Interview Begins: 8:51 Debrief Begins: 51:07 A.J. Damiano is the co-founder and CEO of Powerspike. Powerspike is the easiest way to sponsor influencers in the esports & gaming space. Powerspike helps you create campaigns, connect with Twitch influencers and teams at scale, without all the …
What’s coming next for the team at upside [JE021]
This week, we’re sharing a quick update about what’s coming up for the feed for the rest of the year. Due to some competing life priorities, we need to take a short break from recording new interviews. But our feed isn’t going dark – each …
Foodnerd // making nutrient-dense superfoods more accessible through the process of sprouting [UP093]
Interview Begins 8:35 Debrief Begins 42:37 Sharon Cryan is the founder and CEO of Foodnerd. Foodnerd specializes in 100% plant-based superfood products that are designed to increase the world’s understanding or accessibility of truly nutrient-dense foods. They use raw, sprouted, organic ingredients that are GMO-free …
Sam German of SPMB // recruiting upper management and board members to startups across the country [CC082]
Interview Begins 5:05 Debrief Begins 25:39 Samantha (Sam) German is a Client Partner in SPMB’s Emerging Markets Practice. SPMB is one of the fastest-growing retained executive search firms in the country, closing hundreds of C-level searches every year. For over 40 years, SPMB has specialized …
[REWIND] Firebrand Ventures // Closing a new $40M for the merged fund [RE007]
John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with over 40 programs around the …
Republic // helping anyone invest in private companies [CC081]
Interview Begins 8:02 Debrief 50:00 Kendrick (Ken) Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Republic. Republic empowers everyone to invest in the future they believe in by providing access to startups, real estate, crypto, and video game investments. Focused on creating a diverse, sustainable, connected …
SavvyCal // taking the awkwardness out of scheduling and making it easy [UP092]
Interview Begins 8:16 Debrief 54:58 Derrick Reimer is the founder and CEO of SavvyCal. SavvyCal wants to take the friction and awkwardness out of scheduling time with people. They’re an indie SaaS company with a little bit of financial backing from TinySeed and a few …
Vint // invest in equity shares of wine collections [UP091]
Interview Begins: 7:25 Debrief Begins: 46:24 Nick King is the co-founder and CEO of Vint. Vint is the first fully transparent platform for anyone to invest in fine wine and spirits. They democratize this high-returning asset class with SEC-qualified collections. Fine wine has returned over …
Victor Gutwein of M25 // A conversation 200 episodes in the making [CC080]
Interview Begins: 9:01 Debrief: 59:30 Victor Gutwein is the Founder and Managing Partner of M25 M25 is an early-stage venture firm based in Chicago, investing solely in tech startups headquartered in the Midwest. Since they launched in 2015, they’ve become the most active investor in …
AireXpert // Keeping planes in the air with real-time synchronization for maintenance, tech ops, and flight crews [UP090]
Andy Hakes is the founder and CEO of AirExpert. AireXpert offers maintenance control, quality assurance, base, line, and vendor maintenance, enabling users to experience reduced repair times, decreased delays, and lowered time costs, while mitigating the risk of FAA compliance. Andy has been an aircraft …
Jack Greco of Buffalo Bridge // the co-founder of Buffalo’s first unicorn on giving back to build the ecosystem [CC079]
Interview Begins : 7:37 Debrief: 45:43 Jack Greco is the co-founder of ACV auctions. ACV auctions is an online marketplace for used cars. As of November 2019, the company was valued at more than $1.5 billion. Jack has built a reputation for supporting other …
Karla Gallardo of Viwala // providing revenue-based loans for women entrepreneurs in Mexico [CC078]
Interview Begins : 6:57 Debrief: 37:08 Karla Gallardo is the CEO of Viwala. Viwala provides loans for women entrepreneurs who have high-impact businesses as well as a network of mentors and entrepreneurs who aim to reduce the gender gap in Mexican businesses. We discuss: …
Reclaim // a smart calendar assistant helping find time for your real priorities [UP089]
Interview Begins 6:53 Debrief 52:25 Patrick Lightbody is the co-founder of Reclaim. Reclaim is a smart calendar assistant that can save you up to 40% of your workweek. Reclaim aligns your priorities to the time you spend every week, empowering you to rapidly rebalance your …
John Gannon of GoingVC // helping people break into venture capital [CC077]
Interview begins: 6:28 Debrief: 41:25 John Gannon is the co-founder and general partner of GoingVC. John has mentored thousands of current and aspiring VCs through his VC Careers blog and email list, which counts VCs from top firms like Sequoia, KPCB, and Bessemer as subscribers. …
Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures // corporate venture capital investing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals [CC076]
Interview begins: 7:16 Debrief: 43:38 Ginger Rothrock is a Senior Director at HG Ventures. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with private companies developing new technologies and approaches in both our core and adjacent markets. We …
Tom Cottingham of Flyover Future // building a news organization covering innovation in 20+ cities across the midwest. [CC075]
Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief: 38:33 Tom Cottingham is the founder and CEO of Flyover Future. Flyover Future is a digital newsletter covering innovation and start-ups in the heartland. They cover the investors, the innovators and the ecosystems that help innovation thrive. We help our readers …
William Hsu of Mucker Capital // an accelerator committed to getting to you to your next round of funding [CC073]
Interview begins: 7:07 Debrief: 38:45 William Hsu is a founding partner at Mucker Capital. He started his career as a founder, creating BuildPoint, a provider of workflow management solutions for the commercial construction industry not long after graduating from Stanford. Based in Los Angeles, Mucker …
Rally // buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare, collectible assets [UP088]
Interview begins: 5:59 Debrief: 50:11 Rob Petrozzo is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer for Rally. Rally is a liquid financial marketplace for buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare assets the same way you buy & sell stocks. Together, we Rally to make investing …
Venture Capital 101 with Scott Shane of Comeback Capital [When Pigs Fly #10]
Interview begins: 6:23 Debrief: 50:32 This week we’re hosting an upside feed takeover from When Pigs Fly! When Pigs Fly is a podcast covering the Cincinnati business ecosystem on the upside podcast network. And in this episode, they talk to Scott Shane, the Managing Director …
Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien of Overline // leading seed stage deals in Atlanta and the southeast [CC072]
Interview Begins: 6:16 Debrief: 37:03 Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien are the Managing Directors of Overline. Overline is an Atlanta-based, founder-operator led venture capital firm focused on investing in seed-stage businesses, primarily in Atlanta and the Southeast region of the United States. We partner …
Best Shot // a digital companion for fertility patients [UP087]
Interview begins: 5:49 Debrief: 51:25 Abby Mercado is the co-founder and CEO of Best Shot. Best Shot is a patient’s companion in fertility treatments, providing medication management & education, streamlining the pharmaceutical ordering experience and enabling safe, supportive micro-communities led by experts. Abby is a …
Jackie DiMonte of Chicago Ventures // ascending the venture career ladder and opening an office in Austin [CC071]
Interview begins: 7:15 Debrief: 55:14 Jackie DiMonte is a partner at Chicago Ventures. Prior to joining Chicago Ventures, Jackie was a principal at Hyde Park Venture Partners, working with portfolio companies such as RoadSync, Podchaser, Fixer, FactoryFix, and PartySlate. Before that, she worked at …
Jessica Peltz-Zatulove of Hannah Grey // a first check venture fund investing in founders reimagining everyday experiences [CC070]
Interview Begins: 7:12 Debrief Begins: 55:03 Jessica Peltz-Zatulove is a Founding Partner at Hannah Grey, a first check venture capital firm investing in customer-centric founders reimagining everyday experiences to improve work and life. She is also the co-founder of Global Women in VC, the …
Protoball // building a first-person sports shooter indie game [UP086]
Interview Begins: 8:19 Debrief 46:25 Zachary Spradlin is a co-creator of Protoball, a futuristic first-person sports game merging basketball, soccer, and high tech style. Players athletically jump, slide, run, and dash around the arena trying to pass the Protoball through the opponents goal. We discuss: …
Chris Bergman // building Gylee Games and The Fund Midwest [CC069]
Interview begins: 7:58 Debrief: 47:33 Chris Bergman is the founder and CEO of Gylee Games and a General Partner at The Fund Midwest. Gylee Games believes in building big worlds. They believe in games that can be enjoyed in smaller chunks, not requiring hundreds of …
The Launch Company // building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond [UP085]
Interview begins: 6:51 Debrief: 53:55 Ben Kellie is the Founder and CEO of The Launch Company The Launch Company is building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond. They develop standardized hardware, ground support equipment, and processes. Ben has a …
[REWIND] SuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [RE006]
John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare. SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that you can own and trade. …
Splash Financial // helping people refinance their student loans [Lay of The Land #9]
This week we’re hosting an upside feed takeover from Lay of The Land! Lay of The Land is a podcast covering the Cleveland business ecosystem on the upside podcast network. And in this episode, Jeff talks with Steve Muszynski, the founder and CEO of Splash …
Tribevest // making it easy for individuals to pool their capital and invest together [UP084]
Interview begins: 5:22 Debrief: 41:15 Travis Smith is the founder and CEO of Tribevest. Tribevest makes it easy to launch an investor entity, pool capital, and experience wealth-building with friends, family, and people you trust. Tribevest’s all-in-one-platform helps you assemble your tribe, align on your …
Huckabuy // improving your search results with a technology-based approach to SEO [UP083]
Interview begins: 6:33 Debrief: 46:48 Geoff Atkinson is the founder and CEO of Huckabuy. Huckabuy’s Software improves your search results, drives more organic traffic, and makes your website faster. Their software creates Google’s Perfect World on your website to queue up the perfect conversation with …
Passiv // transforming your brokerage account into a portfolio management tool [UP082]
Interview begins: 5:52 Debrief: 34:02 Nick McCullum is the Director of Growth for Passiv. Passiv turns your brokerage account into a modern portfolio management tool. Passiv allows you to set a target portfolio and get email notifications when your portfolio drifts from that target. …
Introducing When Pigs Fly [JE021]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: When Pigs Fly. Hosted by Allie Martin and Patrick Bailey, When Pigs Fly is a podcast that uncovers Cincinnati’s rich business history from the 1800s to today. …
Craftom // making it easy for companies to ship customized gifts, office equipment, and more [UP081]
Interview begins: 5:01 Debrief: 40:42 Caleb Musser is the founder and CEO of Craftom. Craftom is a B2B gifting and shipping platform that makes it easy to send hyper-designed corporate gifts, products and office equipment to anyone, whether they’re working from home, in the …
Landon Ainge of Assure Syndicates // matchmaking founders with the right venture investors [CC068]
Interview begins: 6:02 Debrief: 42.:02 Landon Ainge is the Managing Director of Assure Syndicates. Assure Syndicates is a division of Assure. Assure is the pioneering leader in providing comprehensive structuring and administrative management services (specifically Special Purpose Vehicles) to the private investment ecosystem. Assure …
Between Two Hedges // building companies with one foot in and one foot outside Silicon Valley [CC067]
Trent and Travis Hedge are brothers from Columbus, OH, who left for Silicon Valley. But since that time, both have continued to visit and advocate for Ohio and other parts of the country. Travis Hedge is the co-founder of Vouch Insurance (YC S19). Vouch Insurance …
[REWIND] Intrinio // affordable, real-time financial data [RE005]
Today is the final episode in our “Rewind” Series. Rachel Carpenter is the co-founder and CEO of Intrinio. Intrinio is a financial data company on a mission to power fintech innovation by providing affordable, high-quality data to developers and engineers from fintech companies, large institutions, …
[REWIND] Fiveable // social learning for AP students [RE004]
Today is the fourth episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, which is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started …
[REWIND] FreshFry // extending the life of frying oil [RE003]
Today is the third episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Jeremiah Chapman is the founder and CEO of FreshFry. We first talked with Jeremiah back in July 2018 in episode 12 of this show. FreshFry, located in Louisville, Kentucky, creates plant-based product that …
[REWIND] Opendorse // pioneering athlete-driven marketing [RE002]
Today is the second episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Opendorse. We first talked with Blake back in April 2019, and our episode aired on July 17, 2019. Since that time, Opendorse has grown a lot. …
[REWIND] Balto // AI for contact centers [RE001]
Today we are introducing our December series called “Rewind.” In this series, we will introduce one of the companies we’ve had on the show, give a quick update, and replay that episode in its entirety. We think this will be a really fascinating look back …
Things we’re actually thankful for in 2020 [JE020]
This year has been unlike any other. And this Thanksgiving is likely to be unlikely any other, too. With the difficulties that 2020 has brought everyone – founders, investors, and communities – there are still some bright spots to celebrate. In today’s short episode, …
Introducing Lay of the Land [JE019]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: Lay of The Land. Jeffrey Stern is a New York City transplant building companies in Cleveland. And TheTagan is an Atlanta-born strategist with a passion for creating …
Coming soon: the upside podcast network [JE018]
We’re excited to share with you a major project that we’ve been working on behind the scenes! Starting in 2021, the upside podcast network will be launching a growing number of localized business podcasts. The upside podcast network helps local teams to produce high-quality shows …
Healium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]
Interview begins: 7:01 Debrief: 45:09 Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium. Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user’s own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive …
SuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [UP080]
Interview begins: 6:56 Debrief: 54:04 John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare. SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that …
Nexme // an on demand real estate platform [UP079]
Interview begins: 6:34 Debrief: 51:42 Vanessa is the Co-Founder and COO of Nexme. Nexme is an on demand real estate platform that delivers instant access to homes and full-service, professional real estate agents. All at the click of a button. Nexme charges buyers and …
Rob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]
Interview begins: 7:18 Debrief: 59:34 Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled …
John Fein and Chris Marks of Firebrand Ventures // why two venture firms merged to become one [CC065]
Interview begins: 8:54 Debrief: 45:54 John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with …
Nathan McDonald of Keiretsu Forum // a global community of angel investors with 53 chapters across four continents [CC064]
Interview begins: 8:37 Debrief: 58:58 Nathan McDonald is the CEO and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Capital as well as the Chairman of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate/institutional investors. …
Mary Grove of Bread & Butter Ventures // from Google and Rise of the Rest to Minneapolis [CC063]
Interview begins: 10:30 Debrief: 45:38 Mary Grove is Managing Partner of Bread and Butter Ventures. She brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in technology, early-stage investing, and startup ecosystem growth. She began her career working on the Google IPO, and went on to lead …
Documo // Fax and document management for highly-regulated industries [UP078]
Interview begins: 11:02 Debrief: 53:06 Matt Valeo is the founder and CEO of Documo. Documo creates document workflow solutions that make working with documents easy, more secure, and better for the planet. Their product suite includes mSign, mFax, and mDrive. Documo was founded in 2017 …
