Episódios
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If your startup’s logo disappeared tomorrow, would anyone still remember your brand? Today’s guest, Michelle B. Griffin, knows exactly why the answer matters.
As a Forbes-featured visibility strategist, author of The LinkedIn Branding Book, and founder of Brand Leaders, Michelle has built a career helping B2B founders stop hiding behind logos and start standing out as authority brands.
After starting her career shaping the images of global sports giants and corporate titans, Michelle realized the future wasn’t about bigger logos—it was about bigger human connection. She developed the Own Your Lane framework to help founders attract premium clients, media, and opportunities without the exhausting chase. In this episode, we dig into the real role of personal branding in the AI age, why brand is the new demand for startups, how to build visibility without selling out, and practical LinkedIn tactics founders can start using today. From pitching brands on the global stage to helping founders own their lane, Michelle proves that the best brand story you can tell… might just be your own.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:40)Michelle’s Journey from PR to Founder Branding (00:41 – 03:00)Why Visibility Is Value, Not Vanity (03:01 – 05:00)The Own Your Lane Framework Explained (05:01 – 07:10)Practical Visibility Tactics for Founders (07:11 – 09:10)Personal Branding in the Age of AI (09:11 – 11:30)LinkedIn Strategy and Optimization Tips (11:31 – 15:00)Balancing Company and Personal Brand (15:01 – 18:00)Positioning to Attract, Not Chase (18:01 – 21:00)Confidence, Clarity, and Brand Equity (21:01 – 24:00)Why Founder Stories Build Trust (24:01 – 27:00)Building Community and Authority on LinkedIn (27:01 – 30:00)Success Stories & Transformational Results (30:01 – 32:00)Rapid Fire: Misconceptions, Mistakes & Inspiration (32:01 – 35:00)AI Tools & Audio Writing for Content Creation (35:01 – 37:00)Final Takeaways & Where to Find Michelle (37:01 – 39:58) -
What if your first investor didn’t just invest in startups—but had personally helped launch thousands?
Jenny Fielding, former Managing Director at Techstars and now Co-Founder of Everywhere Ventures, has been behind some of the biggest startup successes you’ve heard of—and is now reimagining how early-stage investing works in a borderless world. From scaling companies as a two-time founder to accelerating hundreds at Techstars, Jenny brings a unique lens to what it really takes to back founders everywhere, not just in Silicon Valley.
In this episode, we dive into how Jenny transitioned from founder to accelerator leader to fund builder, why the future of venture is decentralized and founder-driven, and what she’s learned from years of spotting breakout companies before the world catches on.
Key themes we cover:
🔹 Why geography is no longer a competitive advantage (for startups or VCs)
🔹 How accelerators shape founder outcomes—and what’s changing
🔹 The real traits that predict early-stage success (hint: it’s not the resume)
🔹 How Everywhere Ventures designed a "community-first" investment model
🔹 What emerging founders need most in a noisier, globalized funding landscape
From helping thousands of founders get their first break to building a fund that crosses borders and barriers, Jenny’s journey proves that great investors don't just bet on the future—they build it everywhere.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 01:52)
From Founder to Accelerator Leader (01:53 – 06:47)
Lessons Learned at Techstars (06:48 – 11:15)
The Birth of Everywhere Ventures (11:16 – 15:32)
Investing Without Borders (15:33 – 20:44)
Traits of Great Founders (20:45 – 26:19)
Community-Driven Venture Model (26:20 – 32:07)
How VC is Changing Globally (32:08 – 37:11)
Advice for Early-Stage Founders (37:12 – 43:20)
The Role of Geography in Startup Success (43:21 – 47:05)
Rapid Fire Q&A (47:06 – 50:30)
Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Jenny (50:31 – 51:58)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if your biggest startup insight came not from a spreadsheet—but from knocking on 150 doors and listening?
Louis Retief is the co-founder and former CEO of Hubly, a vertical SaaS platform that reimagined how financial advisors manage compliance, capacity, and client service. What began as a peer-to-peer lending idea pivoted—through sheer grit and real-world curiosity—into a back-office automation engine used by hundreds of firms, eventually leading to an acquisition by Docupace as WealthTech entered its consolidation phase.
