunity to build a platform that helps businesses take control over their advertisements. Although it began as a side project, Kevel now works with brands such as Klarna, Ticketmaster, and Yelp.
Episode Notes
From consulting to building a software focused on advertising [1:02]
Creating the systems needed to allow a company to thrive and prosper in the digital age [3:15]
The mindset required to construct a sustainable, growing company [6:40]
James’s story securing Kevel’s first big client [9:42]
Kevel’s decision to transition to remote teams [14:31]
Building a positive work environment and cultivating company culture while remote [20:44]
Kevel’s approach to advertising — keep it reasonable, seamless, and useful [25:28]
The shifts in the advertisement industry and the importance of targeting [27:53]
Jame’s advice for business owners that want to understand advertisement prices and determine their CAC (customer acquisition cost) [34:37]
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social media:
Jules Miller is a partner at Mindset Ventures, an international venture capital firm that invests in early-stage enterprise software companies. Prior to working in venture capital, Jules also founded her own company and worked at a variety of startups. She has an extensive background in blockchain and has been in the venture capital space for quite some time.
Full Show Notes
Episode Notes From founder to venture capitalist [1:12]
Angel investors vs venture capitalists … what's the difference? [3:38]
Why did Jules decide to become a VC investor after creating her own startups? [4:18]
Funding a diverse group of founders and working to create change in the VC industry [6:01]
Growth and people — the two most important qualities Jules focuses on when funding projects [8:03]
Venture capitalists focus on different business stages and each developmental stage of a startup carries different levels of risks [10:48]
If you are not planning to grow 200% to 300% a year, reconsider seeking out VC funds [13:42]
Most VCs will want a seat on the company’s board, so be prepared to give up influence in your company if you choose to seek VC funding [14:36]
VCs invest in startups that scale quickly and need to make quick decisions. Overinvolved CEOs may struggle with this [15:41]
The coaching and mentorship relationship between a founder and the VC firm [18:13]
How to pitch to VC firms on the first meeting — Hint: be concise [20:41]
Jule’s investment committee will pay attention to the five Ts: team, TAM, technology, traction, and terms [23:02]
Investors typically want 10x on their revenue over five to ten years [26:21]
Fit matters. Good ideas may not be funded for various reasons [28:29]
People problems and team dynamics can be reasons startups do not succeed in the initial stages [30:12]
Ask questions! Both VCs and founders need to ask each other questions and assess fit [33:08]
Don’t take rejection personally, and learn from rejection [36:41]
Tech industries and software businesses with strong margins are hot right now [39:55]
Focus on the relationship you are trying to form with the VC firm and engage the audience [43:48]
Pivoting is still possible as the company grows, and there are always options [46:22]
How the pandemic changed the locations of startup hubs (Hint: You don’t need to live in NYC or Silicon Valley to succeed) [49:50]
Jules’s word of advice “If you can show growth, you can raise venture capital” [52:52]
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Reuben Swartz is the founder and CEO of Mimiran, a CRM (customer relationship manager) specifically designed for solo consultants. Reuben worked as a consultant himself and wanted a tool for managing clients. Although these tools were abundant for large enterprises, he could not find a tool that met his needs and was made for a one-man team. So, Reuben built the tool himself and created Mimiran.
Episode Notes Reuben’s story creating his own business [1:00]
“There's a right tool for the right situation” so you don’t need to compete with the multimillion dollar companies [3:31]
The power of being authentic rather than mimicking other successful companies in the industry. Focus on helping others rather than selling [5:40]
What is a CRM? [8:48]
Reuben’s anti-CRM is a tool entrepreneurs can use to easily track and manage sales and marketing information [12:10]
Situate yourself in the market so that you can dominate a particular niche [18:45]
If there isn’t a tool out there that does it all, create it yourself [22:40]
Narrowing your target audience and listening to their needs will help you create the best solution for the group you serve [32:35]
Build a feedback loop with your customers to drive changes and establish priorities [35:12]
Attempting to balance a new startup while starting a family [36:16]
Pick an easy problem to solve [41:18]
The decision to work as a one-man team [43:01]
Mimiran is a lifestyle business. Reuben’s family is his number one priority and his business is number two. [46:38]
How is Mimiran funded? You don’t need to be a unicorn business to find success and be happy [46:48]
The danger of prioritizing money and prestige rather than finding joy in the work you do [48:43]
Stop selling and focus on connecting and solving problems with others [51:34]
Talk to the people who are most likely to buy what you are selling. Don’t try to attract everybody [58:02]
Potentially creating a CRM customized for individual niches [1:00:25]
Reubens advice for entrepreneurs “find a niche and become the go-to person in that niche” [1:05:02]
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Devon Copley is the founder and CEO of Avatour, a company working to share real places in real time without the need for travel. While at Nokia, Devon worked on a similar product bringing VR technology to cameras. However, Nokia ended up scrapping the project and making cuts to the team. Devon, having had experience working at a variety of startups, chose to continue pursuing his vision for VR technology and created Avatour.