Ashley Flucas of Flucas Ventures // turning 100 angel investments into an AngelList syndicate [CC062]
Interview begins: 8:44 Debrief: 51:53 Ashley Flucas is an angel investor and syndicate lead with Flucas Ventures. By day, Ashley is a general counsel/partner at a real estate finance fund (infrastructure, sports arenas and large-scale condo, apartment and commercial buildings) with approx $3B AUM (LPs …
Einar Vollset of TinySeed // lessons from the first cohort of the accelerator for bootstrappers [CC061]
Interview begins: 9:28 Debrief: 35:09 Einar Vollset is a General Partner at TinySeed. TinySeed is a year-long, remote accelerator designed for early-stage SaaS founders. He is also a YC-alum, former Cornell CS Professor, and the founder of Discretion Capital, a tech-focused M&A investment bank. He …
SLP Toolkit // Helping Speech Language Pathologists manage their caseloads [UP077]
Interview begins: 8:54 Debrief: 1:02:09 SLP Toolkit™ is a web-based app with built in assessments and tools that give a school-based Speech Language Pathologist the confidence s/he needs to take charge of her busy caseload. The software is designed to help SLPs collect data to …
Rootine // Personalized daily health using DNA, blood levels, and lifestyle data [UP076]
Interview begins: 6:52 Debrief: 44:32 Rachel Sanders is the co-founder and CEO of Rootine. Rootine was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2018 and creates custom daily vitamins based on your DNA, lifestyle, and blood level data. Follow Rachel Sanders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-soper-sanders/ Website: https://rootine.co/ Key Points: The …
Xendoo // personalized bookkeeping for small businesses [UP074]
Interview begins: 6:03 Debrief: 48:54 Lillian (Lil) Roberts is the founder and CEO of Xendoo. Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting service focused on small business owners. By harnessing technology we give our accounting teams more time to work directly with clients and their …
Dave Sachse // investing in venture funds and startups as a family office [CC060]
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief: 35:17 Today we’re talking with Dave Sachse, the founder, and managing partner of the Sachse Family Fund. The Sachse Family Fund is a family office venture capital fund based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In today’s episode, we’re finally exploring the family office …
Will Price of Next Frontier Capital // bringing venture capital to the rocky mountain region [CC059]
Interview begins: 6:36 Debrief: 48:89 Today we’re talking with Will Price the Founder and General Partner of Next Frontier Capital. Will founded Next Frontier Capital to partner with mission-driven, talented entrepreneurs to build Montana technology companies of impact, utility, value. Will’s career spans venture …
Peter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures // early stage investing through a syndicate [CC058]
Interview begins: 5:16 Debrief: 43:55 Unpopular Ventures is led by Peter Livingston, whose experience is almost entirely in startups – as both an operator and investor. He was the first engineer at iRhythm (IPO 2016) and was the founder/CEO at Lifesquare (backed by Kleiner …
CC057: Saurabh Sharma of Jump Capital // Series A and B capital for cloud infrastructure and enterprise software
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 37:58 Today we are talking with Saurabh Sharma He is a partner at Jump Capital, a thesis led sector-focused and operating centric venture capital firm specializing in series A and B in growth-stage investments, Jump Capital invest in data-driven …
CC056: Chetan Parekh of P&G Ventures // identifying and developing the next generation of billion-dollar brands
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 42:55 Today our guest is Chetan Parekh. Chetan is the Senior Brand Director & Innovation Portfolio Leader at P&G Ventures. He leads a multi-disciplinary team in charge of creating new businesses and building partnerships to serve the aging consumer and …
UP073: Pear Commerce // creating a win-win-win for consumers, brands, and retailers
Interview begins: 8:38 Debrief begins: 51:03 Today we’re talking with Eric Martell, the founder of Pear Commerce. Pear Commerce enables CPG companies to drive real transactions from existing national ads and retailers to build their online channel with new customers and repeat purchases. Pear …
CC055: Jason Illian of Koch Disruptive Technologies // investing in emerging technologies for one of the world’s largest private companies
Interview begins: 8:46 Debrief begins: 44:36 This week we’re speaking with Jason Illian, Managing Director of Koch Disruptive Technologies. Jason was the founder and CEO of BookShout, the world’s leading B2B e-book company. He has presented at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference, …
CC054: Patrick McKenna of One America Works // helping coastal companies open new offices in the heartland
Interview begins: 7:40 Debrief begins: 45:20 Today we are speaking with Patrick McKenna of One America Works. Patrick is an experienced entrepreneur, investor and business leader. He has co-founded, operated as a senior executive and invested in several highly successful technology companies with …
CC053: Andrew D’Souza of Clearbanc // revenue-based financing and the 20-minute term sheet
Interview Begins: 7:11 Debrief Begins: 42:31 In this episode, we’ll be talking with Andrew D’Souza, the co-founder and CEO of Clearbanc. Along with his partners, he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital. At the same time, they help entrepreneurs to grow …
CC052: Nick Cooney of Lever VC // investing in alternative protein startups
Interview begins: 5:50 Debrief begins: 39:35 Nick Cooney is the Founder and Managing Director of Lever VC. Lever VC is a new fund focused in alternative animal products, including alternative proteins, meats, and plant-based dairy products. Their portfolio includes some of the biggest brands in …
CC051: Grady Buchanan of OmniValley // connecting startup investors between the coasts
Interview begins: 6:11 Debrief begins: 43:23 Grady Buchanan is the founder and CEO of OmniValley. OmniValley is an exclusive online investor network focused on helping you create connections anywhere in the world. They work to showcase and foster under-ventured and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting, …
UP072: Muxy // powering viewer engagement for live streaming
Interview begins: 6:29 Bebrief begins: 51:16 Jared Steffes is the co-founder and COO of Muxy. Founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas, Muxy is an online service that develops interactive features for gaming and streaming platforms. Though optimized for Twitch, Muxy’s extensions can be …
UP071: BackpackEMR // electronic medical records for mobile clinics in remote locations
Interview begins: 7:50 Debrief begins: 51:01 Lori Most is the founder and CEO of BackpackEMR. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, BackpackEMR is a medical EMR software designed for mobile clinics in rural, low-income markets. BackpackEMR is the sustainable, portable, non-internet dependent solution for electronic data recording …
JE017: “Test City, USA” official release
We’ve been waiting for today for a long, long time. Last summer, we filmed and produced a full-length documentary about the startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio. The film is called Test City, USA and is now available for you to watch online. The film premiered at Film …
UP070: Xena Workwear // stylish steel-toe shoes designed for women
Interview begins: 7:50 Debrief begins: 43:06 Anastasia Kraft is the founder and CEO of Xena Workwear. Xena Workwear is a footwear and soon-to-be apparel company dedicated to designing stylish and safe apparel for women in STEM. Based in Milwuakee, Xena Workwear’s first products launched less …
CC050: Matt Hunckler of Powderkeg // connecting talent to startups in the Midwest
Interview begins: 6:10 Debrief begins: 45:00 Matt Hunckler is the founder and CEO of Powderkeg. Powderkeg is a platform connecting tech talent in the middle of the country to the Midwest companies they’re searching for. Founded in 2017 after emerging from Verge, one of Matt’s …
CC049: Alex Lazarow // why the Silicon Valley playbook is outdated
Interview begins: 7:32 Debrief begins: 50:16 Alex Lazarow is the author or “Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs from Delhi to Detroit Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley.” Alexandre (Alex) Lazarow has spent his career working at the intersection of investing, innovation, and economic development …
CC048: Mike Duda of Bullish // the strategic creative and capital partner behind brands like Casper, Birchbox, Peloton, and more
Interview starts: 6:20 Debrief starts: 1:02:12 Mike Duda is a Managing Partner at Bullish. Bullish is a marketing operating partner focused on the growth business and has helped develop companies like Birchbox, Peloton, Casper, and Harry’s. Through both investment and creative services, Bullish helps early-stage …
UP069: Relish // relationship coaching in the comfort of your own home
Interview starts: 6:15 Debrief begins: 49:25 Lesley Eccles is the founder and CEO of Relish, an app developed to help guild couples create healthy relationship skills and conversations. Originally from Scotland, Lesley is also known as a cofounder of the sports fantasy service, FanDuel. Just …
CC047: Elias Torres of Drift // opening offices outside of silicon valley (live from Embarc Collective’s grand opening)
Interview begins: 5:29 Elias Torres is the co-founder and CTO of Drift. Jay recently had the chance to talk to with Elias Torres at Embarc Collective in Tampa Bay. Having worked in software all his life, Elias has been a part of impressive businesses, …
UP068: Fiveable // live-streaming test prep for AP classes
Interview begins: 7:02 Debrief begins: 51:37 Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable. Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started just two years ago, Fiveable offers live and pre-recorded videos, study …
CC046: Lakshmi Sarah // Storytelling in Virtual and Augmented Reality (live from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:05 Debrief starts:m 33:22 Lakshmi Sarah is the co-founder of Tiny World Productions. An educator and journalist, Lakshmi covers the intersection between VR/AR and storytelling, and she recently co-wrote a book titled ‘Crafting Stories for Virtual Reality.’ Much of Lakshmi’s work includes stories …
CC045: Elizabeth Galbut of SoGal Ventures // the first female-led millennial venture capital firm (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:10 Debrief starts: 43:34 Elizabeth Galbut is the Founding and Managing Partner of SoGal Ventures. SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture firm, and they are leading the way in investing in diverse founding teams and products across the USA and Asia. …
CC044: Doug Clinton of Loup Ventures // exploring frontier technologies (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 32:46 Doug Clinton is the managing partner of Loup Ventures. A Midwest-based venture firm, Loup Ventures was founded in 2017, and to date, they have made exciting investments focusing on frontier tech. Their latest concentrations include neuro-tech and BCI, as …
UP067: eFuse // connecting gamers to professional opportunities & esports scholarships (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:22 Debrief starts: 45:18 Matthew Benson is the founder and CEO of eFuse, a new platform used to connect anyone in or interested in the gaming world to other opportunities, talent, and people in the Esports community. Sort of like a LinkedIn …
CC043: James O’Connor of the Pittsburgh Knights // operating a professional esports team (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:09 Debrief starts: 39:07 James O’Connor is the cofounder and president of the Pittsburgh Knights, a global esports team of 30+ players and streamers, headquartered in one of the most well-branded sports cities in the country. With his knowledge of management, program development, …
CC042: Jordan Davis of Smart Columbus // Looking into the future of smart cities (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:24 Debrief starts: 58:09 Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region’s $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the …
CC041: Bryan Darr of Ookla // demystifying the 5G revolution (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:25 Debrief starts: 38:48 Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net. Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. …
UP066: Locomation // commercializing autonomous trucking with convoy technology (from CES 2020)
Interview begins: 5:25 Debrief begins: 46:38 Tekin Meriçli is the cofounder and CTO of Locomation, a company focused on developing autonomous trucking. Founded in 2018, Locomation hopes to implement autonomous driving technology into freight trucks to create convoys of semi-autonomous, highway-travelling trucks. Tekin became interested …
CC040: Recapping CES 2020 with fellow Media Trailblazers Hayden Field (Entrepreneur) and Lindsay Bjerregaard (Aviation Week)
Interview begins: 4:02 This episode begins our coverage of CES 2020. Lindsay Bjerregaard is a Digital Editorial Producer with Aviation Week and Hayden Field is an Associate Editor at Entrepreneur. Lindsay and Hayden, along with us, were brought to CES through its Media Trailblazer Program, …
CC039: Catharine Dockery of Vice Ventures // investing in good companies operating in “bad” industries
Interview starts: 5:40 Debrief starts: 32:25 Catharine Dockery is the founding partner of Vice Ventures, an NY-based early stage venture firm focusing on companies working in “vice” industries such as cannabis, alcohol, sex techs, psychedelics, harm reduction drugs, and online gambling. Founded in 2019, Vice …
UP065: Renewlogy // Turning plastic waste into fuel through chemical recycling
Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief begins: 47:40 Priyanka Bakaya is the founder and CEO of Renewlogy. Founded in 2011, Renewlogy has the technology to break down plastics into its basic molecular form, where it can then be reused for other products or as fuel. In the …
CC038: Casey Allen // building the Twin Cities enterprise SaaS community
Interview starts: 7:15 Debrief starts: 54:23 Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising’s fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup. …
UP064: Fitt // curating health and wellness recommendations for your city
Interview starts: 6:25 Debrief starts: 49:00 Anthony Vennare is the cofounder and CEO of Fitt, a discovery platform that broadcasts different health and wellness opportunities and locations in different cities. Fitt functions similar to Yelp or Eater for fitness, with the ultimate goal of connecting …
UP063: Visible // powering communication for founders and investors
Interview starts: 7:45 Debrief starts: 49:27 Mike Preuss is the co-founder and CEO of Visible, an investor reporting platform for startups. Beginning in 2014, Visible is a completely remote company used by over 2,000 businesses. They help founders update their investors on their business and …
JE016: 12 episodes of Christmas
Happy Holidays from the upside team! Last year, we shared an episode called: JE006: eight crazy months of upside. This year, we’re back and sharing the 12 episodes of Christmas — 12 exceptionally notable episodes we recommend listening to again. The episodes mentioned, in order: CC033: …
CC037: Neal Bloom of Fresh Brewed Tech // uncovering the past and building the future of San Diego
Interview starts: 5:50 Debrief starts: 47:39 Neal Bloom is the founder of Fresh Brewed Tech and the host of the podcast, Tacos & Tech. Fresh Brewed Tech is a media company dedicated to raising awareness of local tech ecosystems in local areas through storytelling. Having …
UP062: Mainvest // helping anyone invest in Main Street businesses
Interview starts: 6:07 Debrief starts: 49:30 Nick Mathews is the CEO and cofounder of Mainvest. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Mainvest began in 2018 with the incentive to provide investment opportunities to smaller community markets through local investors. In just a little over a year, the …
CC036: Matt Cordio of Skills Pipeline // Getting a lay of the land in Startup Milwaukee
Interview starts: 6:32 Debrief starts: 38:33 Matt Cordio is the founder and president of Startup Milwaukee. Startup Milwaukee is a community dedicated to encouraging and growing Milwaukee’s startup environment. They offer events and programs focused on helping tech startups find mentorship, talent, capital, and …
JE015: Thanksgiving 2019 // strikes, turkeys, and three things we’re thankful for
This Turkey Day, we want to take the time to express our gratitude. We are so thankful for you, our listeners, for the startup movement happening between the coasts, and for the success that this podcast has had. As a gentle reminder, please check out …
CC035: Kim Jefferson and Lydia Beechler of BLASTmedia // building a holistic PR strategy for startups