In this episode, we explore how Louis uncovered a niche hiding in plain sight, what it took to survive the capital crunch of 2023, and why founders should fear easy money more than empty bank accounts. He also shares what changes after an exit—and why the hardest lessons are the ones that hold up a mirror.
Key themes we cover:
🔹 Turning rejection into product-market fit through customer obsession
🔹 Building category-leading software in a niche, regulated market
🔹 The real math behind VC funding and why Louis would raise less today
🔹 What private equity buyers really care about in diligence
🔹 Moving from “soul in the game” to “skin in the game” after an acquisition
From getting denied a student loan over a parking ticket to architecting one of WealthTech’s most thoughtful exits, Louis proves that founders who listen hardest often build the most enduring systems.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:34)
From Denied Loan to Startup Idea (00:35 – 02:17)
Discovering the Advisor Efficiency Problem (02:18 – 04:32)
The Scale Challenge in Financial Advice (04:33 – 05:21)
Early Entrepreneurial Journey & High School Startups (05:22 – 07:12)
From South Africa to Vancouver to Hubly (07:13 – 08:18)
The Birth of Hubly as Vertical SaaS (08:19 – 10:58)
Differentiating Through Compliance & Templates (10:59 – 13:28)
Pricing and Why Customers Pay More (13:29 – 14:16)
WealthTech Market Timing and Tailwinds (14:17 – 17:19)
Building PE Relationships Before the Exit (17:20 – 20:30)
Navigating the Docupace Acquisition (20:31 – 23:06)
Culture Shift Post-Acquisition (23:07 – 25:30)
Fundraising Regrets and Capital Efficiency (25:31 – 30:28)
Market Size, TAM Realism & Go-to-Market Strategy (30:29 – 33:31)
Founder Psychology & Long-Term Commitment (33:32 – 36:00)
Therapy, Coaching & Internal Family Systems (36:01 – 38:55)
Hard Decisions: Layoffs & Co-founder Departure (38:56 – 43:09)
Back Office Automation & the Real Customer (43:10 – 46:26)
The Role of AI in Workflow Transformation (46:27 – 48:40)
Louis’s Favorite Book & Podcast Picks (48:41 – 49:23)
What Founders Miss About VC & Exit Math (49:24 – 50:55)
Startups Louis Is Watching in WealthTech (50:56 – 52:09)
Self-Awareness as a Superpower for Founders (52:10 – 53:01)
Productivity Hacks & Career Advice (53:02 – 53:53)
Chaos Can Be Beautiful (53:54 – 54:45)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if your first investor not only knew how to scale a brand—but had built them alongside Jay-Z, Will Smith, and Kevin Hart?
Samyr Laine, Olympic triple jumper turned Harvard-trained lawyer and VC, is the co-founder of Freedom Trail Capital—a venture firm backing consumer brands at the intersection of culture, lifestyle, and influence. From Roc Nation to Westbrook, from athlete to operator, Samyr brings a rare lens to talent-led ventures—investing in the next generation of consumer breakouts where celebrity isn't the pitch... it's the multiplier.
In this episode, we unpack how Samyr went from managing sports contracts to structuring celebrity equity deals, what he looks for in founders who want to win in crowded consumer categories, and why smart capital in CPG means more than just distribution—it means story, authenticity, and skin in the game.