Episode Notes Finding the right cofounder to partner with can be essential to success [4:11]
A clear division of responsibilities is key to an effective partnership [10:15]
From prototyping a VR product to building a business [13:22]
VR and spacial communicators allow Avatour users to feel like they are physically present in the space, which can be useful for audits and inspections [16:47]
Listening to customers to better understand feedback and uncover use cases. Avatour’s main use cases include presenting “show” and investigating “look” [21:31]
Working with multiple verticles and finding the balance between going broad and going deep with customer discovery [25:28]
Following the customers’ needs and desires to keep up with current demand [30:46]
Marketing to adapt to shifting landscapes, develop leads, and establish the brand [34:44]
Focusing on the problem in order to build awareness, showcase the solution, and generate traction [39:11]
The startup survivor bias — startups that receive press are those that survived, and we rarely hear from startups that failed [48:16]
There are opportunities to grow your business and succeed, but it’s important to define success and remind yourself that your own self worth is not tied to your business’s success [53:21]
You don’t necessarily have to get VC backing to grow an enterprise [57:12]
Develop a strategy and be able to clearly and succinctly explain your company [1:02:14]
Devon’s philosophy on creating an efficient management structure: he provides the goal and removes blockers that the team encounters [1:03:01]
How to pay bills and survive during the initial phase of a startup? [1:05:18]
Devon’s advice — “If you’re looking to get rich, there are much better ways to get rich than starting a startup” [1:09:41]
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Rachel Cossar is the CEO and founder of Virtual Sapiens, a SaaS platform that serves as a communication coach helping customers better use nonverbal communication techniques. Rachel previously worked as a professional rhythmic gymnast before becoming a professional dancer. While working as a ballerina, Rachel sustained an injury that forced her to give up dancing and find a new path. She later used the skills she learned as an athlete and dancer to create Virtual Sapiens.
Learn more about Virtual Sapiens and watch Rachel's Ted Talk on Reinvention.
Episode Notes From athlete to business owner, how Rachel found her current path [2:10]
Wielding the power of physicality to promote communication [3:48]
Implementing AI technology to scale and maintain quality over a virtual format [8:00]
Changing the model of coaching “we’ll come to you!” [10:32]
From a virtual perspective, having good lighting, good posture, and a neat room is important for showing body language and posture [18:00]
Visual cues are important but all types of communication rely on context specific to the conversation [22:11]
How a bad virtual setup can lead to misunderstandings [26:03]
How Rachel moved on from a life-changing injury [30:33]
Rachel’s advice for reinvention — you have to go through the grief and assess what you learned during transitional phases [33:41]
Turbulent times can help guide your future [39:12]
Virtual Sapien’s pre-seed funding round using a SAFE (simple agreement for future equity) [41:28]
Finding a cofounder and creating a business as a nontechnical cofounder [45:38]
Feeling the weight of being a solo entrepreneur — the particular moment Rachel knew she needed to get a cofounder [49:01]
Urgency can be a motivator [51:21]
Scaling the company by using B2B pilots to introduce companies to Virtual Sapiens [52:45]
Tryout Virtual Sapien’s Google Chrome extension Sidekick [54:40]
Entrepreneurship can feel like a lonely road, so be sure to surround yourself with others [57:01]
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Courtney Werner is the CMO and founder of KOYA Innovations, which allows users to send gifts and messages to friends and family from anywhere. Growing up, Courtney’s dad owned his own business, so when he said he wanted to start a family business, Courtney, and the rest of the family, could not say no. Courtney has an extensive background in marketing and spent many years working abroad in the nonprofit sector. She has been involved in the startup sphere for quite some time and is an advocate for creating a more meaningfully connected world.