Interview starts: 6:00 Debriefs starts: 44:11 Kim Jefferson is the Senior Vice President and Lydia Beechler is the Director of Accounts at BLASTmedia. BLASTmedia is a nationally recognized PR agency that concentrates on B2B SaaS media relations. With 15 years in the industry, BLAST works …
UP061: The Bee Corp // using infrared to measure colony size to support beekeepers and growers
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief begins: 47:27 Ellie Symes is the co-founder and CEO of The Bee Corp. The Bee Corp is a startup focusing on improving and creating sustainable methods for commercial bee pollination. Based in Indianapolis, The Bee Corp offers commercial beekeepers and growers …
CC034: Greg Robinson of 4490 Ventures // leading Series A/B rounds in underserved markets
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 43:48 Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures. 4490 Ventures is an early stage venture fund based in Madison Wisconsin that invests in Midwest, tech based companies. Founded in 2014, 4490 Ventures aims $5-8 million per investment, and …
Vint // invest in equity shares of wine collections [UP091]
Interview Begins: 7:25 Debrief Begins: 46:24 Nick King is the co-founder and CEO of Vint. Vint is the first fully transparent platform for anyone to invest in fine wine and spirits. They democratize this high-returning asset class with SEC-qualified collections. Fine wine has returned over …
CC055: Jason Illian of Koch Disruptive Technologies // investing in emerging technologies for one of the world’s largest private companies
Interview begins: 8:46 Debrief begins: 44:36 This week we’re speaking with Jason Illian, Managing Director of Koch Disruptive Technologies. Jason was the founder and CEO of BookShout, the world’s leading B2B e-book company. He has presented at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference, …
CC053: Andrew D’Souza of Clearbanc // revenue-based financing and the 20-minute term sheet
Interview Begins: 7:11 Debrief Begins: 42:31 In this episode, we’ll be talking with Andrew D’Souza, the co-founder and CEO of Clearbanc. Along with his partners, he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital. At the same time, they help entrepreneurs to grow …
UP062: Mainvest // helping anyone invest in Main Street businesses
Interview starts: 6:07 Debrief starts: 49:30 Nick Mathews is the CEO and cofounder of Mainvest. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Mainvest began in 2018 with the incentive to provide investment opportunities to smaller community markets through local investors. In just a little over a year, the …
CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 58:45 Tyler Tringas is the General Partner at Earnest Capital. Earnest Capital provides early-stage funding, resources and a network of experienced advisors to bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers and real businesses. They offer an innovative investment structure aligned with founders and …
CC008: the first startup accelerator designed for bootstrappers // a Coffee Chat with Rob Walling (TinySeed)
Rob Walling is a General Partner of TinySeed. He has bootstrapped multiple startups to exit, most recently Drip. He runs MicroConf, co-hosts Startups for the Rest of Us, and has been advising, mentoring and investing in startups for more than a decade. // TinySeed …
UP045: GTI Fabrication // scaling modular construction through pre-fabrication
Interview begins: 09:04 Debrief begins: 49:12 Rich Stapleton is the co-owner and CEO of GTI Fabrication. GTI Fabrication creates modular containerized solutions. Products include Modular Shower, Kitchen, Gym, Farm, Security, Office, Mobile Beverage, Mobile Showcase, Modular Construction, and Currency Mining Units. GTI Fabrication was …
CC020: bootstrapping the world’s largest real estate community to over 1m members // a Coffee Chat with Josh Dorkin (BiggerPockets)
Interview begins: 07:00 Debrief begins: 1:04:20 Josh Dorkin is the founder and former CEO of BiggerPockets. BiggerPockets.com is the nation’s largest and most active real estate investing social network, designed to simplify and enhance networking, deal making, data evaluation, education, marketing and transactions for investors, …
CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 58:45 Tyler Tringas is the General Partner at Earnest Capital. Earnest Capital provides early-stage funding, resources and a network of experienced advisors to bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers and real businesses. They offer an innovative investment structure aligned with founders and …
UP036: Periodic Edibles // getting into the weeds of building a cannabis brand
Interview begins: 05:52 Debrief begins: 56:32 Wayne Schwind is the founder and CEO of Periodic Edibles. Periodic Edibles creates cannabis-infused caramels with consistent and repeatable effects. Wayne graduated from Michigan Technological University in 2010 with a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering. Upon graduation he moved to …
CC008: the first startup accelerator designed for bootstrappers // a Coffee Chat with Rob Walling (TinySeed)
Rob Walling is a General Partner of TinySeed. He has bootstrapped multiple startups to exit, most recently Drip. He runs MicroConf, co-hosts Startups for the Rest of Us, and has been advising, mentoring and investing in startups for more than a decade. // TinySeed …
CC041: Bryan Darr of Ookla // demystifying the 5G revolution (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:25 Debrief starts: 38:48 Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net. Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. …
CC014: connecting the Air Force and innovation // a Coffee Chat with Vince Pecoraro and Luis Cordova (AFWERX)
Interview begins: 06:46 Debrief begins: 47:02 Vince Pecoraro is the Capability Lead of Agile Contracting for AFWERX. Luis Cordova is the Liaison of Public Affairs and Marketing for AFWERX. Established in 2017 by the Secretary of the Air Force and reporting to the Vice …
UP035: Exaeris // pulling drinkable water out of thin air (live from CES 2019)
Interview begins: 06:52 Debrief begins: 53:28 John Galbraith (CEO) and Michael Joyce (COO) are the co-founders of Exaeris Water Innovations. Exaeris developed a patent-pending atmospheric water generator based on technology developed at the University of Tulsa that provides a consistent and reliable source of water. …
UP034: Testcard // at-home medical diagnostic using urinalysis and your smart phone (live from CES 2019)
Interview begins: 07:09 Debrief begins: 49:20 Luke Heron is the co-founder and CEO of Testcard. TestCard is a medical diagnostic test contained within a traditional postcard. The unique, patent-pending ‘flat-pack’ product is embedded with three fold-out urine dipsticks. The accompanying easy-to-use mobile application turns a …
UP032: Astral AR // drones that stop bullets and prevent tragedy (live from CES 2019)
Interview begins: 07:40 Debrief begins: 58:25 Leah La Salla is the co-founder and CEO of Astral AR. Leah is a self-taught, polyglot software architect and inventor. She spent much of her free time during high school years working in her dad’s super-precision tool-and-die machine shop …
UP031: Woobo // a fuzzy, interactive robot companion for child development (live from CES 2019)
Feng Tan is the co-founder and CEO of Woobo. Feng is a graduate of Tsinghua University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Robotics. He also received a Ph.D. in Robotics from MIT. Woobo was founded with one goal in mind: to bring children’s …
UP030: Sense Arena // professional hockey IQ training using VR technology (live from CES 2019 feat. Shane Darrow of Forecheck, Backcheck, Paycheck)
Bob Tetiva is the founder and CEO for Sense Arena. Sense Arena is a unique, powerful, and innovative tool for developing hockey players, improving their cognitive skills and hockey sense. Using virtual reality, they bring the ice to players’ homes, gyms, and centers so …
UP029: CareAlert // helping seniors live independently with in-home sensor technology (live from CES 2019)
Anand Krishnan is the co-founder and head of platform engineering for CareAlert. Anand is an entrepreneur and technologist with over 20 years of experience building and leading high-performing technology teams in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has founded a technology services company, a renewable …
Powerspike // connecting brands and creators on Twitch with a self-serve advertising platform [UP094]
Interview Begins: 8:51 Debrief Begins: 51:07 A.J. Damiano is the co-founder and CEO of Powerspike. Powerspike is the easiest way to sponsor influencers in the esports & gaming space. Powerspike helps you create campaigns, connect with Twitch influencers and teams at scale, without all the …
What’s coming next for the team at upside [JE021]
This week, we’re sharing a quick update about what’s coming up for the feed for the rest of the year. Due to some competing life priorities, we need to take a short break from recording new interviews. But our feed isn’t going dark – each …
Foodnerd // making nutrient-dense superfoods more accessible through the process of sprouting [UP093]
Interview Begins 8:35 Debrief Begins 42:37 Sharon Cryan is the founder and CEO of Foodnerd. Foodnerd specializes in 100% plant-based superfood products that are designed to increase the world’s understanding or accessibility of truly nutrient-dense foods. They use raw, sprouted, organic ingredients that are GMO-free …
[REWIND] Firebrand Ventures // Closing a new $40M for the merged fund [RE007]
John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with over 40 programs around the …
Republic // helping anyone invest in private companies [CC081]
Interview Begins 8:02 Debrief 50:00 Kendrick (Ken) Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Republic. Republic empowers everyone to invest in the future they believe in by providing access to startups, real estate, crypto, and video game investments. Focused on creating a diverse, sustainable, connected …
Victor Gutwein of M25 // A conversation 200 episodes in the making [CC080]
Interview Begins: 9:01 Debrief: 59:30 Victor Gutwein is the Founder and Managing Partner of M25 M25 is an early-stage venture firm based in Chicago, investing solely in tech startups headquartered in the Midwest. Since they launched in 2015, they’ve become the most active investor in …
AireXpert // Keeping planes in the air with real-time synchronization for maintenance, tech ops, and flight crews [UP090]
Andy Hakes is the founder and CEO of AirExpert. AireXpert offers maintenance control, quality assurance, base, line, and vendor maintenance, enabling users to experience reduced repair times, decreased delays, and lowered time costs, while mitigating the risk of FAA compliance. Andy has been an aircraft …
Reclaim // a smart calendar assistant helping find time for your real priorities [UP089]
Interview Begins 6:53 Debrief 52:25 Patrick Lightbody is the co-founder of Reclaim. Reclaim is a smart calendar assistant that can save you up to 40% of your workweek. Reclaim aligns your priorities to the time you spend every week, empowering you to rapidly rebalance your …
John Gannon of GoingVC // helping people break into venture capital [CC077]
Interview begins: 6:28 Debrief: 41:25 John Gannon is the co-founder and general partner of GoingVC. John has mentored thousands of current and aspiring VCs through his VC Careers blog and email list, which counts VCs from top firms like Sequoia, KPCB, and Bessemer as subscribers. …
Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures // corporate venture capital investing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals [CC076]
Interview begins: 7:16 Debrief: 43:38 Ginger Rothrock is a Senior Director at HG Ventures. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with private companies developing new technologies and approaches in both our core and adjacent markets. We …
Tom Cottingham of Flyover Future // building a news organization covering innovation in 20+ cities across the midwest. [CC075]
Interview begins: 7:00 Debrief: 38:33 Tom Cottingham is the founder and CEO of Flyover Future. Flyover Future is a digital newsletter covering innovation and start-ups in the heartland. They cover the investors, the innovators and the ecosystems that help innovation thrive. We help our readers …
William Hsu of Mucker Capital // an accelerator committed to getting to you to your next round of funding [CC073]
Interview begins: 7:07 Debrief: 38:45 William Hsu is a founding partner at Mucker Capital. He started his career as a founder, creating BuildPoint, a provider of workflow management solutions for the commercial construction industry not long after graduating from Stanford. Based in Los Angeles, Mucker …
Rally // buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare, collectible assets [UP088]
Interview begins: 5:59 Debrief: 50:11 Rob Petrozzo is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer for Rally. Rally is a liquid financial marketplace for buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare assets the same way you buy & sell stocks. Together, we Rally to make investing …
Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien of Overline // leading seed stage deals in Atlanta and the southeast [CC072]
Interview Begins: 6:16 Debrief: 37:03 Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien are the Managing Directors of Overline. Overline is an Atlanta-based, founder-operator led venture capital firm focused on investing in seed-stage businesses, primarily in Atlanta and the Southeast region of the United States. We partner …
Jessica Peltz-Zatulove of Hannah Grey // a first check venture fund investing in founders reimagining everyday experiences [CC070]
Interview Begins: 7:12 Debrief Begins: 55:03 Jessica Peltz-Zatulove is a Founding Partner at Hannah Grey, a first check venture capital firm investing in customer-centric founders reimagining everyday experiences to improve work and life. She is also the co-founder of Global Women in VC, the …
Protoball // building a first-person sports shooter indie game [UP086]
Interview Begins: 8:19 Debrief 46:25 Zachary Spradlin is a co-creator of Protoball, a futuristic first-person sports game merging basketball, soccer, and high tech style. Players athletically jump, slide, run, and dash around the arena trying to pass the Protoball through the opponents goal. We discuss: …
Chris Bergman // building Gylee Games and The Fund Midwest [CC069]
Interview begins: 7:58 Debrief: 47:33 Chris Bergman is the founder and CEO of Gylee Games and a General Partner at The Fund Midwest. Gylee Games believes in building big worlds. They believe in games that can be enjoyed in smaller chunks, not requiring hundreds of …
The Launch Company // building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond [UP085]
Interview begins: 6:51 Debrief: 53:55 Ben Kellie is the Founder and CEO of The Launch Company The Launch Company is building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond. They develop standardized hardware, ground support equipment, and processes. Ben has a …
Splash Financial // helping people refinance their student loans [Lay of The Land #9]
This week we’re hosting an upside feed takeover from Lay of The Land! Lay of The Land is a podcast covering the Cleveland business ecosystem on the upside podcast network. And in this episode, Jeff talks with Steve Muszynski, the founder and CEO of Splash …
Tribevest // making it easy for individuals to pool their capital and invest together [UP084]
Interview begins: 5:22 Debrief: 41:15 Travis Smith is the founder and CEO of Tribevest. Tribevest makes it easy to launch an investor entity, pool capital, and experience wealth-building with friends, family, and people you trust. Tribevest’s all-in-one-platform helps you assemble your tribe, align on your …
Huckabuy // improving your search results with a technology-based approach to SEO [UP083]
Interview begins: 6:33 Debrief: 46:48 Geoff Atkinson is the founder and CEO of Huckabuy. Huckabuy’s Software improves your search results, drives more organic traffic, and makes your website faster. Their software creates Google’s Perfect World on your website to queue up the perfect conversation with …
Passiv // transforming your brokerage account into a portfolio management tool [UP082]
Interview begins: 5:52 Debrief: 34:02 Nick McCullum is the Director of Growth for Passiv. Passiv turns your brokerage account into a modern portfolio management tool. Passiv allows you to set a target portfolio and get email notifications when your portfolio drifts from that target. …
Introducing When Pigs Fly [JE021]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: When Pigs Fly. Hosted by Allie Martin and Patrick Bailey, When Pigs Fly is a podcast that uncovers Cincinnati’s rich business history from the 1800s to today. …
Craftom // making it easy for companies to ship customized gifts, office equipment, and more [UP081]
Interview begins: 5:01 Debrief: 40:42 Caleb Musser is the founder and CEO of Craftom. Craftom is a B2B gifting and shipping platform that makes it easy to send hyper-designed corporate gifts, products and office equipment to anyone, whether they’re working from home, in the …
Landon Ainge of Assure Syndicates // matchmaking founders with the right venture investors [CC068]