Key themes we cover:
🔹 Why the best talent-led brands start with product, not followers
🔹 How to structure celebrity equity without killing the cap table
🔹 The hidden similarities between elite athletes and great founders
🔹 What traditional VCs misunderstand about consumer investing
🔹 Tactical lessons from scaling products with Rihanna, Ciara, and Emma Watson
From triple jumping in the Olympics to navigating billion-dollar brand-building, Samyr’s journey proves that venture isn’t just about capital—it’s about cultural velocity.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:54)
Olympic Journey & Early Ambition (00:55 – 03:23)
Harvard, Law School & Athletic Grit (03:24 – 07:23)
Texas, Track, and Professional Exposure (07:24 – 10:09)
From Athlete to Legal Strategist (10:10 – 12:26)
Major League Soccer & Learning Distribution (12:27 – 15:18)
Working with Jay-Z & Roc Nation (15:19 – 17:25)
Westbrook, Will Smith & Celebrity Ventures (17:26 – 19:54)
Why Talent-Led Brands Work (19:55 – 22:57)
Freedom Trail Capital Thesis (22:58 – 25:23)
Evaluating CPG and Consumer Tech (25:24 – 28:13)
Structuring Celebrity Deals Smartly (28:14 – 31:01)
Influencer Fit & Authenticity (31:02 – 33:55)
Talent Compensation & Equity Dynamics (33:56 – 36:51)
Fund Strategy & Raising Capital (36:52 – 38:43)
Consumer vs SaaS: Misconceptions & Metrics (38:44 – 42:41)
IRR, Exits & Power Law in Consumer (42:42 – 45:47)
Avoiding Hype & Finding Differentiation (45:48 – 48:45)
Lessons from Zuck & Founder Evaluation (48:46 – 51:13)
The Role of Storytelling in Brand Building (51:14 – 54:12)
Kudos Diapers & Right Time Category Fit (54:13 – 56:38)
Closing Thoughts on Founder Support (56:39 – 01:06:47)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What happens when a finance-savvy product leader, obsessed with automating herself out of a job, meets the generational shift in AI? Erin Kim, former Carta exec and investment banker turned founder, is reimagining what a finance team even is. Now CEO of Mesh, Erin is building a fully agentic AI-powered finance team—starting with automated bookkeeping and reconciliation.
In this episode, we dive into how Mesh is replacing traditional workflows with intelligent agents, the trust challenges of AI in high-stakes finance, and why now is the perfect time for this transformation. We also explore Erin’s founder journey from Barclays to Carta to YC, and how the next wave of finance might not include humans at all—just copilots that close your books.
From spreadsheets to smart agents, Erin's career is a case study in replacing the manual with the magical.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:34)
From Investment Banking to Automation (00:35 – 01:22)
Joining Carta and Scaling Strategic Finance (01:23 – 01:53)
Shifting into Product and Fund Accounting (01:54 – 02:48)
Founding Mesh and the Origin Story (02:49 – 03:39)
Building Automated Finance Workflows (03:40 – 04:24)
The Agentic Future of Finance (04:25 – 06:20)
Balancing AI Accuracy and Trust (06:21 – 07:56)
Human-in-the-Loop Workflow at Mesh (07:57 – 09:12)
What Can and Can’t Be Automated (09:13 – 10:10)
The AI Unlock: From Workflows to Agents (10:11 – 11:27)
The UI Shift in the Agentic Era (11:28 – 13:11)
Work-as-a-Service and the Mesh Interface (13:12 – 16:16)
Who Mesh Serves Best (16:17 – 18:05)
Selling AI Tools: Excitement vs Skepticism (18:06 – 19:14)
Long-Term Vision for Agentic Finance Teams (19:15 – 21:00)
Accounting Talent Gaps and Industry Trends (21:00 – 22:01)
Advice to Early-Stage Founders (22:02 – 23:18)
Key Metrics and Accuracy Goals (23:19 – 25:23)
Context Switching and Founder Focus (25:24 – 27:29)
AI’s Untapped Use Case: Secure Credentials (27:30 – 28:12)
Balancing Advice and Intuition as a Founder (28:13 – 28:38)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if cracking video game copy protection as a teenager could someday lead you to reshape how Main Street businesses adopt AI?
Mike Ghaffary’s journey is anything but typical: from reverse-engineering games at age 12 to co-founding Stitcher (acquired for $300M) and scaling Eat24 to $750M GMV as Yelp’s Head of BD turned CEO. Now as General Partner at Burst Capital, he’s backing the next generation of AI, software, and marketplace startups—especially those empowering the overlooked backbone of the economy: Main Street.