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Episode Notes The origin of KOYA [1:11]
KOYA hopes to help others connect via “a personal message with a gift” [3:18]
Organizing a family and friends funding round then bootstrapping to remain self sustained [6:30]
Transitioning from a B2C (business to consumer) model to a B2B (business to business) model in order to build steady revenue [9:10]
Funding is a partnership, and money is only once piece of the equation [11:20]
How Courtney leveraged an online community to grow the company’s base and garner support for KOYA [13:20]
Pivoting KOYA’s product during COVID has led to long-term changes [19:22]
Advice from Courtney — focus your time on things that customers demand [22:31]
Using customer interviews to generate high-level engagement and collect feedback from customers [24:14]
Growing KOYA by focusing efforts on the business’s ideal customer profiles [26:05]
The advantages and challenges that come with owning a family business [27:50]
Growing up with a family of entrepreneurs [30:02]
Overcoming imposter syndrome to enter the entrepreneurship space [36:02]
What is ASO? How to optimize your keywords to be found organically in the app store [40:12]
Why extensively marketing on social media may not be the best use of your time [41:38]
Courtney’s morning routine and learning to balance work life and personal life [47:50]
Scaling a business and what’s next for KOYA? [55:13]
Courtney’s biggest surprise about being an entrepreneur — learning how to work with a team [55:34]
Courtney’s advice: if you have an idea, throw up a webpage to see if you can build interest, and consider reading “The Mom Test” [1:00:00]
Frida Leibowitz and Rachel Lauren are the founders of Debbie, a platform working to help users create a path towards debt freedom. Frida previously worked in credit risk and product development at Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Rachel formerly worked as a VC at BDMI. Both thought there needed to be better systems in place to help educate consumers about their debt and how to pay off debt. Together, along with their third cofounder Maxime, they have created an entirely remote team striving to fix the debt cycle that plagues far too many people.
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Episode Notes The American debt cycle affects 40% of families [1:35]
Frida’s experience navigating debt and finding a path towards debt freedom [3:20]
Analyzing the debt payoff market and creating new ways to combat a recurring problem [6:10]
Prioritizing consumers rather than spreadsheet models — we do not always make rational financial choices [9:15]
Observe first then combine observations with your personal experience to get going [13:04]
Focusing on carrots not sticks — how Debbie leverages research in psychology and behavior change to make informed business decisions and product designs backed by data [19:15]
The booming tech scene in Miami [22:45]
Working with a team across the world and creating an identity as an all-remote company [27:10]
Focus on the problem not the solution. If you are enthusiastic about the problem, you can be open to see various ways to tackle it [32:03]
“Find the message that works,” Rachel’s advice for growing from 0 users to 11,000+ [36:20]
Who is Debbie? [41:05]
Building a founding team with a balanced skillset [43:38]
A methodical approach to building an initial concept for Debbie and making the jump from a standard job to working full time at Debbie [50:50]
Raising a $1.2 million pre-seed round of funding and using your own network to win additional support [56:05]
Building a better product to scale Debbie and continue to grow the customer base [1:00:55]
Rachel’s advice for entrepreneurs is to find a great cofounder [1:03:05]
Frida’s advice — “Would you still be doing what you are doing if you were anonymous and got no credit?” Nobody really knows what you are doing, so you need to love it. [1:04:38]
Evan Buist is the founder and CEO of Melodie Music, a copyright-safe music licensing platform and publisher. Evan initially began his career working as an audio engineer. However, he found the music licensing industry to be difficult and confusing and created a platform to help bridge the gap between music artists and the entities that purchase the rights to their music. After some pivots as well as trial and error Melodie was created. The music licensing platform and publisher continues to grow and has worked with industry titans such as National Geographic, Fox Sports, and Nickelodeon.
Check out our Dundas Life founder stories video on Startup Savant's YouTube Channel and follow Startup Savant on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Episode Notes Evan’s background in music and how his previous company sparked his desire to create Melodie Music [0:20]
Music licensing is an archaic industry and Melodie works to create something intuitive and beneficial to musicians and content creators alike [5:35]
How to fundraise — Evan’s journey from Bootstrapping to leading a $400,000+ seed round of funding [6:30]
How to find talent and maintain content quality, Melodie’s approach to partnering with their platform’s artists [9:55]
Analyzing sunk costs, observing the changing market, and chasing new opportunities to pivot from one company to another [16:25]
Matching customer needs with pricing structure to provide a better product-market fit [18:00]
Meoldie’s use of an AI search tool that helps users search the Melodie catalog to find Melodie tracks to fit their need [21:00]
Hiring the best and creating a network without a tremendous amount of resources [24:22]
The value accelerator programs offer for finding feedback and scaling [26:45]
Know your customers — an important tip for beginners [30:12]
Simplifying copyright law, navigating international laws, and various regulations [33:48]
Building relationships in order to market and grow a client base [41:00]
Be everywhere and talk to everyone — Evan’s advice for building relationships [46:01]
Melodie’s future and their goals to scale the business [50:20]
Evan’s advice to entrepreneurs: do your research and get advice from industry insiders [57:01]
Interested in high quality, authentic music for your content? Check out Melodie [58:35]
Greg Rozdeba is the founder and CEO of Dundas Life, an insurance company that is bringing empathy and tech to an industry that has remained relatively stagnant. Greg walks us through the process of going all in and finding ways to scale and fund a growing business. Additionally Greg provides his insights on how to market for a new company, how to build your first batch of clients, and how he used his skills from working in the service industry to revolutionize the insurance industry.