Interview begins: 6:02 Debrief: 42.:02 Landon Ainge is the Managing Director of Assure Syndicates. Assure Syndicates is a division of Assure. Assure is the pioneering leader in providing comprehensive structuring and administrative management services (specifically Special Purpose Vehicles) to the private investment ecosystem. Assure …
Between Two Hedges // building companies with one foot in and one foot outside Silicon Valley [CC067]
Trent and Travis Hedge are brothers from Columbus, OH, who left for Silicon Valley. But since that time, both have continued to visit and advocate for Ohio and other parts of the country. Travis Hedge is the co-founder of Vouch Insurance (YC S19). Vouch Insurance …
[REWIND] Intrinio // affordable, real-time financial data [RE005]
Today is the final episode in our “Rewind” Series. Rachel Carpenter is the co-founder and CEO of Intrinio. Intrinio is a financial data company on a mission to power fintech innovation by providing affordable, high-quality data to developers and engineers from fintech companies, large institutions, …
[REWIND] Fiveable // social learning for AP students [RE004]
Today is the fourth episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, which is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Fiveable is an online streaming and content platform helping high school students study and master their AP exams. Started …
[REWIND] FreshFry // extending the life of frying oil [RE003]
Today is the third episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Jeremiah Chapman is the founder and CEO of FreshFry. We first talked with Jeremiah back in July 2018 in episode 12 of this show. FreshFry, located in Louisville, Kentucky, creates plant-based product that …
[REWIND] Opendorse // pioneering athlete-driven marketing [RE002]
Today is the second episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Opendorse. We first talked with Blake back in April 2019, and our episode aired on July 17, 2019. Since that time, Opendorse has grown a lot. …
[REWIND] Balto // AI for contact centers [RE001]
Today we are introducing our December series called “Rewind.” In this series, we will introduce one of the companies we’ve had on the show, give a quick update, and replay that episode in its entirety. We think this will be a really fascinating look back …
Things we’re actually thankful for in 2020 [JE020]
This year has been unlike any other. And this Thanksgiving is likely to be unlikely any other, too. With the difficulties that 2020 has brought everyone – founders, investors, and communities – there are still some bright spots to celebrate. In today’s short episode, …
Coming soon: the upside podcast network [JE018]
We’re excited to share with you a major project that we’ve been working on behind the scenes! Starting in 2021, the upside podcast network will be launching a growing number of localized business podcasts. The upside podcast network helps local teams to produce high-quality shows …
Healium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]
Interview begins: 7:01 Debrief: 45:09 Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium. Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user’s own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive …
SuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [UP080]
Interview begins: 6:56 Debrief: 54:04 John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare. SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that …
Nexme // an on demand real estate platform [UP079]
Interview begins: 6:34 Debrief: 51:42 Vanessa is the Co-Founder and COO of Nexme. Nexme is an on demand real estate platform that delivers instant access to homes and full-service, professional real estate agents. All at the click of a button. Nexme charges buyers and …
Rob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]
Interview begins: 7:18 Debrief: 59:34 Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled …
Nathan McDonald of Keiretsu Forum // a global community of angel investors with 53 chapters across four continents [CC064]
Interview begins: 8:37 Debrief: 58:58 Nathan McDonald is the CEO and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Capital as well as the Chairman of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate/institutional investors. …
Mary Grove of Bread & Butter Ventures // from Google and Rise of the Rest to Minneapolis [CC063]
Interview begins: 10:30 Debrief: 45:38 Mary Grove is Managing Partner of Bread and Butter Ventures. She brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in technology, early-stage investing, and startup ecosystem growth. She began her career working on the Google IPO, and went on to lead …
Documo // Fax and document management for highly-regulated industries [UP078]
Interview begins: 11:02 Debrief: 53:06 Matt Valeo is the founder and CEO of Documo. Documo creates document workflow solutions that make working with documents easy, more secure, and better for the planet. Their product suite includes mSign, mFax, and mDrive. Documo was founded in 2017 …
Ashley Flucas of Flucas Ventures // turning 100 angel investments into an AngelList syndicate [CC062]
Interview begins: 8:44 Debrief: 51:53 Ashley Flucas is an angel investor and syndicate lead with Flucas Ventures. By day, Ashley is a general counsel/partner at a real estate finance fund (infrastructure, sports arenas and large-scale condo, apartment and commercial buildings) with approx $3B AUM (LPs …
Einar Vollset of TinySeed // lessons from the first cohort of the accelerator for bootstrappers [CC061]
Interview begins: 9:28 Debrief: 35:09 Einar Vollset is a General Partner at TinySeed. TinySeed is a year-long, remote accelerator designed for early-stage SaaS founders. He is also a YC-alum, former Cornell CS Professor, and the founder of Discretion Capital, a tech-focused M&A investment bank. He …
SLP Toolkit // Helping Speech Language Pathologists manage their caseloads [UP077]
Interview begins: 8:54 Debrief: 1:02:09 SLP Toolkit™ is a web-based app with built in assessments and tools that give a school-based Speech Language Pathologist the confidence s/he needs to take charge of her busy caseload. The software is designed to help SLPs collect data to …
Rootine // Personalized daily health using DNA, blood levels, and lifestyle data [UP076]
Interview begins: 6:52 Debrief: 44:32 Rachel Sanders is the co-founder and CEO of Rootine. Rootine was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2018 and creates custom daily vitamins based on your DNA, lifestyle, and blood level data. Follow Rachel Sanders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-soper-sanders/ Website: https://rootine.co/ Key Points: The …
Xendoo // personalized bookkeeping for small businesses [UP074]
Interview begins: 6:03 Debrief: 48:54 Lillian (Lil) Roberts is the founder and CEO of Xendoo. Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting service focused on small business owners. By harnessing technology we give our accounting teams more time to work directly with clients and their …
Dave Sachse // investing in venture funds and startups as a family office [CC060]
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief: 35:17 Today we’re talking with Dave Sachse, the founder, and managing partner of the Sachse Family Fund. The Sachse Family Fund is a family office venture capital fund based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In today’s episode, we’re finally exploring the family office …
Will Price of Next Frontier Capital // bringing venture capital to the rocky mountain region [CC059]
Interview begins: 6:36 Debrief: 48:89 Today we’re talking with Will Price the Founder and General Partner of Next Frontier Capital. Will founded Next Frontier Capital to partner with mission-driven, talented entrepreneurs to build Montana technology companies of impact, utility, value. Will’s career spans venture …
Peter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures // early stage investing through a syndicate [CC058]
Interview begins: 5:16 Debrief: 43:55 Unpopular Ventures is led by Peter Livingston, whose experience is almost entirely in startups – as both an operator and investor. He was the first engineer at iRhythm (IPO 2016) and was the founder/CEO at Lifesquare (backed by Kleiner …
CC057: Saurabh Sharma of Jump Capital // Series A and B capital for cloud infrastructure and enterprise software
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 37:58 Today we are talking with Saurabh Sharma He is a partner at Jump Capital, a thesis led sector-focused and operating centric venture capital firm specializing in series A and B in growth-stage investments, Jump Capital invest in data-driven …
CC056: Chetan Parekh of P&G Ventures // identifying and developing the next generation of billion-dollar brands
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 42:55 Today our guest is Chetan Parekh. Chetan is the Senior Brand Director & Innovation Portfolio Leader at P&G Ventures. He leads a multi-disciplinary team in charge of creating new businesses and building partnerships to serve the aging consumer and …
UP073: Pear Commerce // creating a win-win-win for consumers, brands, and retailers
Interview begins: 8:38 Debrief begins: 51:03 Today we’re talking with Eric Martell, the founder of Pear Commerce. Pear Commerce enables CPG companies to drive real transactions from existing national ads and retailers to build their online channel with new customers and repeat purchases. Pear …
CC055: Jason Illian of Koch Disruptive Technologies // investing in emerging technologies for one of the world’s largest private companies
Interview begins: 8:46 Debrief begins: 44:36 This week we’re speaking with Jason Illian, Managing Director of Koch Disruptive Technologies. Jason was the founder and CEO of BookShout, the world’s leading B2B e-book company. He has presented at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference, …
CC054: Patrick McKenna of One America Works // helping coastal companies open new offices in the heartland
Interview begins: 7:40 Debrief begins: 45:20 Today we are speaking with Patrick McKenna of One America Works. Patrick is an experienced entrepreneur, investor and business leader. He has co-founded, operated as a senior executive and invested in several highly successful technology companies with …
CC053: Andrew D’Souza of Clearbanc // revenue-based financing and the 20-minute term sheet
Interview Begins: 7:11 Debrief Begins: 42:31 In this episode, we’ll be talking with Andrew D’Souza, the co-founder and CEO of Clearbanc. Along with his partners, he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital. At the same time, they help entrepreneurs to grow …
CC052: Nick Cooney of Lever VC // investing in alternative protein startups
Interview begins: 5:50 Debrief begins: 39:35 Nick Cooney is the Founder and Managing Director of Lever VC. Lever VC is a new fund focused in alternative animal products, including alternative proteins, meats, and plant-based dairy products. Their portfolio includes some of the biggest brands in …
CC051: Grady Buchanan of OmniValley // connecting startup investors between the coasts
Interview begins: 6:11 Debrief begins: 43:23 Grady Buchanan is the founder and CEO of OmniValley. OmniValley is an exclusive online investor network focused on helping you create connections anywhere in the world. They work to showcase and foster under-ventured and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting, …
CC050: Matt Hunckler of Powderkeg // connecting talent to startups in the Midwest
Interview begins: 6:10 Debrief begins: 45:00 Matt Hunckler is the founder and CEO of Powderkeg. Powderkeg is a platform connecting tech talent in the middle of the country to the Midwest companies they’re searching for. Founded in 2017 after emerging from Verge, one of Matt’s …
CC048: Mike Duda of Bullish // the strategic creative and capital partner behind brands like Casper, Birchbox, Peloton, and more
Interview starts: 6:20 Debrief starts: 1:02:12 Mike Duda is a Managing Partner at Bullish. Bullish is a marketing operating partner focused on the growth business and has helped develop companies like Birchbox, Peloton, Casper, and Harry’s. Through both investment and creative services, Bullish helps early-stage …
CC046: Lakshmi Sarah // Storytelling in Virtual and Augmented Reality (live from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:05 Debrief starts:m 33:22 Lakshmi Sarah is the co-founder of Tiny World Productions. An educator and journalist, Lakshmi covers the intersection between VR/AR and storytelling, and she recently co-wrote a book titled ‘Crafting Stories for Virtual Reality.’ Much of Lakshmi’s work includes stories …
CC045: Elizabeth Galbut of SoGal Ventures // the first female-led millennial venture capital firm (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:10 Debrief starts: 43:34 Elizabeth Galbut is the Founding and Managing Partner of SoGal Ventures. SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture firm, and they are leading the way in investing in diverse founding teams and products across the USA and Asia. …
CC044: Doug Clinton of Loup Ventures // exploring frontier technologies (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 32:46 Doug Clinton is the managing partner of Loup Ventures. A Midwest-based venture firm, Loup Ventures was founded in 2017, and to date, they have made exciting investments focusing on frontier tech. Their latest concentrations include neuro-tech and BCI, as …
CC043: James O’Connor of the Pittsburgh Knights // operating a professional esports team (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:09 Debrief starts: 39:07 James O’Connor is the cofounder and president of the Pittsburgh Knights, a global esports team of 30+ players and streamers, headquartered in one of the most well-branded sports cities in the country. With his knowledge of management, program development, …
CC042: Jordan Davis of Smart Columbus // Looking into the future of smart cities (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:24 Debrief starts: 58:09 Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region’s $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the …
CC041: Bryan Darr of Ookla // demystifying the 5G revolution (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:25 Debrief starts: 38:48 Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net. Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. …
CC039: Catharine Dockery of Vice Ventures // investing in good companies operating in “bad” industries
Interview starts: 5:40 Debrief starts: 32:25 Catharine Dockery is the founding partner of Vice Ventures, an NY-based early stage venture firm focusing on companies working in “vice” industries such as cannabis, alcohol, sex techs, psychedelics, harm reduction drugs, and online gambling. Founded in 2019, Vice …
CC038: Casey Allen // building the Twin Cities enterprise SaaS community
Interview starts: 7:15 Debrief starts: 54:23 Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising’s fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup. …
CC037: Neal Bloom of Fresh Brewed Tech // uncovering the past and building the future of San Diego
Interview starts: 5:50 Debrief starts: 47:39 Neal Bloom is the founder of Fresh Brewed Tech and the host of the podcast, Tacos & Tech. Fresh Brewed Tech is a media company dedicated to raising awareness of local tech ecosystems in local areas through storytelling. Having …
CC036: Matt Cordio of Skills Pipeline // Getting a lay of the land in Startup Milwaukee
Interview starts: 6:32 Debrief starts: 38:33 Matt Cordio is the founder and president of Startup Milwaukee. Startup Milwaukee is a community dedicated to encouraging and growing Milwaukee’s startup environment. They offer events and programs focused on helping tech startups find mentorship, talent, capital, and …
CC035: Kim Jefferson and Lydia Beechler of BLASTmedia // building a holistic PR strategy for startups
Interview starts: 6:00 Debriefs starts: 44:11 Kim Jefferson is the Senior Vice President and Lydia Beechler is the Director of Accounts at BLASTmedia. BLASTmedia is a nationally recognized PR agency that concentrates on B2B SaaS media relations. With 15 years in the industry, BLAST works …
CC034: Greg Robinson of 4490 Ventures // leading Series A/B rounds in underserved markets
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 43:48 Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures. 4490 Ventures is an early stage venture fund based in Madison Wisconsin that invests in Midwest, tech based companies. Founded in 2014, 4490 Ventures aims $5-8 million per investment, and …
CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software
Interview starts: 6:23 Debrief beings: 48:05 Alex Rubalcava is a General Partner and Co-Founder of Stage Venture Partners, an L.A.-based VC firm that invests in upcoming software technologies. Alex began his investing career with Anthem Venture Partners in Los Angeles before switching to public market …
CC032: Kate Shillo Beardsley of Upslope Ventures // scaling early stage investments across the country
Interview begins: 7:10 Debrief begins: 44:55 Kate Shillo Beardsley is the Managing Partner of Upslope Ventures. Formerly known as Galvanize Ventures, Upslope Ventures is committed to investing in early stage startups. Located in Denver, they look for startups throughout the country and currently have a …