We dive deep into Mike’s founder-to-VC evolution, the nuances of timing platform shifts (like podcasting’s false start), how AI is blurring the lines between SaaS and services, and his Marketplace Checklist for vetting durable network effects. He also shares his framework for detecting founder ambition—and when he knows in the first 10 minutes if it’s a no.
From bootstrapping with ramen in the Marina to backing billion-dollar bets, Mike's story proves: sometimes, the most valuable code you write is the one that rewires how you think.
Marketplace Questions: https://www.marketplacechecklist.com/
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:38)
Early Passion for Coding and Gaming (00:39 – 02:18)
From Engineering to Business (02:19 – 03:33)
The Origin Story of Stitcher (03:34 – 06:06)
Podcasting’s Early Market Timing (06:07 – 07:50)
The Consumer Platform Trap (07:51 – 09:14)
AI as the New Platform Shift (09:15 – 12:18)
The Challenge of Distribution in AI (12:19 – 15:43)
Main Street Tech and Burst Capital’s Thesis (15:44 – 21:44)
Early Traction vs Long-Term Fit (21:45 – 27:17)
The Eat24 Acquisition and Growth Journey (27:18 – 33:01)
Evaluating Pre-PMF Startups (33:02 – 36:04)
Team and Market Over Metrics (36:05 – 42:49)
Spotting Founder Ambition and Energy (42:50 – 47:58)
The Marketplace Checklist and AI’s Impact (47:59 – 01:12:04)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if your first check came from someone who actually understood your scrappy MVP, your emerging market, and your ramen-burn rate lifestyle?
Ali Jamal, global operator turned full-time investor, is the founding partner of First Check Ventures—one of AngelList’s most prolific syndicates, now evolved into a pre-seed fund backing founders in 30+ countries. With experience scaling at Zynga, Agoda, and Rappi, and over 200 startup investments under his belt, Ali brings an eye for overlooked gems and the discipline of a portfolio built one $1K check at a time.
In this episode, we unpack how he bootstrapped his way from Asia to Latin America to Puerto Rico, why he doubled down on high-volume, high-conviction investing, and how First Check Ventures is winning deals by being really early—and actually helpful.
💡 Key themes we cover:
🔹 The evolution from angel to syndicate to institutional fund
🔹 How emerging market founders get more done with less—and why that matters
🔹 Tactical lessons from doing 200+ deals across multiple geographies
🔹 What syndicate leads don’t tell you about raising a fund
🔹 How to earn trust at the earliest stage (before there’s even a product)
From saving money on street food in Bangkok to outpacing billion-dollar funds with $50K checks, Ali’s story shows that being first isn't about speed—it’s about seeing value before everyone else does.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:38)
Ali’s Accidental Entry into VC (00:39 – 02:28)
Living Abroad & Saving to Invest (02:29 – 04:33)
AngelList & Early SPV Experience (04:34 – 07:21)
Realizing Dealflow Alpha Before the Crowd (07:22 – 08:55)
Launching First Check Ventures (08:56 – 11:09)
Going from Casual to Consistent Investing (11:10 – 14:37)
The AngelList Syndicate Explosion (14:38 – 17:32)
Becoming a Recognizable Investor Persona (17:33 – 20:48)
Why Puerto Rico? (20:49 – 22:59)
From SPVs to Fund Strategy (23:00 – 27:43)
Challenges with Syndicates & LP Dynamics (27:44 – 30:54)
Sticking to the “First Check” Thesis (30:55 – 33:22)
Investing Before Incorporation (33:23 – 35:24)
Why Capital Efficiency Matters (35:25 – 38:08)
Founder Assessments at the Earliest Stage (38:09 – 41:13)
The VC Lab Transition & Growing Up as an Investor (41:14 – 44:20)
What Syndicates Don’t Prepare You For (44:21 – 47:02)
Ali’s Fundraising Philosophy & Lessons (47:03 – 49:38)
Ali’s Portfolio Construction Strategy (49:39 – 52:22)
Borrowing from YC’s Playbook (52:23 – 54:49)
Avoiding Hype & Chasing Signal (54:50 – 57:30)
Red Flags from Founders (57:31 – 01:00:13)
How Founders Can Protect Their Early Backers (01:00:14 – 01:03:01)
When Investors Screw Over Founders (01:03:02 – 01:05:48)
Lessons from Being an LP & Angel (01:05:49 – 01:08:20)
Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Ali (01:08:21 – 01:12:20)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if your favorite store knew exactly what you wanted—before you even asked?