Check out our Dundas Life founder stories video on Startup Savant's YouTube Channel and follow Startup Savant on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Episode Notes
Life insurance online — How Greg is using tech to disrupt the insurance industry [2:20]
Putting empathy into work to improve service and build relationships [4:45]
A ubiquitous process that has not seen much change in the last few years [8:28]
COVID-19 sparked Greg’s transition to working full time for Dundas Life [15:20]
Getting to the point where Dundas Life creates enough revenue to support itself and pay employees — Greg’s decision to bootstrap and future plans to scale with venture capital funding [19:52]
Determining how much money to allocate to advertisements [22:17]
Expanding and scaling to follow the company’s organic growth [25:11]
How do you market and sell something that isn’t a flashy product? [28:40]
Finding your target demographics and exploring your audience [34:00]
Using your personal network to build your first clients and creating relationships to grow from there [37:15]
Tip for listeners: get a second and third opinion on your insurance to comparare rates [40:43]
Building partnerships within your industry and finding ways to embed your product into other industries [42:38]
Get a proof of concept then start your business [50:15]
Listen to your consumers to guide your actions. Following feedback is important for scaling and creating sustainable change [53:30]
One big surprise about entrepreneurship — Not having a guaranteed paycheck every week is both terrifying and motivating [55:13]
From Tim Hortons worker to CEO, how Greg used his skills developed while working in the service industry to win over customers and lead his own business [59:30]
Christine de Wendel is the founder and CEO of Sunday, which uses QR-code technology to improve the payment process at restaurants while helping generate more revenue and tips. Within Sunday's first year as a company, they’ve raised $124 Million and currently operate across five different countries. Christine previously had experience scaling various startups and has leveraged that experience to help lead the Sunday team to astronomical growth.
Episode Notes How restaurant norm changes during COVID-19 led to Sunday’s conception [1:54]
Obtaining $124 million across two rounds of funding [6:08]
Acquiring competitors to combine forces and grow quickly [10:10]
Why Atlanta? Christine de Wendel’s decision to return home and join Atlanta’s thriving tech scene [11:55]
Running a global startup — the benefits and the difficulties that come from working across borders and using four different languages [14:18]
Adapting Sunday to fit each market’s tipping culture [17:38]
Over-investing in your brand and creating a memorable image [19:53]
Industry disruption and building a tangible impact [22:00]
Overcoming initial hurdles to assemble a network of early adopters [28:20]
How Christine’s background scaling previous startups helped her develop the guts and boldness needed to grow a company [35:02]
Finding talent without a pre-existing network and focusing on hiring people who can spot challenges early on [38:07]
Christine’s advice for entrepreneurs — You must be passionate, and you need to build a great team in order to succeed [41:47]
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Kaylin Marcotte is the founder and CEO of JIGGY, a company at the intersection of jigsaw puzzles and artwork. While working as the first employee at theSkimm, a digital media company focused on bringing information to audiences in bite-size pieces, Kaylin discovered a passion for Jigsaw puzzles. She later combined her startup experience with her love of jigsaw puzzles to create JIGGY. JIGGY’s designs highlight the work of female artists, and their puzzles can be found in various retailers across the country.
Visit JIGGY at https://jiggypuzzles.com/
Episode Notes
“What would it look like if I made my dream puzzle?” How Kaylin began turning artwork into puzzle designs [0:20]
Initial hurdles and learning how to navigate the supply chain, manufacturing, and customer service [4:30]
Using the product’s packaging to make puzzles a premium lifestyle product [8:42]
Leading with community — how JIGGY tapped into the art community and began to build partnerships that support artists [12:17]
Using your network to learn industry norms and scrap together a plan that works [17:04]
Media training 101: Crafting JIGGY’s narrative and preparing to pitch on Shark Tank [19:40]
Not all money is created equal. The partnerships you form can greatly impact your business’s future [25:48]
Finding a personal connection with your business’s mission and product [28:32]
Kaylin’s approach to work-life balance — focus on doing one thing well at a time rather than trying to stay balanced at all times [33:44]
Time audits can be a great tool for finding ways to intentionally use your time and work with your own strengths [39:02]
Sharing your business’s story and resonating with audiences is an important step for growing your brand [48:44]
Using both retail and direct-to-consumer models in order to best position JIGGY for consumers [51:26]
The process of going from no retail partners to landing a partnership with Anthropologie [54:45]
Leveraging social media to build community, receive feedback, evolve your brand, and generate buzz prior to launch [58:36]
One of the hardest things about being a founder is dealing with issues that are out of your control [1:05:43]
Pivoting a business model during COVID, how JIGGY created a product when supply chain problems left them without an inventory [1:10:21]
Everyone is winging it — if you are not afraid are you learning new things? [1:15:15]
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Artem Semjanow is the founder and CEO of Neatsy, a B2B company that helps customers find their ideal shoe size using their smartphone’s camera. Artem previously led a machine learning team at Prisma Labs. This experience along with his background in economics empowered him to create Neatsy and change the future of online footwear retail.