CC031: building a network of generous entrepreneurs in the Midwest // a coffee chat with Joni Cobb (Pipeline Entrepreneurs)
Interview begins: 5:20 Debrief begins: 43:15 Joni Cobb is the founding President and CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs. Pipeline is a network of high-performing entrepreneurs who call the Midwest home. Their entrepreneurs and experts give generously of their time, talent and capital so that they can …
CC030: investing in socially responsible, high-growth companies // a coffee chat with Rose Maizner (RenewableTech Ventures)
Interview begins: 5:30 Debrief begins: 44:38 Rose Maizner is a partner at RenewableTech Ventures and a co-founder of Womenpreneurs. RenewableTech Ventures is a Salt Lake City based venture capital fund focused in cleantech. An impact investment fund, Renewable Tech Ventures has helped a number of …
CC029: providing equal access to the Triangle startup community // a coffee chat with Molly Demarest (American Underground)
Interview begins: 6:30 Debrief begins: 47:37 Molly Demarest is the General Manager of American Underground. The American Underground is based in the Durham-Raleigh area in North Carolina and focuses on connecting startups and founders in the region with the different resources needed to help their …
CC028: building turnkey programs for entrepreneurs and creatives // a coffee chat with Joe Kirgues (gener8tor)
Interview begins: 05:49 Debrief begins: 41:15 Joe Kirgues is a co-founder of gener8tor. One of the top companies in its field, gener8tor offers accelerator programs whose missions are to promote local investors and companies investing in their own communities’ startups and entrepreneurs. Operating in Milwaukee, …
CC027: raising an opportunity fund for a mission driven accelerator // a coffee chat with Barbara Bickham (WIF AX)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 39:50 Barbara Bickham is the co-founder and Managing Director of WIF AX. WIF AX (Women’s Innovation Fund Accelerator) is a Qualified Opportunity Fund building women-balanced and environmentally-sustainable organizations within QOZ’s nationwide. They plan to use a mix of incubation, …
CC026: matching top talent with startups between the coasts // a coffee chat with Kaleb Dumot (Integrity Power Search)
Interview begins: 07:06 Debrief begins: 43:11 Kaleb Dumot is the founder and CEO of Integrity Power Search. Integrity Power Search (IPS) is a recruiting agency focused on connecting amazing people to world class technology companies in the middle of the country. Since 2012, they have …
CC025: impact investing and reversing demographic trends // a Coffee Chat with Robert Zulkoski (Vermont Works)
Interview begins: 06:34 Debrief begins: 49:48 Robert Zulkoski is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Vermont Works. Vermont Works is an Independent Alternative Investment Firm Supporting Vermont’s Job & Economic Development. Vermont Works was founded in 2016 and based in Burlington, Vermont. We discuss: Social …
CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures)
Interview begins: 05:19 Debrief begins: 55:13 Josh Chapman is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Konvoy Ventures. Konvoy is an early-stage venture fund focused exclusively on esports & video gaming. They are dedicated to partnering with and supporting founders in this industry at the earliest …
CC023: connecting recent college grads to startups // a Coffee Chat with Amy Nelson (Venture for America)
Interview begins: 06:33 Debrief begins: 51:26 Amy Nelson is the CEO of Venture For America (VFA). VFA is a two-year fellowship program for recent grads who want to work at a startup and create jobs in American cities. Fellows learn important startup skills at our …
CC022: connecting the coasts to the heartland // a Coffee Chat from the Comeback Cities Tour
Interview starts: 06:15 This conversation took place on the third Comeback Cities tour on May 15, 2019, aimed at connecting venture capitalists from the East and West Coasts with investment opportunities in the heartland. It also had stops in Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown. This conversation …
CC021: thinking big, fearing less, and listening deeply in Madison // a Coffee Chat with Scott Resnick (StartingBlock Madison)
Interview begins: 05:12 Debrief begins: 39:24 Scott Resnick is the founder and former executive director of StartingBlock Madison. StartingBlock is a 50,000 sq foot entrepreneurial hub which opened in 2018. Scott led efforts to raise millions dollars to build the “beacon for Midwest startups” particularly …
CC020: bootstrapping the world’s largest real estate community to over 1m members // a Coffee Chat with Josh Dorkin (BiggerPockets)
Interview begins: 07:00 Debrief begins: 1:04:20 Josh Dorkin is the founder and former CEO of BiggerPockets. BiggerPockets.com is the nation’s largest and most active real estate investing social network, designed to simplify and enhance networking, deal making, data evaluation, education, marketing and transactions for investors, …
CC019: take two // a surprise Coffee Chat with Nathan Todhunter (editor)
We’ve had a lot of success in our first year of upside. Or at least it seems that way, through the magic of post-production! A few weeks ago, our editor + audio engineer Nathan told us he had a surprise for us. Soon after, we …
CC018: building the front door to #StartupCincy // a Coffee Chat with Eric Weissman (Cintrifuse) (Live from Cincinnati Podcast Festival 2018)
This episode comes from the Cincinnati Podcast Festival on November 1, 2018. Eric Weissman is the Vice President of Communications, Community & Economic Inclusion at Cintrifuse. Cintrifuse has one clear mission: to make Greater Cincinnati the #1 tech startup hub in the midwest and among …
CC017: building a world class venture firm in Chicago // a Coffee Chat with Ezra Galston (Starting Line)
Interview begins: 05:47 Debrief begins: 47:55 Ezra Galston is the Founding Partner at Starting Line. Starting Line is a thematic early stage venture capital fund focused on investing in consumer services and products that are both cheaper and better. They want to be the number …
CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 58:45 Tyler Tringas is the General Partner at Earnest Capital. Earnest Capital provides early-stage funding, resources and a network of experienced advisors to bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers and real businesses. They offer an innovative investment structure aligned with founders and …
CC015: geography and investing, should location matter? (live from SXSW 2019) // a panel with Andy Sparks (Holloway), Rachel Carpenter (Intrinio), and Brandon Bryant (Harlem Capital)
Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting a panel at SXSW called Geography vs. Investing: Should Location Matter? This would not have been possible without the support and voting of our listeners, and we really appreciate your help. Please enjoy the panel, recorded in …
CC014: connecting the Air Force and innovation // a Coffee Chat with Vince Pecoraro and Luis Cordova (AFWERX)
Interview begins: 06:46 Debrief begins: 47:02 Vince Pecoraro is the Capability Lead of Agile Contracting for AFWERX. Luis Cordova is the Liaison of Public Affairs and Marketing for AFWERX. Established in 2017 by the Secretary of the Air Force and reporting to the Vice …
CC013: how Pittsburgh leverages state funding to spur innovation // a Coffee Chat with Terri Glueck and Leah Simoncelli (Innovation Works)
Interview begins: 06:32 Debrief begins: 51:53 Terri Glueck is the Director of Communications at Innovation Works. Leah Simoncelli is the Coordinator of the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup. As Director of Community Development & Communications, Terri Glueck leads Innovation Works’ communications efforts. Having joined Innovation Works …
CC012: how Cleveland is rallying their community around a new tech movement // a Coffee Chat with Bernie Moreno (Blockland)
Interview begins: 06:26 Debrief begins: 51:58 Bernie Moreno is the President of the Bernie Moreno Companies. He has 20+ years in the retail automotive business. In 2005, he purchased what has become the largest volume Mercedes-Benz dealership in the Central US. At one point, he …
CC011: making the startup ecosystem bigger in Texas // a Coffee Chat with Bryan Chambers (Capital Factory)
Interview begins: 07:03 Debrief begins: 48:43 Bryan serves as Capital Factory’s Vice President of Accelerator and Investment Fund. Bryan is a business development and investment professional experienced in portfolio management and venture capital transactions. Prior to joining Capital Factory, Bryan established the Blackstone Launchpad and …
CC010: the pros and cons of angel funds // a Coffee Chat with Todd Federman (North Coast Angel Fund)
Interview begins: 06:10 Debrief begins: 1:00:45 Todd Federman is the Manging Director for the North Coast Angel Fund. Todd has served as the Executive Director of North Coast Angel Fund since its founding in 2006. Prior to joining NCAF, Todd worked as a full-time independent …
CC009: building a collaborative startup ecosystem in Memphis // a Coffee Chat with Katie Milligan (Start Co.)
Katherine (Katie) Milligan brings the power of public policy to building entrepreneurial communities. She serves as Chief of Staff at Start Co. where she supports the development of corporate, governmental, and investment relationships to support building inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. Katie previously served as the …
CC008: the first startup accelerator designed for bootstrappers // a Coffee Chat with Rob Walling (TinySeed)
Rob Walling is a General Partner of TinySeed. He has bootstrapped multiple startups to exit, most recently Drip. He runs MicroConf, co-hosts Startups for the Rest of Us, and has been advising, mentoring and investing in startups for more than a decade. // TinySeed …
CC007: the rise of platform in venture capital // a Coffee Chat with Stephanie Manning (Lerer Hippeau)
Stephanie Manning is the Director of Platform for Lerer Hippeau. Lerer Hipeau is an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City. As founders and operators themselves, Lerer Hippeau see returns in relationships. They seek entrepreneurs with product vision, consumer insight, focused execution, …
CC006: tackling the Series A/B capital gap in Ohio // a coffee chat with Bill Baumel and Jill Raderstorf (Ohio Innovation Fund)
A conversation with Bill Baumel and Jill Raderstorf of the Ohio Innovation Fund live from The Starting Line by the Ohio State University College of Nursing. The Ohio Innovation Fund is driving growth in the Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem. They are bridging the gap between Silicon …
CC005: getting into venture and startup ecosystems // a coffee chat with Monique Villa (ModernCapital)
Monique Villa is the founder of Modern Capital in Nashville, Tennessee. ModernCapital is a collective of creative thinkers from the private, public, and civic sectors shaping the modern economy. Based in Nashville, ModernCapital believes the best talent will Build in the Southeast. // Monique is …
CC051: Grady Buchanan of OmniValley // connecting startup investors between the coasts
Interview begins: 6:11 Debrief begins: 43:23 Grady Buchanan is the founder and CEO of OmniValley. OmniValley is an exclusive online investor network focused on helping you create connections anywhere in the world. They work to showcase and foster under-ventured and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting, …
CC050: Matt Hunckler of Powderkeg // connecting talent to startups in the Midwest
Interview begins: 6:10 Debrief begins: 45:00 Matt Hunckler is the founder and CEO of Powderkeg. Powderkeg is a platform connecting tech talent in the middle of the country to the Midwest companies they’re searching for. Founded in 2017 after emerging from Verge, one of Matt’s …
CC042: Jordan Davis of Smart Columbus // Looking into the future of smart cities (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:24 Debrief starts: 58:09 Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region’s $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the …
CC037: Neal Bloom of Fresh Brewed Tech // uncovering the past and building the future of San Diego
Interview starts: 5:50 Debrief starts: 47:39 Neal Bloom is the founder of Fresh Brewed Tech and the host of the podcast, Tacos & Tech. Fresh Brewed Tech is a media company dedicated to raising awareness of local tech ecosystems in local areas through storytelling. Having …
CC036: Matt Cordio of Skills Pipeline // Getting a lay of the land in Startup Milwaukee
Interview starts: 6:32 Debrief starts: 38:33 Matt Cordio is the founder and president of Startup Milwaukee. Startup Milwaukee is a community dedicated to encouraging and growing Milwaukee’s startup environment. They offer events and programs focused on helping tech startups find mentorship, talent, capital, and …
CC031: building a network of generous entrepreneurs in the Midwest // a coffee chat with Joni Cobb (Pipeline Entrepreneurs)
Interview begins: 5:20 Debrief begins: 43:15 Joni Cobb is the founding President and CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs. Pipeline is a network of high-performing entrepreneurs who call the Midwest home. Their entrepreneurs and experts give generously of their time, talent and capital so that they can …
CC029: providing equal access to the Triangle startup community // a coffee chat with Molly Demarest (American Underground)
Interview begins: 6:30 Debrief begins: 47:37 Molly Demarest is the General Manager of American Underground. The American Underground is based in the Durham-Raleigh area in North Carolina and focuses on connecting startups and founders in the region with the different resources needed to help their …
CC028: building turnkey programs for entrepreneurs and creatives // a coffee chat with Joe Kirgues (gener8tor)
Interview begins: 05:49 Debrief begins: 41:15 Joe Kirgues is a co-founder of gener8tor. One of the top companies in its field, gener8tor offers accelerator programs whose missions are to promote local investors and companies investing in their own communities’ startups and entrepreneurs. Operating in Milwaukee, …
CC025: impact investing and reversing demographic trends // a Coffee Chat with Robert Zulkoski (Vermont Works)
Interview begins: 06:34 Debrief begins: 49:48 Robert Zulkoski is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Vermont Works. Vermont Works is an Independent Alternative Investment Firm Supporting Vermont’s Job & Economic Development. Vermont Works was founded in 2016 and based in Burlington, Vermont. We discuss: Social …
CC023: connecting recent college grads to startups // a Coffee Chat with Amy Nelson (Venture for America)
Interview begins: 06:33 Debrief begins: 51:26 Amy Nelson is the CEO of Venture For America (VFA). VFA is a two-year fellowship program for recent grads who want to work at a startup and create jobs in American cities. Fellows learn important startup skills at our …
CC021: thinking big, fearing less, and listening deeply in Madison // a Coffee Chat with Scott Resnick (StartingBlock Madison)
Interview begins: 05:12 Debrief begins: 39:24 Scott Resnick is the founder and former executive director of StartingBlock Madison. StartingBlock is a 50,000 sq foot entrepreneurial hub which opened in 2018. Scott led efforts to raise millions dollars to build the “beacon for Midwest startups” particularly …
CC018: building the front door to #StartupCincy // a Coffee Chat with Eric Weissman (Cintrifuse) (Live from Cincinnati Podcast Festival 2018)
This episode comes from the Cincinnati Podcast Festival on November 1, 2018. Eric Weissman is the Vice President of Communications, Community & Economic Inclusion at Cintrifuse. Cintrifuse has one clear mission: to make Greater Cincinnati the #1 tech startup hub in the midwest and among …
CC013: how Pittsburgh leverages state funding to spur innovation // a Coffee Chat with Terri Glueck and Leah Simoncelli (Innovation Works)
Interview begins: 06:32 Debrief begins: 51:53 Terri Glueck is the Director of Communications at Innovation Works. Leah Simoncelli is the Coordinator of the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup. As Director of Community Development & Communications, Terri Glueck leads Innovation Works’ communications efforts. Having joined Innovation Works …
CC012: how Cleveland is rallying their community around a new tech movement // a Coffee Chat with Bernie Moreno (Blockland)
Interview begins: 06:26 Debrief begins: 51:58 Bernie Moreno is the President of the Bernie Moreno Companies. He has 20+ years in the retail automotive business. In 2005, he purchased what has become the largest volume Mercedes-Benz dealership in the Central US. At one point, he …
CC011: making the startup ecosystem bigger in Texas // a Coffee Chat with Bryan Chambers (Capital Factory)
Interview begins: 07:03 Debrief begins: 48:43 Bryan serves as Capital Factory’s Vice President of Accelerator and Investment Fund. Bryan is a business development and investment professional experienced in portfolio management and venture capital transactions. Prior to joining Capital Factory, Bryan established the Blackstone Launchpad and …
CC009: building a collaborative startup ecosystem in Memphis // a Coffee Chat with Katie Milligan (Start Co.)