Alain Denzler, bootstrapped founder turned AI commerce pioneer, is making that vision real. As co-founder and CEO of getitAI, Alain is transforming e-commerce with AI-powered live store avatars that act like personal shoppers—turning product pages into real-time, high-conversion conversations. After scaling Pitcher, a sales enablement platform, to double-digit millions in ARR and a successful exit, Alain is back with a VC-funded rocket ship aimed at reshaping the way we buy online.
In this episode, we explore how getitAI is reinventing the shopping experience, why mid-market DTC brands are the perfect proving ground, and how agentic commerce is the next major leap in the internet’s evolution.
💡 Key themes we cover:
🔹 How AI agents are merging online and in-store retail experiences
🔹 The case for starting with mid-market brands before going enterprise
🔹 Lessons from scaling Pitcher to a global sales platform
🔹 The future of agent-to-agent commerce and buyer-side AI assistants
🔹 Why startups should embrace, not fear, new LLM model releases
🔹 Building in the application layer vs. fighting down in the AI stack
From pitching life sciences sales tools to building AI sales avatars for Jennifer Aniston’s shampoo line, Alain’s story shows that when it comes to selling—some founders never stop closing.
Chapters:Welcome & Alain’s Background (00:00 – 03:10)Founding and Scaling Pitcher (03:11 – 07:25)Selling Before the SaaS Playbook (07:26 – 11:00)Bootstrapping vs. Venture-Backed Startups (11:01 – 14:20)From Exit to GetitAI: Why Commerce Needs Reinvention (14:21 – 17:15)How AI Live Stores Work (17:16 – 20:30)Why Mid-Market DTC Brands Are the Wedge (20:31 – 24:05)The Emergence of Agentic Commerce (24:06 – 27:30)AI Avatars That Actually Sell (27:31 – 31:10)LLMs, Reasoning, and Brand Control (31:11 – 35:45)Building a New Sales Stack for the TikTok Era (35:46 – 40:00)Trust, Personalization & Conversation at Scale (40:01 – 45:10)Creator-Led Sales and Social Shopping Funnels (45:11 – 50:20)From Conversation Designers to Content Engines (50:21 – 56:30)What the Future of Commerce Feels Like (56:31 – 01:12:20)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What if business valuations were as fast and affordable as ordering an Uber?
Cameron Long, ex-consultant turned fintech founder, is betting on it. As COO and co-founder of ValueBuddy, Cameron is helping banks ditch the $5K, 3-week manual appraisals for AI-powered reports that cost half as much and arrive in days. With roots in management consulting and private equity, Cameron brings a framework-driven mindset to a surprisingly broken process—valuing small businesses for SBA loans.
In this episode, we dive into how ValueBuddy cracked the code on automating valuations, why SBA lending is the perfect wedge into financial services, and how RAG and computer vision are giving lenders their time (and sanity) back.