Episode Notes How flat feet lead Artem and his brother to develop Neatsy [0:30]
The process of trying various business models before ultimately choosing a B2B (business to business) model [5:28]
Neatsy’s first major hurdle — finding tech precise enough to actually measure foot size [9:50]
Entrepreneurship can involve lots of trial and error, and Neatsy had numerous iterations while attempting to measure a shoe when its shape changes once its slipped onto a foot [14:32]
Using the Mom Test to take something that is difficult and complex and turn it into an easy-to-use product for everyone [17:02]
Using Neatsy’s tech to help people identify potential health concerns and track body changes with 3D body measurements [25:08]
Finding ways to stand out from competitors is important. Neatsy keeps your personal data in your phone allowing them to improve data security and get a leg up on competitors [30:55]
Determining pricing for your product or service based on analytics and the value you generate for clients [32:30]
Establishing initial partnerships can be difficult if you don’t find the right people willing to give it a try [37:33]
Finding initial funding can be challenging, and Artem leveraged his personal network to get the initial funds [41:25]
Artem’s biggest surprise — how difficult it can be to get others to buy and invest in your product [44:00]
“Start it and figure it out on the fly,” Artem’s advice to his younger self [48:34]
From an economist to a machine learning engineer and founder, our experiences allow us to further build our skill sets overtime [51:08]
The need to compartmentalize: Work hours are for work, and family hours are for family [57:52]
Do not sacrifice your own freetime. Starting a business is a marathon commitment not a sprint. [1:00:00]
Artem’s advice to entrepreneurs — if your business is growing, you will be inspired. Find something that scales, find product-market fit, and be a hype beast [1:01:36]
Download the Neatsy app to try it yourself [1:03:51]
Neatsy Links:
https://neatsy.ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neatsyai
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Joe Roets is the founder and CEO of Dragonchain, a blockchain-as-a-service provider that works with companies to tackle problems using blockchain technology. A self-proclaimed software guy, Joe has been in the tech space for quite some time and has led multiple ventures. His company Dragonchain originated within The Walt Disney Company and now operates as an independent entity that plans to help the world take advantage of the benefits blockchain has to offer.
Episode Notes Jumping through hoops to get approval for an open-source project [7:00]
Quantifying behavior and building an objective historical record using blockchain [8:30]
The applications of using blockchain to create a living historical record [13:55]
Engineer speech and lawyer lingo: the importance of communicating technical concepts across various teams [24:10]
What are the roadblocks to adopting blockchain? [29:50]
Bitcoin’s creation and the creation of scarcity and value from software [35:20]
How will blockchain break into other industries? [39:30]
Everything is a market — blockchain may be a better alternative to an AI algorithm [46:05]
The future of NFTs and their untapped utility [47:41]
Remote work may create more opportunities for startups outside of California [52:40]
Creating a community around your brand serves as a great tool and gives you valuable feedback [57:36]
Joe’s note to other entrepreneurs: VC funding and Angel investors may not always be the best way to get money [59:45]
One of the biggest challenges for growing Dragonchain — how do you build trust? [1:05:10]
Creating a HIPAA compliance tool using blockchain [1:08:42]
Joe’s next big project — Using blockchain to help create governance and create value [1:10:30]
Joe’s advice: Don’t be dogmatic, and make something that works. [01:16:42]
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Sonja Ebron is the founder and CEO of Courtroom5, a SaaS startup that assists users trying to navigate the legal system. Having started two other companies prior to Courtroom5, Sonja is not new to the startup sphere. Sonja’s own personal experience in court propelled her to create a product that strives to increase access to justice. Although she is not a lawyer herself, Sonja has a PhD in electrical engineering and draws on her academic and engineering background to develop the tools needed to help others tackle the complexities of the legal system.