Katherine (Katie) Milligan brings the power of public policy to building entrepreneurial communities. She serves as Chief of Staff at Start Co. where she supports the development of corporate, governmental, and investment relationships to support building inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. Katie previously served as the …
CC007: the rise of platform in venture capital // a Coffee Chat with Stephanie Manning (Lerer Hippeau)
Stephanie Manning is the Director of Platform for Lerer Hippeau. Lerer Hipeau is an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City. As founders and operators themselves, Lerer Hippeau see returns in relationships. They seek entrepreneurs with product vision, consumer insight, focused execution, …
CC005: getting into venture and startup ecosystems // a coffee chat with Monique Villa (ModernCapital)
Monique Villa is the founder of Modern Capital in Nashville, Tennessee. ModernCapital is a collective of creative thinkers from the private, public, and civic sectors shaping the modern economy. Based in Nashville, ModernCapital believes the best talent will Build in the Southeast. // Monique is …
CC004: Tampa’s Emerging Entrepreneurial Hub // a coffee chat with Allie Felix (Embarc Collective)
Allie Felix is the Director of Programming & Partnerships at Embarc Collective. Embarc Collective is a physical innovation hub in Tampa Bay, Florida. They are a startup collective – curators of experiences, resources, and environment. // Allie’s experience spans venture capital, business development, and community. …
CC048: Mike Duda of Bullish // the strategic creative and capital partner behind brands like Casper, Birchbox, Peloton, and more
Interview starts: 6:20 Debrief starts: 1:02:12 Mike Duda is a Managing Partner at Bullish. Bullish is a marketing operating partner focused on the growth business and has helped develop companies like Birchbox, Peloton, Casper, and Harry’s. Through both investment and creative services, Bullish helps early-stage …
UP057: OROS Apparel // making outerwear obsolete with NASA-inspired technology
Interview begins: 6:05 Debrief begins: 45:15 Michael Markesbery is the co-founder and CEO of OROS apparel, an outdoor and sportswear company that has revolutionized the technology in outdoor clothing. Founded in Cincinnati and now based in Portland, Oregon, OROS makes outdoor apparel using their own …
UP028: Summersalt // a direct-to-consumer travelwear brand for women (feat. Karen Howland of CircleUp)
Lori Coulter is the Founder, CEO and President of Summersalt. Prior to Summersalt, Lori owned and operated Lori Coulter Swimwear for 11 years. Summersalt is a direct-to-consumer, travelwear brand. Their flagship product is designer swimwear without the designer price tag. With a patent on recommending …
UP022: Concur // mission-driven skincare for a healthy microbiome (feat. Ross Baird of Village Capital)
Lindsey Moeller is the founder of Concur, formerly known as Balm Skincare. Lindsey is also the founded of Botavi Labs and holds a degree in biology and molecular genetics from the Ohio State University. Concur creates holistic skincare products that agree with our natural biology …
UP021: GenoPalate // personalized nutrition recommendations from your DNA
Sherry Zhang is the founder and CEO of GenoPalate. She has a PhD in molecular biology from Marquette University and has used DNA technologies to understand obesity and metabolic disorders. GenoPalate analyzes individual’s genetic data, demographic and lifestyle information to deliver personalized insights for optimal …
UP019: Wicked Sheets // bed sheets for the fight against night sweats
Alli Truttman is the President and CEO of Wicked Sheets. Wicked Sheets provides moisture-wicking and cooling sleep products for people suffering from night sweats and hot flashes. Founded in 2008, Wicked Sheets has appeared on QVC and is based in Louisville, KY. Learn more about …
UP018: Cuddle Clones // creating plush replicas of your pet
Jennifer Williams is the co-founder and Chief Cloning Officer of Cuddle Clones. Previous to founding Cuddle Clones, Jennifer spent 10 years as a benefits consulting actuary. // Cuddle Clones creates custom stuffed animals of your special pet as well as a variety of other unique …
UP013: Local Crate // localized supply chain to decentralize meal delivery
Local Crate is a locally-sourced meal-delivery service. Local Crate delivers fresh, delicious, seasonal meal kits in partnership with award-winning chefs, local farmers, and passionate makers. easy-to-make recipes and pre-portioned ingredients are sourced locally by growing region, reducing food and packaging waste. Local Crate is an …
UP010: Upsie // a cheaper way to protect your stuff
Upsie is a mobile app platform that provides an easier & better way to protect your stuff. You get the same warranties and coverage offered by other companies, but at an affordable price. Upsie is an alum of the Techstars Retail accelerator and is based …
UP008: Loop Returns // creating the perfect ecommerce customer returns experience (live from Columbus Podcast Festival)
Loop helps you retain customers through one of the most fragile interactions they’ll have with your brand: returns. By providing complete returns automation, in-line exchanges, and your own fully-customized returns app, Loop takes the pain out of returns for your team and for your customers. …
UP006: Swannies // creating an apparel brand for the modern golfer (feat. Web Smith of 2PM)
Swannies is a lifestyle golf apparel and footwear brand. focused on creating golf wear for anywhere at an affordable price, starting with the introduction of world’s first soft spike golf sandal. adam iversen is the co-founder of Swannies, which is based in minneapolis, minnesota. …
UP005: F13 Works // extending the aisle in ecommerce
F13 Works bridges the gap between manufacturers and e-commerce websites. It provides manufacturers, drop-shippers and order fulfillers of all types with a connection to millions of online stores. Orders from third-party sites will seamlessly enter their production process and payments will be automatically processed. …
UP072: Muxy // powering viewer engagement for live streaming
Interview begins: 6:29 Bebrief begins: 51:16 Jared Steffes is the co-founder and COO of Muxy. Founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas, Muxy is an online service that develops interactive features for gaming and streaming platforms. Though optimized for Twitch, Muxy’s extensions can be …
UP067: eFuse // connecting gamers to professional opportunities & esports scholarships (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 7:22 Debrief starts: 45:18 Matthew Benson is the founder and CEO of eFuse, a new platform used to connect anyone in or interested in the gaming world to other opportunities, talent, and people in the Esports community. Sort of like a LinkedIn …
CC043: James O’Connor of the Pittsburgh Knights // operating a professional esports team (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:09 Debrief starts: 39:07 James O’Connor is the cofounder and president of the Pittsburgh Knights, a global esports team of 30+ players and streamers, headquartered in one of the most well-branded sports cities in the country. With his knowledge of management, program development, …
CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures)
Interview begins: 05:19 Debrief begins: 55:13 Josh Chapman is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Konvoy Ventures. Konvoy is an early-stage venture fund focused exclusively on esports & video gaming. They are dedicated to partnering with and supporting founders in this industry at the earliest …
Introducing Lay of the Land [JE019]
This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: Lay of The Land. Jeffrey Stern is a New York City transplant building companies in Cleveland. And TheTagan is an Atlanta-born strategist with a passion for creating …
JE017: “Test City, USA” official release
We’ve been waiting for today for a long, long time. Last summer, we filmed and produced a full-length documentary about the startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio. The film is called Test City, USA and is now available for you to watch online. The film premiered at Film …
JE016: 12 episodes of Christmas
Happy Holidays from the upside team! Last year, we shared an episode called: JE006: eight crazy months of upside. This year, we’re back and sharing the 12 episodes of Christmas — 12 exceptionally notable episodes we recommend listening to again. The episodes mentioned, in order: CC033: …
JE015: Thanksgiving 2019 // strikes, turkeys, and three things we’re thankful for
This Turkey Day, we want to take the time to express our gratitude. We are so thankful for you, our listeners, for the startup movement happening between the coasts, and for the success that this podcast has had. As a gentle reminder, please check out …
JE014: the update issue three // Test City, USA preview
A short episode this week discussing our latest issue of the update. The update is a quarterly publication that usually features editorials, trends, and stories happening outside of Silicon Valley. We had big plans for this issue of the update, namely sharing our documentary, “Test …
JE013: Happy Labor Day // don’t work too hard
We want to wish all of the listeners a happy Labor Day and thank you all for their continued support. Thanks to all of the support to date, the upside podcast will have some exciting updates in the coming months, so be sure to tune …
JE012: the fourfront // four trends we are watching develop
On today’s episode, we analyze four predominant themes we’ve encountered lately in the startup and investing arena. Our four on the fore includes: 1.) hiring talent 2.) the growing trend of remote work 3.) frustrations with information inaccessibility 4.) and our takes on specialized funding …
JE011: happy July 4th // the update issue two
Happy US Independence Day from the upside team! Per our holiday tradition, we’re keeping it short and sweet this week so we don’t take you away from what really matters. So we don’t have an interview this week, we just have a conversation between the …
Library Magic Pt. 2 // Jay’s one year reflection
Hey guys, welcome to part two of Library magic. Eric and I are celebrating one year of upside, and as he mentioned last week in part one, we were particularly struck by Monique Villa’s comment in our fifth Coffee Chat: “It’s sort of like novelists, …
CC019: take two // a surprise Coffee Chat with Nathan Todhunter (editor)
We’ve had a lot of success in our first year of upside. Or at least it seems that way, through the magic of post-production! A few weeks ago, our editor + audio engineer Nathan told us he had a surprise for us. Soon after, we …
Library Magic Pt. 1 // Eric’s one year reflection
On upside, failure hasn’t really been the default. Most initiatives have come naturally and been met with, at worst, mildly positive reception. For the last few months, Jay and I have been struggling to find to an appropriate way to commemorate one year. We planned …
JE008: consume, contribute, create // how founders, VCs, and community builders should podcast
Nearly a year into publishing weekly episodes of the show, we have a lot of thoughts about the world of podcasting and specifically how startup founders, VCs, and community builders can leverage podcasting. So this week, we are sharing with you the three main strategies …
JE007: why we created the update, issue one
Last Friday, March 1, we released issue one of the update. In this week’s episode, we explain why and go behind the scenes of how it came together. At upside, we focus on startups, startup communities, and startup investing outside of Silicon Valley. We …
JE006: eight crazy months of upside
Happy holidays from the upside team! We’re keeping it short and sweet this week so we don’t take you away from what really matters. So we don’t have an interview this week, we just have a conversation between the two of us recapping 2018. …
JE005: happy Thanksgiving from upside
Happy Thanksgiving! Jay and Eric spend some time talking about what we are thankful for this year, and share a preview of what is to come in 2019. Sign up to receive the update: https://upside.fm/update Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
JE004: four myths for investment outside of silicon valley
people have been talking. we’ve heard gossip, complaints, and excuses when it comes to raising capital outside of silicon valley. this week, we have a 1-on-1 episode talking about four of the common myths we hear as it comes to starting companies and finding investment …
JE003: listener feedback episode
you’ve given us a ton of feedback over the last three months. on this episode, we discuss live on air the themes we’ve identified in listener feedback and how we plan to address that feedback moving forward. // do you have other feedback to share? …
JE001: upside // a podcast about startups outside of silicon valley
the startup investment landscape is changing, and world-class companies are being built outside of silicon valley. we find them, talk with them, and discuss the upside of investing in them. these entrepreneurs are smart, resilient, resourceful individuals building a company at what many would consider …
UP058: Audience Awards // creating opportunity for filmmakers through contests, festivals, and distribution
Interview begins: 7:35 Debrief begins: 48:15 Paige Williams is the founder and CEO of Audience Awards. Audience Awards is an online platform that organizes contests and film festivals in hopes of providing more opportunity and exposure to independent filmmakers. Operating in Montana, Audience Awards opens …
UP056: Kush.com // a budding B2B marketplace for legal hemp and cannabis transactions
Interview begins: 5:30 Debrief begins: 48:09 Chase Nobles is a co-founder and co-CEO of Kush.com. Seattle-based company Kush.com is a platform that allows entities within the hemp and cannabis industries to interact and buy and sell product. Kush.com has become one of the principal sites …
UP055: Hurry Home // enabling renters to become owners of affordable homes
Interview begins: 07:16 Debrief begins: 47:49 Jada McLean is the co-founder and CEO of Hurry Home. Hurry Home finances houses through shared ownership, enabling renters to become homeowners and offering a streamlined investment opportunity. Despite there being 3 million houses for sale in the …
UP044: Semtive // building a peer-to-peer power grid using wind turbines (feat. Benjamin Stafford of Clean Energy Economy Minnesota)
Interview begins: 07:30 Insight begins: 58:56 Debrief begins: 1:21:22 Ignacio Juarez is the Founder and CEO of Semtive. Semtive is a Clean Energy startup that was born in Argentina. They believe that access to clean energy should be effortless and affordable. In order to achieve …
UP038: Clever // lowering real estate transaction costs by connecting sellers to agents (feat. Erik Berg of Rev1 Ventures)
Interview begins: 08:30 Insight begins: 54:18 VC debrief begins: 1:04:14 Host debrief begins: 1:13:06 Ben Mizes is the founder and CEO of Clever Real Estate. Clever Real Estate is a nationwide referral service that helps you sell your home and save on commission. Clever’s network …
UP027: ShearShare // an on-demand marketplace for stylists who need work space
Dr. Tye Caldwell is the Co-founder and CEO of ShearShare. Tye holds a Doctorate of Professional Barbering and is a #1 best-selling author on how to achieve long-term success in the beauty and style industry. He is a recognized beauty expert with more than 20 …
UP017: Set Scouter // simplifying residential film location scouting
Alex Kolodkin is the founder and CEO of Set Scouter. Alex has a master of arts in media production and a bachelor of arts in radio and television arts from Ryerson University. // Set Scouter simplifies film production, starting with location scouting. Set Scouter is …
UP011: ParqEx // real estate technology solving a parking problem
ParqEx is a platform that helps to “unlock” the value of privately owned parking spots, which are often underutilized and/or difficult to manage. The ParqEx marketplace helps owners to efficiently rent their parking to drivers on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. ParqEx is …
UP007: Kaleidoscope Group PBC // unlocking new private scholarships and creating the “uncommon app” to apply for them
Kaleidoscope Group is a public benefit corporation that designs, administers and hosts private scholarships based in minneapolis, minnesota. the proprietary Kaleidoscope platform is used by private scholarship sponsors to host their branded scholarship websites and support their review and scoring processes; it is also used …
UP005: F13 Works // extending the aisle in ecommerce
F13 Works bridges the gap between manufacturers and e-commerce websites. It provides manufacturers, drop-shippers and order fulfillers of all types with a connection to millions of online stores. Orders from third-party sites will seamlessly enter their production process and payments will be automatically processed. …
UP003: LawnGuru // on demand outdoor services
LawnGuru provides on-demand lawn care and snow removal services for clients in metro detroit, atlanta, cleveland, chicago, houston, philadelphia & washington dc areas. through its mobile and web-based applications, LawnGuru connects consumers with local outdoor service providers to take care of their lawn and snow …
UP001: tilr // skills-based job hiring
tilr is a first-to-market, on-demand recruitment technology that empowers workers and companies alike. tilr’s proprietary technology matches based on workers’ skillsets, job requirements and location. this allows tilr to quickly fill open positions for employers while offering workers new opportunities. tilr is based in …
UP071: BackpackEMR // electronic medical records for mobile clinics in remote locations
Interview begins: 7:50 Debrief begins: 51:01 Lori Most is the founder and CEO of BackpackEMR. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, BackpackEMR is a medical EMR software designed for mobile clinics in rural, low-income markets. BackpackEMR is the sustainable, portable, non-internet dependent solution for electronic data recording …
UP053: emocha // improving medication adherence through remote video observation
Interview begins: 08:26 Debrief begins: 49:12 Sebastian Seiguer is the Co-Founder and CEO of emocha Mobile Health. emocha is a mobile health platform that saves lives by connecting remote patients to health care providers. They improve medication adherence using video technology and human engagement. emocha …
UP034: Testcard // at-home medical diagnostic using urinalysis and your smart phone (live from CES 2019)
Interview begins: 07:09 Debrief begins: 49:20 Luke Heron is the co-founder and CEO of Testcard. TestCard is a medical diagnostic test contained within a traditional postcard. The unique, patent-pending ‘flat-pack’ product is embedded with three fold-out urine dipsticks. The accompanying easy-to-use mobile application turns a …
UP033: SOMAVAC® Medical // improving outpatient recovery from major surgeries
Insight begins: 08:27 Interview begins: 15:00 Debrief begins: 1:14:32 Esra Roan is the co-founder of SOMAVAC® Medical Solutions. Prior to her role with SOMAVAC®, she was an Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Memphis. Esra’s more than 15 years of experience in …
UP004: ScriptDrop // improving prescription medication adherence