💡 Key themes we cover:
🔹 Why SBA lending is the ideal go-to-market wedge in fintech
🔹 How AI (beyond just ChatGPT) is transforming underwriting and valuations
🔹 Lessons from consulting and private equity applied to startup execution
🔹 Navigating regulatory complexity without getting stuck in the compliance mud
🔹 The real reason small business exits fail—and how better pricing changes everything
🔹 Fundraising insights for early-stage fintechs in a "post-idea" market
From modeling billion-dollar portfolios to reimagining how mom-and-pop businesses get priced, Cameron's journey proves that the best fintechs don’t disrupt for the sake of it—they just solve the right pain in the right market at the right time.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:38)
Cameron’s Journey from Consulting to Founding ValueBuddy (00:39 – 01:43)
Spotting the Pain Point: Manual Valuations at Scale (01:44 – 03:28)
Why SBA Lending Became the Core Focus (03:29 – 05:34)
Legacy Valuations vs. ValueBuddy’s Model (05:35 – 06:50)
Why This Wasn’t Built 10 Years Ago (06:51 – 09:08)
Pricing, Volume, and Closing Time: The Banker’s POV (09:09 – 10:48)
Why Time Matters More Than Money (10:49 – 11:31)
Consulting Frameworks Applied to Startups (11:32 – 12:10)
Market Sizing & the $4B Opportunity (12:11 – 13:28)
Expanding Beyond SBA Loans (13:29 – 14:21)
Helping Sellers Price with Confidence (14:22 – 15:07)
Public vs. Private Valuation Models (15:08 – 16:29)
Risk, Discount Rates, and Lending Dynamics (16:30 – 17:18)
Size Matters: Key Drivers of Valuation Multiples (17:19 – 18:30)
How the AI-Powered Modeling Works (18:31 – 20:06)
Comps, Market Approach, and Real Estate Parallels (20:07 – 21:06)
Using AI Beyond ChatGPT—RAG & Computer Vision (21:07 – 23:38)
Enabling Better Customer Support Through AI (23:39 – 24:35)
Human-in-the-Loop: Blending AI with Expertise (24:36 – 25:11)
Top Misconceptions Around AI in Lending (25:12 – 25:58)
Why Switching from Legacy Providers Is Surprisingly Easy (25:59 – 26:50)
Lessons from Raising Fintech Capital (26:51 – 28:33)
When Accelerators Work—and When They Don’t (28:34 – 29:48)
Building Credibility Through Personal Branding (29:49 – 31:08)
The Long Game: ValueBuddy’s 10-Year Vision (31:09 – 31:56)
The J-Curve & Working Capital Mistakes (31:57 – 32:44)
Fintech Book, KPI, and Market Trends (32:45 – 34:40)
Bold Predictions & Policy Changes That Matter (34:41 – 35:18)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
We'll ship products while you focus on the other essentials: validation, sales, and distribution. Our portfolio companies have been backed by YC, Google, ERA, and other top-tier investors.
Get Started Here: https://tr.ee/bylld
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What do derivatives trading and credit card points have in common?
More than you'd think—especially when the person connecting the dots is John Taylor Garner. As the former volatility trader turned founder & CEO of Odynn, John is building the infrastructure to fix the fractured world of loyalty rewards. Named to Focusrite’s 35 Under 35 and featured in Bloomberg and Wired, he’s helping banks and fintechs retain customers by transforming how users redeem points across travel and finance platforms. In this episode, we unpack Odynn’s pivot from B2C to B2B, the collapse of fixed-value rewards, and how embedded loyalty is quietly becoming fintech’s next billion-dollar wave.
Key themes we cover:
🔹 How dynamic pricing broke traditional rewards programs—and why most banks weren’t ready
🔹 Odynn’s modular infrastructure play and go-to-market strategy with zero outbound sales
🔹 Why embedded loyalty is the next big fintech stack opportunity
🔹 How card issuers can fight churn and increase customer lifetime value
🔹 Lessons from scaling a loyalty infrastructure startup in a post-pandemic world
From pricing options to pricing points, John’s always played where the market lacks transparency—and now he’s building it.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:38)
From Derivatives Trading to Fintech (00:39 – 02:43)
The Credit Card Churning Era (02:44 – 04:07)
Founding Card Curator (04:08 – 05:22)
The Loyalty Pricing Collapse (05:23 – 06:45)
Misconceptions About Points and Miles (06:46 – 08:31)
The Downside of Stockpiling Rewards (08:32 – 09:19)
The Aha Moment Behind Odynn (09:20 – 10:45)
Dynamic Pricing & Loyalty Chaos (10:46 – 12:06)
Why Card Issuers Were Blindsided (12:07 – 14:00)
Odynn’s Role in the Loyalty Ecosystem (14:01 – 15:53)
Building Infrastructure for Redemption Transparency (15:54 – 17:29)