Connect with Courtroom5 on social media:
Who is Sonja Ebron, and why did she start Courtroom5? [0:30]
The difficulty of navigating the legal system — how Sonja’s personal experience dealing with the courts prompted her to create a legal-tech startup [2:30]
What does access to justice mean to Sonja Ebron? [5:30]
Sonja’s prediction for the future — if people cannot afford to pay for legal services, they will need resources to learn how to litigate for themselves and only pay the necessary legal fees [7:55]
One way to improve access to the legal system, enable people to pay for legal services à la carte. Both lawyers and everyday citizens could benefit from this business model [13:02]
Using AI and machine learning to improve processes and create solutions [15:30]
Robot lawyers? It’s going to take some time before we see any of these [19:21]
Creating a product designed for your users [20:36]
From a blog to a full-fledged product, the process of iterating and building various prototypes [24:54]
Consider starting with a blog to generate buzz around your business and your niche [28:00]
Sharing your own experience and transparency are key to establishing trust with users [29:50]
Sonja’s advice: share your story. The best business ideas often come from personal experience [31:34]
SEO (search engine optimization) can be an effective tool for connecting you to your target market [32:28]
Tips for developing a pricing model [34:00]
Sonja’s experience with entrepreneurship accelerators and incubators [37:43]
How to manage freelancers and create a steady stream of content [41:41]
What's it like running a business with your spouse? [49:54]
The difference between managing and leading a team [52:35]
Questions that are always lingering in a founder’s mind [55:20]
Check your ego and be sure to find other perspectives [58:26]
Sonja’s advice for entrepreneurs: don’t wait. Find a problem, and go get started! [1:01:50]
You will fail — learn how to get back up [1:03:05]
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Jamie walks us through the importance of sustainability for businesses, the process of creating brand authority, building a dynamic team based on shared values, and balancing the needs of various stakeholders.
Jamie McCroskery is the founder and CEO of Bluebird Climate, a company striving to improve corporate sustainability efforts while quantifying a product’s environmental impact. Prior to launching Bluebird Climate, Jamie worked as a Product Manager at Glossier and Dropbox. Jamie credits his corporate experience with teaching him how to develop a product and assemble an all-star team.
Who is Jamie McCroskery, and why did he start his startup Bluebird Climate? [0:30]
Glass vs Plastic? The best way to be sustainable varies and often depends on a company’s specific needs as well as their own supply chain [3:08]
What is Bluebird Climate, and how do you help businesses improve sustainability? [4:02]
The two most important metrics for sustainability — carbon emissions and circularity (waste) [7:16]
Can already-established brands find ways to improve sustainability with their traditional pipeline and business model? [9:50]
Sway, which aims to create a plastic replacement out of seaweed is an example of a company using Bluebird Climate to tell sustainable stories. [10:00]
Focus on the easy wins — don’t reinvent the wheel [12:32]
Why is storytelling focused on sustainability a successful tool for driving conversion? [14:30]
Customers care about sustainability and want brands to focus on reducing carbon waste [17:59]
What is a public benefit corporation (B corp), and why structure your company this way? [18:40]
What is the Bluebird certification, and how do you cultivate brand authority? [22:55]
How do you balance marketing to various stakeholders like customers, retailers, vendors, and brands? [27:01]
Supply chains can be a convoluted mess [31:30]
How to recruit a team of experts using personal networks [33:50]
Entering a space with passion and motivation is essential for finding a great team [38:20]
Funding decisions should take into account your time and trajectory — investors may take a cut, but this allow you to more quickly determine if you’ll make it [39:28]
How a corporate background helped Jamie better lead his company [43:22]
Creating a client base, simple marketing, and growing your brand [46:00]
Day-to-day challenges are hard. Be sure to create a well-defined mission in order to hire the best team and tackle problems that will appear [51:05]
What does future growth look like for Bluebird Climate [55:40]?
Less can be more when starting out [1:00:05]
Jamie’s advice: Put your idea out there to get feedback, have a vision for your company’s values and goals, and determine what resources you will need to be successful [1:01:07]
If you are curious about improving your own business’s sustainability, reachout to Jamie at jamie@bluebirdclimate.com or check out Bluebird Climate’s website bluebirdclimate.com.
Jamie’s Recommended Books* “Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth” by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares * “The Mom Test” by Rob Fitzpatrick and Robfitz Ltd * “The Founder’s Dilemma” by Noam Wasserman * “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
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Steve Edwards is the founder and CEO of Premier Virtual, a virtual platform where recruiters can host online job fairs from the comfort of their own home. A self-proclaimed sales guy, Steve worked various roles in the sales industry and moved his way up to a VP of sales before starting Premiere Virtual. Steve is also a veteran and credits the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division with developing his discipline and his approach to leadership.