ScriptDrop focuses on providing an in-workflow prescription delivery solution for pharmacies. no apps to download. no cost to the patient. they partner with pharmacies to offer a streamlined delivery solution and increase operational efficiency. their service is built into the pharmacy workflow, which allows …
John Gannon of GoingVC // helping people break into venture capital [CC077]
Interview begins: 6:28 Debrief: 41:25 John Gannon is the co-founder and general partner of GoingVC. John has mentored thousands of current and aspiring VCs through his VC Careers blog and email list, which counts VCs from top firms like Sequoia, KPCB, and Bessemer as subscribers. …
Splash Financial // helping people refinance their student loans [Lay of The Land #9]
This week we’re hosting an upside feed takeover from Lay of The Land! Lay of The Land is a podcast covering the Cleveland business ecosystem on the upside podcast network. And in this episode, Jeff talks with Steve Muszynski, the founder and CEO of Splash …
Between Two Hedges // building companies with one foot in and one foot outside Silicon Valley [CC067]
Trent and Travis Hedge are brothers from Columbus, OH, who left for Silicon Valley. But since that time, both have continued to visit and advocate for Ohio and other parts of the country. Travis Hedge is the co-founder of Vouch Insurance (YC S19). Vouch Insurance …
[REWIND] FreshFry // extending the life of frying oil [RE003]
Today is the third episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Jeremiah Chapman is the founder and CEO of FreshFry. We first talked with Jeremiah back in July 2018 in episode 12 of this show. FreshFry, located in Louisville, Kentucky, creates plant-based product that …
[REWIND] Opendorse // pioneering athlete-driven marketing [RE002]
Today is the second episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Opendorse. We first talked with Blake back in April 2019, and our episode aired on July 17, 2019. Since that time, Opendorse has grown a lot. …
Healium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]
Interview begins: 7:01 Debrief: 45:09 Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium. Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user’s own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive …
Rob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]
Interview begins: 7:18 Debrief: 59:34 Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled …
Rootine // Personalized daily health using DNA, blood levels, and lifestyle data [UP076]
Interview begins: 6:52 Debrief: 44:32 Rachel Sanders is the co-founder and CEO of Rootine. Rootine was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2018 and creates custom daily vitamins based on your DNA, lifestyle, and blood level data. Follow Rachel Sanders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-soper-sanders/ Website: https://rootine.co/ Key Points: The …
Xendoo // personalized bookkeeping for small businesses [UP074]
Interview begins: 6:03 Debrief: 48:54 Lillian (Lil) Roberts is the founder and CEO of Xendoo. Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting service focused on small business owners. By harnessing technology we give our accounting teams more time to work directly with clients and their …
UP072: Muxy // powering viewer engagement for live streaming
Interview begins: 6:29 Bebrief begins: 51:16 Jared Steffes is the co-founder and COO of Muxy. Founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas, Muxy is an online service that develops interactive features for gaming and streaming platforms. Though optimized for Twitch, Muxy’s extensions can be …
CC038: Casey Allen // building the Twin Cities enterprise SaaS community
Interview starts: 7:15 Debrief starts: 54:23 Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising’s fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup. …
UP063: Visible // powering communication for founders and investors
Interview starts: 7:45 Debrief starts: 49:27 Mike Preuss is the co-founder and CEO of Visible, an investor reporting platform for startups. Beginning in 2014, Visible is a completely remote company used by over 2,000 businesses. They help founders update their investors on their business and …
UP061: The Bee Corp // using infrared to measure colony size to support beekeepers and growers
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief begins: 47:27 Ellie Symes is the co-founder and CEO of The Bee Corp. The Bee Corp is a startup focusing on improving and creating sustainable methods for commercial bee pollination. Based in Indianapolis, The Bee Corp offers commercial beekeepers and growers …
UP060: Perceive // using spatial recognition to measure consumer behavior in the real world
Interview begins: 6:15 Debrief begins: 47:49 Everett Berry is the CEO and founder of Perceive, an experience-analysis computer vision software designed to give companies an automated method for analyzing business in a physical space. Everett began forming his idea for Perceive six years ago during …
CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software
Interview starts: 6:23 Debrief beings: 48:05 Alex Rubalcava is a General Partner and Co-Founder of Stage Venture Partners, an L.A.-based VC firm that invests in upcoming software technologies. Alex began his investing career with Anthem Venture Partners in Los Angeles before switching to public market …
UP059: WorkHound // workforce retention via direct feedback from the frontline
Interview begins: 6:13 Debrief begins: 52:10 Max Farrell and Andrew Kirpalani are the co-founders of Workhound. Workhound is a platform that allows frontline workers to provide feedback to the companies for whom they work. Max and Andrew began Workhound in the hopes of eliminating …
UP054: AdAdapted // serving smarter ads for CPG companies
Interview begins: 07:15 Debrief begins: 55:46 Michael Pedersen and Molly McFarland are the co-founders of AdAdapted. AdAdapted is a digital engagement and insights platform for CPG brands and agencies. The AdAdapted platform offers CPG brands the ability to directly target their primary consumers in the …
UP050: opendorse // helping athletes share more content (feat. Braxton Miller of the Philadelphia Eagles)
Interview begins: 09:02 Insight begins: 58:13 Debrief begins: 1:01:59 Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of opendorse. opendorse is the athlete-marketing platform that helps the biggest brands in sports share content on social. Founded by two former major college athletes, opendorse was built seeking …
UP049: Zive // freeing you from the browser with desktop applications
Interview begins: 08:39 Debrief begins: 48:25 Eric Shashoua is the founder and CEO of Zive, makers of the app, Kiwi for Gmail. Kiwi for Gmail turns native Gmail into a full desktop application, dramatically upgrading the entire user experience, & adding features like default email …
UP048: Balto // selling sales software to salesmen (feat. David Geiger of TeamDynamix)
Interview begins: 07:44 Insight begins: 54:30 Debrief begins: 1:06:20 Marc Bernstein is the CEO of Balto. Balto helps sales, service, and accounts receivable reps win as much revenue as possible from every phone call. Teams use Balto’s artificial intelligence software to analyze phone calls in …
UP041: Beem // human holograms made easy with augmented reality
Interview begins: 07:10 Debrief begins: 55:08 Janosch Amstutz is the Founder and CEO of HoloMe. HoloMe creates life-sized, high definition, real humans in augmented reality. Their software allows brands and companies to easily put real people into augmented reality in a scaleable way. HoloMe was …
UP039: Backtracks // data analytics for podcasters (feat. Meb Faber of Cambria Investment Management)
Interview begins: 07:29 Insight begins: 1:15:07 Debrief begins: 1:28:18 Jonathan Gill is the founder and CEO of Backtracks. Backtracks is an analytics and hosting platform that helps podcasters know & grow their podcast audience. They are an audio-oriented, highly technical team that have worked on …
UP038: Clever // lowering real estate transaction costs by connecting sellers to agents (feat. Erik Berg of Rev1 Ventures)
Interview begins: 08:30 Insight begins: 54:18 VC debrief begins: 1:04:14 Host debrief begins: 1:13:06 Ben Mizes is the founder and CEO of Clever Real Estate. Clever Real Estate is a nationwide referral service that helps you sell your home and save on commission. Clever’s network …
UP037: Preteckt // real-time vehicle prognostics using machine learning
Interview begins: 06:44 Debrief begins: 1:06:15 Ken Sills is the co-founder and CEO of Preteckt. Since developing the initial prototype of this hardware/software solution in 2015, Ken has been focused on building Preteckt’s team of engineers, scientists, business developers, and sales professionals so that the …
UP030: Sense Arena // professional hockey IQ training using VR technology (live from CES 2019 feat. Shane Darrow of Forecheck, Backcheck, Paycheck)
Bob Tetiva is the founder and CEO for Sense Arena. Sense Arena is a unique, powerful, and innovative tool for developing hockey players, improving their cognitive skills and hockey sense. Using virtual reality, they bring the ice to players’ homes, gyms, and centers so …
UP027: ShearShare // an on-demand marketplace for stylists who need work space
Dr. Tye Caldwell is the Co-founder and CEO of ShearShare. Tye holds a Doctorate of Professional Barbering and is a #1 best-selling author on how to achieve long-term success in the beauty and style industry. He is a recognized beauty expert with more than 20 …
UP026: Bark // predictive software for keeping children safe online
Titania Jordan is the CMO and Chief Parent Officer of Bark.us. She is also host of CONNECT with Titania Jordan, and former host of NBC Atlanta affiliate WXIA’s weekly television show Atlanta Tech Edge. // Bark is an internet safety solution that helps parents and …
UP024: Intrinio // powering fintech innovation with access to financial data
Rachel Carpenter is the co-founder and CEO of Intrinio. Intrinio is a financial data platform with a marketplace for financial data APIs and analytics applications built with those data feeds. Their mission is to democratize affordable, easy to access financial data for developers and investors. …
UP023: Super Dispatch // an automated back office for the car hauling industry
Bek Abdullayev is the founder and CEO of Super Dispatch. Super Dispatch is a platform that enables automotive logistics companies to eliminate paperwork, manage loads, drivers, and billing all in one place. Super Dispatch was founded in 2013. An alum of the Techstars Sprint Accelerator, …
UP017: Set Scouter // simplifying residential film location scouting
Alex Kolodkin is the founder and CEO of Set Scouter. Alex has a master of arts in media production and a bachelor of arts in radio and television arts from Ryerson University. // Set Scouter simplifies film production, starting with location scouting. Set Scouter is …
UP015: Mixtroz // putting connection back into “networking”
Ashlee Ammons is the cofounder and COO of Mixtroz. previously, Ashlee began in a career as an Events Producer working with an impressive list of people including Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jay-Z and large brands like Moët Hennessy and Coca-Cola. // the Mixtroz …
UP014: 10XTS // building an enterprise blockchain ecosystem (feat. Anthony “Pomp” Pompliano)
Michael Hiles is the founder and CEO of 10XTS, which builds transparent, decentralized, secure solutions for industry and governments using public and private blockchains, and more. // 10XTS is creating XDEX, a cloud-based blockchain platform that enables enterprises and organization to incorporate the power of …
UP011: ParqEx // real estate technology solving a parking problem
ParqEx is a platform that helps to “unlock” the value of privately owned parking spots, which are often underutilized and/or difficult to manage. The ParqEx marketplace helps owners to efficiently rent their parking to drivers on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. ParqEx is …
UP010: Upsie // a cheaper way to protect your stuff
Upsie is a mobile app platform that provides an easier & better way to protect your stuff. You get the same warranties and coverage offered by other companies, but at an affordable price. Upsie is an alum of the Techstars Retail accelerator and is based …
UP008: Loop Returns // creating the perfect ecommerce customer returns experience (live from Columbus Podcast Festival)
Loop helps you retain customers through one of the most fragile interactions they’ll have with your brand: returns. By providing complete returns automation, in-line exchanges, and your own fully-customized returns app, Loop takes the pain out of returns for your team and for your customers. …
UP007: Kaleidoscope Group PBC // unlocking new private scholarships and creating the “uncommon app” to apply for them
Kaleidoscope Group is a public benefit corporation that designs, administers and hosts private scholarships based in minneapolis, minnesota. the proprietary Kaleidoscope platform is used by private scholarship sponsors to host their branded scholarship websites and support their review and scoring processes; it is also used …
UP005: F13 Works // extending the aisle in ecommerce
F13 Works bridges the gap between manufacturers and e-commerce websites. It provides manufacturers, drop-shippers and order fulfillers of all types with a connection to millions of online stores. Orders from third-party sites will seamlessly enter their production process and payments will be automatically processed. …
UP004: ScriptDrop // improving prescription medication adherence
ScriptDrop focuses on providing an in-workflow prescription delivery solution for pharmacies. no apps to download. no cost to the patient. they partner with pharmacies to offer a streamlined delivery solution and increase operational efficiency. their service is built into the pharmacy workflow, which allows …
UP003: LawnGuru // on demand outdoor services
LawnGuru provides on-demand lawn care and snow removal services for clients in metro detroit, atlanta, cleveland, chicago, houston, philadelphia & washington dc areas. through its mobile and web-based applications, LawnGuru connects consumers with local outdoor service providers to take care of their lawn and snow …
UP001: tilr // skills-based job hiring
tilr is a first-to-market, on-demand recruitment technology that empowers workers and companies alike. tilr’s proprietary technology matches based on workers’ skillsets, job requirements and location. this allows tilr to quickly fill open positions for employers while offering workers new opportunities. tilr is based in …
UP066: Locomation // commercializing autonomous trucking with convoy technology (from CES 2020)
Interview begins: 5:25 Debrief begins: 46:38 Tekin Meriçli is the cofounder and CTO of Locomation, a company focused on developing autonomous trucking. Founded in 2018, Locomation hopes to implement autonomous driving technology into freight trucks to create convoys of semi-autonomous, highway-travelling trucks. Tekin became interested …
UP059: WorkHound // workforce retention via direct feedback from the frontline
Interview begins: 6:13 Debrief begins: 52:10 Max Farrell and Andrew Kirpalani are the co-founders of Workhound. Workhound is a platform that allows frontline workers to provide feedback to the companies for whom they work. Max and Andrew began Workhound in the hopes of eliminating …
UP023: Super Dispatch // an automated back office for the car hauling industry
Bek Abdullayev is the founder and CEO of Super Dispatch. Super Dispatch is a platform that enables automotive logistics companies to eliminate paperwork, manage loads, drivers, and billing all in one place. Super Dispatch was founded in 2013. An alum of the Techstars Sprint Accelerator, …
[REWIND] Firebrand Ventures // Closing a new $40M for the merged fund [RE007]
John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures. John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018. Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with over 40 programs around the …
Republic // helping anyone invest in private companies [CC081]
Interview Begins 8:02 Debrief 50:00 Kendrick (Ken) Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Republic. Republic empowers everyone to invest in the future they believe in by providing access to startups, real estate, crypto, and video game investments. Focused on creating a diverse, sustainable, connected …
Victor Gutwein of M25 // A conversation 200 episodes in the making [CC080]
Interview Begins: 9:01 Debrief: 59:30 Victor Gutwein is the Founder and Managing Partner of M25 M25 is an early-stage venture firm based in Chicago, investing solely in tech startups headquartered in the Midwest. Since they launched in 2015, they’ve become the most active investor in …
Reclaim // a smart calendar assistant helping find time for your real priorities [UP089]
Interview Begins 6:53 Debrief 52:25 Patrick Lightbody is the co-founder of Reclaim. Reclaim is a smart calendar assistant that can save you up to 40% of your workweek. Reclaim aligns your priorities to the time you spend every week, empowering you to rapidly rebalance your …
John Gannon of GoingVC // helping people break into venture capital [CC077]
Interview begins: 6:28 Debrief: 41:25 John Gannon is the co-founder and general partner of GoingVC. John has mentored thousands of current and aspiring VCs through his VC Careers blog and email list, which counts VCs from top firms like Sequoia, KPCB, and Bessemer as subscribers. …
Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures // corporate venture capital investing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals [CC076]
Interview begins: 7:16 Debrief: 43:38 Ginger Rothrock is a Senior Director at HG Ventures. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with private companies developing new technologies and approaches in both our core and adjacent markets. We …
William Hsu of Mucker Capital // an accelerator committed to getting to you to your next round of funding [CC073]
Interview begins: 7:07 Debrief: 38:45 William Hsu is a founding partner at Mucker Capital. He started his career as a founder, creating BuildPoint, a provider of workflow management solutions for the commercial construction industry not long after graduating from Stanford. Based in Los Angeles, Mucker …
Rally // buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare, collectible assets [UP088]
Interview begins: 5:59 Debrief: 50:11 Rob Petrozzo is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer for Rally. Rally is a liquid financial marketplace for buying & selling equity shares in ultra-rare assets the same way you buy & sell stocks. Together, we Rally to make investing …
Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien of Overline // leading seed stage deals in Atlanta and the southeast [CC072]
Interview Begins: 6:16 Debrief: 37:03 Michael Cohn and Sean O’Brien are the Managing Directors of Overline. Overline is an Atlanta-based, founder-operator led venture capital firm focused on investing in seed-stage businesses, primarily in Atlanta and the Southeast region of the United States. We partner …
The Launch Company // building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond [UP085]
Interview begins: 6:51 Debrief: 53:55 Ben Kellie is the Founder and CEO of The Launch Company The Launch Company is building the world’s first multi-user, mobile launch site for this planet and beyond. They develop standardized hardware, ground support equipment, and processes. Ben has a …
Tribevest // making it easy for individuals to pool their capital and invest together [UP084]