Chicken-and-Egg Challenges in Fintech (17:30 – 19:13)
Finding Product-Market Fit Without a Sales Team (19:14 – 21:02)
Modular Loyalty Infrastructure at Scale (21:03 – 22:50)
Odynn’s Business Model Explained (22:51 – 24:51)
The Exit Landscape & Loyalty M&A (24:52 – 27:20)
Expedia’s B2B Playbook and Odynn’s Future (27:21 – 29:00)
Fractured Markets & The Opportunity for Consolidation (29:01 – 31:05)
Building a Loyalty Exchange Layer (31:06 – 34:00)
The Mechanics of Points Transfers (34:01 – 38:01)
Odynn’s Integration Approach (38:02 – 40:14)
Fundraising Advice for Fintech Founders (40:15 – 42:26)
Regulatory Landscape & Loyalty Programs (42:27 – 44:36)
Early Pivots and Tough Decisions (44:37 – 46:38)
Remote Culture & Virtual Office Innovation (46:39 – 49:06)
Roam vs. Slack: Creating Connection Remotely (49:07 – 50:43)
Why PR Still Matters in B2B Fintech (50:44 – 52:43)
Advice to His Younger Founder Self (52:44 – 54:20)
Rapid Fire: Travel Hacks, Trends & Fintech Futures (54:21 – 55:47)
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Our sponsor Byldd helps non-technical domain-expert founders build and launch tech businesses by providing a complete product team - that's everyone you need from designers to engineers to testers, all the way up to a CTO.
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, Brian Bell interviews Peter Livingston, founder and GP of Unpopular Ventures. Peter shares how his journey from being the first engineer at iRhythm to an angel investor was shaped by early lessons in under-compensation and startup chaos. After a frustrating experience with equity negotiations, he pursued an MBA at Stanford, which expanded his network and perspectives. A failed startup post-MBA proved more educational than his earlier success and underscored his desire to work with high-upside, early-stage companies. These formative experiences laid the groundwork for his contrarian investment philosophy.
Initially unable to raise a traditional fund, he turned to AngelList syndicates, finding significant traction with a high-volume, low-check-size approach. Today, Unpopular Ventures backs 100–150 startups a year with $25K–$50K checks, emphasizing founder quality, idea-market fit, and differentiated geography or business models—often betting early on overlooked but high-potential startups like Zepto and Yassir.
The conversation also dives into the logic behind large portfolio construction, comparing it favorably to traditional diversification and unpacking why “spray and pray” is a mischaracterization. Peter shares his view that the best early-stage investments come from founders with hints of past exceptionalism—even if not conventional success—and emphasizes the importance of understanding how many risk vectors a deal presents. He cautions against backing founders without any entrepreneurial or technical signal and advocates for a strategy that blends broad exposure with tight founder quality filters.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 01:06)
From Engineer to Investor (01:07 – 05:14)
The Value Disconnect in Engineering (05:15 – 09:49)
Stanford MBA and a Startup Failure (09:50 – 14:37)
Valuations Then vs. Now (14:38 – 17:00)
Leaving Corporate VC Behind (17:01 – 19:04)
Angel Investing (19:05 – 21:55)
The Founding of Unpopular Ventures (21:56 – 23:08)
Scaling with SPVs on AngelList (23:09 – 26:00)
High-Velocity Investing & Portfolio Construction (26:01 – 28:32)
Venture Diversification vs. Spray and Pray (28:33 – 31:00)
Fund-of-Funds Incentives & Industry Dynamics (31:01 – 37:05)
The Yassir Bet: Super App in Africa (37:06 – 44:37)
When Founders Invest Their Own Capital (44:38 – 46:44)
Managing Risk in Emerging Markets (46:45 – 50:10)
What Great Founders Look Like (50:11 – 53:00)
Red Flags and Hard Passes (53:01 – 55:33)
Build First, Pitch Later (55:34 – 59:00)
Lessons from 450+ Investments (59:01 – 01:04:20)
Final Thoughts & VC Advice (01:04:21 – 01:07:19)
Outro & Where to Find Peter (01:07:20 – 01:07:43)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, Brian Bell sits down with Cole Napper, a leading voice in people analytics, workforce planning, and talent intelligence. As VP of Research at Lightcast and co-host of the "Directionally Correct" podcast, Cole brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience leading HR innovations at global organizations like FedEx, Toyota, and Pepsi. Together, they explore the evolution of people analytics, its growing role in shaping the future of work, and how it intersects with AI to drive productivity.