Episode Notes Who is Steve Edwards, and how did he start Premiere Virtual? [1:02]
Transitioning to an entirely-virtual environment and the benefits of virtual recruiting [5:22]
How does a platform differentiate itself from other platforms? Developing ways to tackle problems is key to creating something that is both unique and useful [7:40]
Improving user experience by actively seeking out user feedback and continuing to evolve your product [13:33]
A founder’s nightmare — building a tech platform as a non-technical founder [18:33]
Steve’s advice for founders: Have a software engineer on your team to help navigate the technical aspects of founding a company [24:45]
How much did it cost to develop your MVP? [28:27]
Steve’s tip: You can’t talk to developers like you talk to a sales person [32:00]
How do you know when to go all in? Making tough decisions and the importance of finding an entrepreneurial mentor group [33:28]
Why Steve choose to bootstrap his company rather than raise venture capital funding [37:26]
Resources available to veterans looking to start their own company [40:27]
Experiencing rapid growth as the world moves to remote work [43:30]
Building a work culture that supports and elevates team members [47:45]
Finding employees that will stick around and weather the storm can be difficult. Hire talent based on attitude and drive [49:15]
Using employee feedback to become one of the best places to work [54:30]
Servant leadership and the benefits of playing to your team’s strengths [57:54]
Coming full circle: Steve recalls having the US Army reach out to him in order to use Premiere Virtual with their new recruits [1:02:24]
What does future growth look like for Premier Virtual? [1:03:30]
With technological advances, industries are always changing. Take advantage of this to become the next industry leader [1:10:23]
Need some startup advice, or looking to grow your company and hire new talent? You can reach out to Steve at steve@premiervirtual.com [1:14:00]
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Lynn Marks and Gideon Marks, a daughter-father duo, join Annaka and Ethan to share their story building DogLog, a family-run startup that allows users to log their dog’s activity and daily health data with their smartphone. Lynn recalls how her family’s own struggles lead them to develop the app which now has 100,000+ downloads. Lynn and Gideon walk us through the process of starting a company with your family, building organic customers, bootstrap funding, and finding a way to monetize your product.
Lynn Marks is the President and Co-founder of DogLog, a data-centric app that helps pet owners track their dog’s daily activities and health information. Gideon Marks is a serial entrepreneur who has mentored and launched numerous startups throughout his career. Lynn combined her background in project management with her fathers’s entrepreneurship experience and her brother’s software background to build Doglog and empower users to log their pet’s data in order to better manage their furry friend’s health and schedule.
Time Stamps:
Who is Lynn Marks, and where did the idea for DogLog come from? [0:54]
Working with family and building a team that allows you to create solutions to pain points [4:00]
Is it better to start a business with your family? [10:05]
Growing a user base at the dog park, on Reddit, and with social media [12:03]
Using local media like the local newspaper and television station to promote your product [15:20]
Leveraging user feedback to create new features and evolve [17:08]
People can have more than one dog? The importance of listening to your users and understanding problems from various perspectives [21:03]
Monetizing DogLog and creating a strategy for revenue generation [22:15]
How do you get people to pay for premium features of an app? [26:45]
Bootstrapping a business and using your own funds to create a sustainable business [31:01]
Supporting your children and encouraging kids to achieve their goals [34:02]
Scalability and the future growth of DogLog [35:50]
Lynn’s biggest surprises: How much you learn about users and the challenges of marketing [38:20]
Encouraging passion and setting an example for your family [41:30]
Navigating problems and finding tech solutions as a non-technical founder [46:00]
A benefit of a family-ran endeavor — It’s easy to feel comfortable working through struggles and creating a support system [52:00]
Utilizing customer data and finding trends that can help you entering the industry [53:55]
Lynn’s advice for entrepreneurs: Work on something you are passionate about, and find a pain point that you care about solving [57:52]
Gideon’s advice for entrepreneurs: Build a team that complements each other [59:10]
Check out DogLog! [1:00:42]
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DogLog Links:
Website
Mail to:
support@doglogapp.com
Sol walks us through the R&D process of creating his beverage and how he forged partnerships to grow and expand his relaxation brand, Leilo.
Sol Broady is the founder and CEO of Leilo, a non-alcoholic relaxation beverage. Sol created his company while obtaining his undergraduate degree at Columbia University and leveraged the university community to build his team and launch his relaxation brand.
Leilo Links:
https://www.leilo.com/
https://www.instagram.com/drinkleilo/
https://twitter.com/drinkleilo
Time Stamps:
Who is Sol Broady, and how did he get the idea for his relaxation beverage Leilo? [0:51]
What is kava? [2:20]
How Red Bull defined the energy drink market and what this means for a relaxation drink [8:10]
Bitter taste and difficult to produce — the hurdles of developing a kava beverage [13:01]
Getting students to test a not-always-tasty prototype and the initial steps of R&D [15:10]
Building intrinsic motivation and believing in your vision [20:38]
From horchata to a sleek 12-ounce can — how to invest in your idea and Sol’s approach to establishing yourself in an industry while on a budget. [28:00]
Learning to run with an idea and throwing out the notion that there’s a checklist of needed skills to succeed [32:55]
Mindset is the key to success, and for an entrepreneur, every single day counts [40:18]
Scaling strategies and pivoting business plans during the start of COVID-19 [45:55]
Creating honest marketing and truthful branding that draws in customers and is backed by a solid product [52:12]
Focus on your target market and get your product to those who will want it [54:50]
Don’t over promise and underdeliver — let your product do the talking [57:00]
Red Bull’s origin and building a brand, not just a beverage [1:00:10]
Scaling a brand, entering new locations, and Leilo’s future growth [1:03:12]
Forging partnerships with athletes and sports organizations [1:06:50]
Competing with few competitors — the advantage of entering the market first and the benefits of becoming the first relaxation partner [1:10:45]
Entering new markets and expanding throughout the US [1:14:40]
Sol’s advice for entrepreneurs: Be comfortable with not being perfect, and use entrepreneurship to solve the problems around you [1:18:34]
Entrepreneurship is incredibly rewarding and can be both hard and isolating. Don’t rush into things, and don’t forget to focus on your larger mission. [1:24:28]
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Lizia Santos is the founder and CEO of CityCatt, a platform that helps travelers discover authentic experiences through the help of local guides (known as catts). Lizia previously worked as a journalist and used her research skills, along with her family’s experience in the hospitality industry, to create Citycatt and build a world-wide community of influencers that are ready to help travelers explore.