Interview begins: 5:22 Debrief: 41:15 Travis Smith is the founder and CEO of Tribevest. Tribevest makes it easy to launch an investor entity, pool capital, and experience wealth-building with friends, family, and people you trust. Tribevest’s all-in-one-platform helps you assemble your tribe, align on your …
Huckabuy // improving your search results with a technology-based approach to SEO [UP083]
Interview begins: 6:33 Debrief: 46:48 Geoff Atkinson is the founder and CEO of Huckabuy. Huckabuy’s Software improves your search results, drives more organic traffic, and makes your website faster. Their software creates Google’s Perfect World on your website to queue up the perfect conversation with …
Passiv // transforming your brokerage account into a portfolio management tool [UP082]
Interview begins: 5:52 Debrief: 34:02 Nick McCullum is the Director of Growth for Passiv. Passiv turns your brokerage account into a modern portfolio management tool. Passiv allows you to set a target portfolio and get email notifications when your portfolio drifts from that target. …
Between Two Hedges // building companies with one foot in and one foot outside Silicon Valley [CC067]
Trent and Travis Hedge are brothers from Columbus, OH, who left for Silicon Valley. But since that time, both have continued to visit and advocate for Ohio and other parts of the country. Travis Hedge is the co-founder of Vouch Insurance (YC S19). Vouch Insurance …
[REWIND] Opendorse // pioneering athlete-driven marketing [RE002]
Today is the second episode in our December series called “Rewind.” Blake Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Opendorse. We first talked with Blake back in April 2019, and our episode aired on July 17, 2019. Since that time, Opendorse has grown a lot. …
Healium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]
Interview begins: 7:01 Debrief: 45:09 Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium. Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user’s own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive …
SuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [UP080]
Interview begins: 6:56 Debrief: 54:04 John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare. SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that …
Nexme // an on demand real estate platform [UP079]
Interview begins: 6:34 Debrief: 51:42 Vanessa is the Co-Founder and COO of Nexme. Nexme is an on demand real estate platform that delivers instant access to homes and full-service, professional real estate agents. All at the click of a button. Nexme charges buyers and …
Rob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]
Interview begins: 7:18 Debrief: 59:34 Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled …
Nathan McDonald of Keiretsu Forum // a global community of angel investors with 53 chapters across four continents [CC064]
Interview begins: 8:37 Debrief: 58:58 Nathan McDonald is the CEO and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Capital as well as the Chairman of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate/institutional investors. …
Mary Grove of Bread & Butter Ventures // from Google and Rise of the Rest to Minneapolis [CC063]
Interview begins: 10:30 Debrief: 45:38 Mary Grove is Managing Partner of Bread and Butter Ventures. She brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in technology, early-stage investing, and startup ecosystem growth. She began her career working on the Google IPO, and went on to lead …
Documo // Fax and document management for highly-regulated industries [UP078]
Interview begins: 11:02 Debrief: 53:06 Matt Valeo is the founder and CEO of Documo. Documo creates document workflow solutions that make working with documents easy, more secure, and better for the planet. Their product suite includes mSign, mFax, and mDrive. Documo was founded in 2017 …
Ashley Flucas of Flucas Ventures // turning 100 angel investments into an AngelList syndicate [CC062]
Interview begins: 8:44 Debrief: 51:53 Ashley Flucas is an angel investor and syndicate lead with Flucas Ventures. By day, Ashley is a general counsel/partner at a real estate finance fund (infrastructure, sports arenas and large-scale condo, apartment and commercial buildings) with approx $3B AUM (LPs …
Xendoo // personalized bookkeeping for small businesses [UP074]
Interview begins: 6:03 Debrief: 48:54 Lillian (Lil) Roberts is the founder and CEO of Xendoo. Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting service focused on small business owners. By harnessing technology we give our accounting teams more time to work directly with clients and their …
Dave Sachse // investing in venture funds and startups as a family office [CC060]
Interview begins: 6:49 Debrief: 35:17 Today we’re talking with Dave Sachse, the founder, and managing partner of the Sachse Family Fund. The Sachse Family Fund is a family office venture capital fund based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In today’s episode, we’re finally exploring the family office …
Will Price of Next Frontier Capital // bringing venture capital to the rocky mountain region [CC059]
Interview begins: 6:36 Debrief: 48:89 Today we’re talking with Will Price the Founder and General Partner of Next Frontier Capital. Will founded Next Frontier Capital to partner with mission-driven, talented entrepreneurs to build Montana technology companies of impact, utility, value. Will’s career spans venture …
Peter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures // early stage investing through a syndicate [CC058]
Interview begins: 5:16 Debrief: 43:55 Unpopular Ventures is led by Peter Livingston, whose experience is almost entirely in startups – as both an operator and investor. He was the first engineer at iRhythm (IPO 2016) and was the founder/CEO at Lifesquare (backed by Kleiner …
CC057: Saurabh Sharma of Jump Capital // Series A and B capital for cloud infrastructure and enterprise software
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 37:58 Today we are talking with Saurabh Sharma He is a partner at Jump Capital, a thesis led sector-focused and operating centric venture capital firm specializing in series A and B in growth-stage investments, Jump Capital invest in data-driven …
CC056: Chetan Parekh of P&G Ventures // identifying and developing the next generation of billion-dollar brands
Interview begins: 6:08 Debrief begins: 42:55 Today our guest is Chetan Parekh. Chetan is the Senior Brand Director & Innovation Portfolio Leader at P&G Ventures. He leads a multi-disciplinary team in charge of creating new businesses and building partnerships to serve the aging consumer and …
UP073: Pear Commerce // creating a win-win-win for consumers, brands, and retailers
Interview begins: 8:38 Debrief begins: 51:03 Today we’re talking with Eric Martell, the founder of Pear Commerce. Pear Commerce enables CPG companies to drive real transactions from existing national ads and retailers to build their online channel with new customers and repeat purchases. Pear …
CC055: Jason Illian of Koch Disruptive Technologies // investing in emerging technologies for one of the world’s largest private companies
Interview begins: 8:46 Debrief begins: 44:36 This week we’re speaking with Jason Illian, Managing Director of Koch Disruptive Technologies. Jason was the founder and CEO of BookShout, the world’s leading B2B e-book company. He has presented at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference, …
CC053: Andrew D’Souza of Clearbanc // revenue-based financing and the 20-minute term sheet
Interview Begins: 7:11 Debrief Begins: 42:31 In this episode, we’ll be talking with Andrew D’Souza, the co-founder and CEO of Clearbanc. Along with his partners, he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital. At the same time, they help entrepreneurs to grow …
CC052: Nick Cooney of Lever VC // investing in alternative protein startups
Interview begins: 5:50 Debrief begins: 39:35 Nick Cooney is the Founder and Managing Director of Lever VC. Lever VC is a new fund focused in alternative animal products, including alternative proteins, meats, and plant-based dairy products. Their portfolio includes some of the biggest brands in …
CC051: Grady Buchanan of OmniValley // connecting startup investors between the coasts
Interview begins: 6:11 Debrief begins: 43:23 Grady Buchanan is the founder and CEO of OmniValley. OmniValley is an exclusive online investor network focused on helping you create connections anywhere in the world. They work to showcase and foster under-ventured and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting, …
CC048: Mike Duda of Bullish // the strategic creative and capital partner behind brands like Casper, Birchbox, Peloton, and more
Interview starts: 6:20 Debrief starts: 1:02:12 Mike Duda is a Managing Partner at Bullish. Bullish is a marketing operating partner focused on the growth business and has helped develop companies like Birchbox, Peloton, Casper, and Harry’s. Through both investment and creative services, Bullish helps early-stage …
CC045: Elizabeth Galbut of SoGal Ventures // the first female-led millennial venture capital firm (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:10 Debrief starts: 43:34 Elizabeth Galbut is the Founding and Managing Partner of SoGal Ventures. SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial venture firm, and they are leading the way in investing in diverse founding teams and products across the USA and Asia. …
CC044: Doug Clinton of Loup Ventures // exploring frontier technologies (from CES 2020)
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 32:46 Doug Clinton is the managing partner of Loup Ventures. A Midwest-based venture firm, Loup Ventures was founded in 2017, and to date, they have made exciting investments focusing on frontier tech. Their latest concentrations include neuro-tech and BCI, as …
CC039: Catharine Dockery of Vice Ventures // investing in good companies operating in “bad” industries
Interview starts: 5:40 Debrief starts: 32:25 Catharine Dockery is the founding partner of Vice Ventures, an NY-based early stage venture firm focusing on companies working in “vice” industries such as cannabis, alcohol, sex techs, psychedelics, harm reduction drugs, and online gambling. Founded in 2019, Vice …
CC034: Greg Robinson of 4490 Ventures // leading Series A/B rounds in underserved markets
Interview starts: 6:38 Debrief starts: 43:48 Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures. 4490 Ventures is an early stage venture fund based in Madison Wisconsin that invests in Midwest, tech based companies. Founded in 2014, 4490 Ventures aims $5-8 million per investment, and …
CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software
Interview starts: 6:23 Debrief beings: 48:05 Alex Rubalcava is a General Partner and Co-Founder of Stage Venture Partners, an L.A.-based VC firm that invests in upcoming software technologies. Alex began his investing career with Anthem Venture Partners in Los Angeles before switching to public market …
CC032: Kate Shillo Beardsley of Upslope Ventures // scaling early stage investments across the country
Interview begins: 7:10 Debrief begins: 44:55 Kate Shillo Beardsley is the Managing Partner of Upslope Ventures. Formerly known as Galvanize Ventures, Upslope Ventures is committed to investing in early stage startups. Located in Denver, they look for startups throughout the country and currently have a …
CC030: investing in socially responsible, high-growth companies // a coffee chat with Rose Maizner (RenewableTech Ventures)
Interview begins: 5:30 Debrief begins: 44:38 Rose Maizner is a partner at RenewableTech Ventures and a co-founder of Womenpreneurs. RenewableTech Ventures is a Salt Lake City based venture capital fund focused in cleantech. An impact investment fund, Renewable Tech Ventures has helped a number of …
CC028: building turnkey programs for entrepreneurs and creatives // a coffee chat with Joe Kirgues (gener8tor)
Interview begins: 05:49 Debrief begins: 41:15 Joe Kirgues is a co-founder of gener8tor. One of the top companies in its field, gener8tor offers accelerator programs whose missions are to promote local investors and companies investing in their own communities’ startups and entrepreneurs. Operating in Milwaukee, …
CC027: raising an opportunity fund for a mission driven accelerator // a coffee chat with Barbara Bickham (WIF AX)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 39:50 Barbara Bickham is the co-founder and Managing Director of WIF AX. WIF AX (Women’s Innovation Fund Accelerator) is a Qualified Opportunity Fund building women-balanced and environmentally-sustainable organizations within QOZ’s nationwide. They plan to use a mix of incubation, …
CC025: impact investing and reversing demographic trends // a Coffee Chat with Robert Zulkoski (Vermont Works)
Interview begins: 06:34 Debrief begins: 49:48 Robert Zulkoski is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Vermont Works. Vermont Works is an Independent Alternative Investment Firm Supporting Vermont’s Job & Economic Development. Vermont Works was founded in 2016 and based in Burlington, Vermont. We discuss: Social …
CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures)
Interview begins: 05:19 Debrief begins: 55:13 Josh Chapman is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Konvoy Ventures. Konvoy is an early-stage venture fund focused exclusively on esports & video gaming. They are dedicated to partnering with and supporting founders in this industry at the earliest …
CC022: connecting the coasts to the heartland // a Coffee Chat from the Comeback Cities Tour
Interview starts: 06:15 This conversation took place on the third Comeback Cities tour on May 15, 2019, aimed at connecting venture capitalists from the East and West Coasts with investment opportunities in the heartland. It also had stops in Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown. This conversation …
CC017: building a world class venture firm in Chicago // a Coffee Chat with Ezra Galston (Starting Line)
Interview begins: 05:47 Debrief begins: 47:55 Ezra Galston is the Founding Partner at Starting Line. Starting Line is a thematic early stage venture capital fund focused on investing in consumer services and products that are both cheaper and better. They want to be the number …
CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital)
Interview begins: 06:02 Debrief begins: 58:45 Tyler Tringas is the General Partner at Earnest Capital. Earnest Capital provides early-stage funding, resources and a network of experienced advisors to bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers and real businesses. They offer an innovative investment structure aligned with founders and …
CC013: how Pittsburgh leverages state funding to spur innovation // a Coffee Chat with Terri Glueck and Leah Simoncelli (Innovation Works)
Interview begins: 06:32 Debrief begins: 51:53 Terri Glueck is the Director of Communications at Innovation Works. Leah Simoncelli is the Coordinator of the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup. As Director of Community Development & Communications, Terri Glueck leads Innovation Works’ communications efforts. Having joined Innovation Works …
CC011: making the startup ecosystem bigger in Texas // a Coffee Chat with Bryan Chambers (Capital Factory)
Interview begins: 07:03 Debrief begins: 48:43 Bryan serves as Capital Factory’s Vice President of Accelerator and Investment Fund. Bryan is a business development and investment professional experienced in portfolio management and venture capital transactions. Prior to joining Capital Factory, Bryan established the Blackstone Launchpad and …
CC010: the pros and cons of angel funds // a Coffee Chat with Todd Federman (North Coast Angel Fund)
Interview begins: 06:10 Debrief begins: 1:00:45 Todd Federman is the Manging Director for the North Coast Angel Fund. Todd has served as the Executive Director of North Coast Angel Fund since its founding in 2006. Prior to joining NCAF, Todd worked as a full-time independent …
CC008: the first startup accelerator designed for bootstrappers // a Coffee Chat with Rob Walling (TinySeed)
Rob Walling is a General Partner of TinySeed. He has bootstrapped multiple startups to exit, most recently Drip. He runs MicroConf, co-hosts Startups for the Rest of Us, and has been advising, mentoring and investing in startups for more than a decade. // TinySeed …
CC007: the rise of platform in venture capital // a Coffee Chat with Stephanie Manning (Lerer Hippeau)
Stephanie Manning is the Director of Platform for Lerer Hippeau. Lerer Hipeau is an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City. As founders and operators themselves, Lerer Hippeau see returns in relationships. They seek entrepreneurs with product vision, consumer insight, focused execution, …
CC006: tackling the Series A/B capital gap in Ohio // a coffee chat with Bill Baumel and Jill Raderstorf (Ohio Innovation Fund)
A conversation with Bill Baumel and Jill Raderstorf of the Ohio Innovation Fund live from The Starting Line by the Ohio State University College of Nursing. The Ohio Innovation Fund is driving growth in the Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem. They are bridging the gap between Silicon …
CC005: getting into venture and startup ecosystems // a coffee chat with Monique Villa (ModernCapital)
Monique Villa is the founder of Modern Capital in Nashville, Tennessee. ModernCapital is a collective of creative thinkers from the private, public, and civic sectors shaping the modern economy. Based in Nashville, ModernCapital believes the best talent will Build in the Southeast. // Monique is …
CC003: Opportunity Funds // a coffee chat with Peter Brack (Hypothesis Ventures)
Since this recording, the US Treasury has released new guidelines as it comes to Opportunity Zones. Click here to read the press release, or here to download a PDF of the new guidelines. Peter Brack is a Founding Partner of Hypothesis Ventures. Prior to …
CC002: Kansas City rising // a Coffee Chat with John Fein (Firebrand Ventures)
John Fein is the founder and Managing Partner at Firebrand Ventures, a venture fund that invests in the greater Midwest. Prior to founding Firebrand John served as Managing Director for Techstars where he ran three accelerator programs in Kansas City. Follow John on Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnfein …
CC001: Silicon Valley to Nashville // a coffee chat with Andrew Goldner (GrowthX)
Andrew Goldner is a Founding Partner of GrowthX. He has been in the technology sector since 1998, based in New York City, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Palo Alto. GrowthX helps companies and countries commercialize innovation through capital, talent and know-how. Andrew is a Kauffman Fellow, …
UP038: Clever // lowering real estate transaction costs by connecting sellers to agents (feat. Erik Berg of Rev1 Ventures)
Interview begins: 08:30 Insight begins: 54:18 VC debrief begins: 1:04:14 Host debrief begins: 1:13:06 Ben Mizes is the founder and CEO of Clever Real Estate. Clever Real Estate is a nationwide referral service that helps you sell your home and save on commission. Clever’s network …
UP022: Concur // mission-driven skincare for a healthy microbiome (feat. Ross Baird of Village Capital)
Lindsey Moeller is the founder of Concur, formerly known as Balm Skincare. Lindsey is also the founded of Botavi Labs and holds a degree in biology and molecular genetics from the Ohio State University. Concur creates holistic skincare products that agree with our natural biology …