Become a Catt or book a trip on https://www.citycatt.com/
Time Stamps
Who is Lizia Santos, and why did she start her travel-focused company Citycatts? [1:00]
Finding authentic, unique, and family-friendly things to do while traveling is a problem [4:10]
What are catts? Building a community of local guides for travelers [7:27]
Validating a business model and learning to pivot in order to overcome early challenges [11:37]
Focus on solving the problem, and be open to exploring various solutions [15:00]
Finding experts, and building a good team that can cover your bases [16:23]
Seeking help, discovering available resources for startups, and joining the WIN Lab (a startup accelerator at Babson College) [20:05]
Measuring success using KPIs that matter while avoiding vanity metrics [23:52]
How to scale a company and Citycatt’s future [27:30]
Pivoting and adjusting a business focused on travel during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic [32:50]
Building company culture and adding a personal touch while scaling [36:22]
What is it like working with family members? [39:40]
Mentoring other early-stage founders and finding resources for startups. We all have strengths to contribute, and mindset is everything [42:01]
Find a mentor who had been down your path yet is still relevant to your experience [46:03]
The magic formula for creating work-life balance — well … it probably doesn’t exists [48:42]
The Key to creating a successful startup according to Lizia? Stop spending so much time planning, and start tackling problems. [52:59]
Building community for your team is both an important and elaborate task [56:00]
Lizia’s ‘first citycatt’ may have been a family member [1:02:45]
Just for fun — Lizia’s difficult travel story: Lost in an Ohio corn field, stuck in a New York snow storm, and a crash course on Midwestern geography [1:04:10]
Lizia’s advice for other entrepreneurs: Focus on your pain point and build your team; do not get tunnel vision focusing on one solution. Be flexible and obsess over the problem you are trying to solve. [1:05:55]
How to help Citycatt — Plan a trip with Citycatt’s platform! Or, consider becoming a catt, hiring a catt, or refering a catt. [1:10:25]
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Sabrina Noorani is the founder and CEO of ClearForMe, a SaaS (software as a service) company that helps customers learn about the ingredients that are in their cosmetic products. Before starting ClearForMe, Noorani worked as the only female derivatives trader at NYSE, and she leveraged her expertise working with data to create her company that now partners with big-name beauty brands like Ulta and Credo Beauty.
During our interview, Sabrina shares some advice for other entrepreneurs looking to turn their ideas into an impact.
Learn more about ClearForMe at https://clearforme.com/
Time Stamps:
Who is Sabrina Noorani, and why did she start her data-driven company ClearForMe? [0:24]
The problem with ingredient transparency in the beauty industry [1:21]
How did you validate your idea to the wider market? [5:40]
Finding ClearForMe’s first paying customer at Credo Beauty [7:49]
A mindset shift: prioritizing a goal in order to make tangible progress [9:30]
What is API, and how does ClearForMe use API? [12:22]
Where did the ingredient data come from that makes up ClearForMe’s database? [14:52]
How do you categorize a mix of ingredients like “fragrance?’ [17:20]
Data trends are useful to track and can play a role in business decisions [20:05]
ClearForMe is different because they provide the facts, and everyone should have access to information they need to make informed decisions [24:34]
How to influence company culture as a founder [26:26]
Cultivating a flat structure? [28:40]
Jumping from the finance industry into the unknown void [32:00]
Sabrina’s key to success as an entrepreneur: building confidence [34:50]
Using an accelerator program to jumpstart your idea and the importance of pitching your startup to others [35:55]
Growing ClearForMe and entering new industries [39:40]
An achievement of ClearForMe in 2021 and a goal for 2022 [41:06]
Sabrina’s advice for other entrepreneurs — define what you want to do. Set specific goals so that you can live in the gain not the gap. [44:48]
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social:
Get more exciting entrepreneur content and podcast exclusives on StartupSavant.com.
Watch Startup Savant founder interviews on YouTube and follow us on social:
Or, for small business resources, tools, and guides visit HowtoStartanLLC.com.