Cole delves into the shifting dynamics between large enterprises and startups, highlighting how startups often lead in adopting innovative HR tech while larger enterprises are weighed down by legacy systems. He shares his insights on when people analytics becomes crucial for scaling organizations, emphasizing that its value typically becomes clear once a company surpasses around 100 employees. Additionally, he discusses the importance of creating a people-centric business strategy, where human capital is viewed not just as a cost center but as a powerful driver of business success.
The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on HR functions. Cole predicts a future where AI plays a significant role in automating knowledge management in HR, allowing companies to streamline employee interactions and troubleshooting processes. While many traditional HR roles are likely to become more efficient with AI, Cole explores whether this will lead to a shrinking workforce or simply a more productive one, offering a balanced perspective on the ongoing debate.
Finally, the duo discusses the broader implications of AI and remote work on workforce planning. As AI continues to disrupt industries and gig work rises, Cole suggests that HR departments will need to evolve rapidly to keep up. He emphasizes that organizations must align people analytics with external labor market data to make informed decisions about workforce composition. This thought-provoking conversation offers deep insights for both founders and HR leaders navigating the future of work.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:38)
Cole’s Background and Expertise in People Analytics (00:39 – 02:15)
The Evolution of People Analytics (02:16 – 04:08)
Defining People Analytics: What Does It Really Mean? (04:09 – 06:12)
When to Start Thinking About People Analytics for Startups (06:13 – 07:06)
Shifting HR from Cost Center to Profit Center (07:07 – 09:18)
The Role of AI in HR and People Analytics (09:19 – 10:59)
Improving HR Efficiency with Knowledge Management and AI (11:00 – 12:53)
The Impact of AI on Remote and Gig Work (12:54 – 14:03)
Talent Intelligence and Workforce Planning (14:04 – 16:51)
Predicting Future Talent Needs with External Labor Market Data (16:52 – 18:00)
Ethics in People Analytics: The Balance Between Efficiency and Privacy (18:01 – 20:17)
AI’s Influence on the Gig Economy and Remote Work (20:18 – 22:30)
The Challenges of Scaling People Analytics in Large Enterprises (22:31 – 24:00)
Revolutionizing Skill-Based Hiring (24:01 – 26:49)
The Impact of AI on Workforce Planning (26:50 – 28:42)
The Rise of the Solo Entrepreneur and Capital Efficiency (28:43 – 32:28)
The Future of Work: Small Companies vs Large Enterprises (32:29 – 34:23)
HR’s Role in Building a Sustainable Future of Work (34:24 – 36:09)
The Potential of AI to Transform HR Functions (36:10 – 39:24)
The Changing Landscape of Employment: Remote, Gig, and Full-Time (39:25 – 41:07)
The Future of Talent Intelligence and its Role in Workforce Strategy (41:08 – 44:53)
People Analytics’ Moment: Why It’s Peaked and What’s Next (44:54 – 46:25)
Cole’s New Book: People Analytics and Generative AI (46:26 – 48:00)
Advice for Podcast Hosts and Content Creators (48:01 – 50:57)
Tips for Building a Successful People Analytics Strategy (50:58 – 53:25)
The Role of People Analytics in Shaping the Future of Work (53:26 – 56:09)
Conclusion & Final Thoughts (56:10 – 01:03:03)
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, Brian Bell sits down with Xan Wood, investor at Canvas Ventures, to explore his unconventional path into venture capital. From building an events business in Edinburgh to working in private equity across Asia, Xan shares how his diverse global experience led him to co-found Courtyard Ventures at Berkeley and ultimately join Canvas, where he now leads Series A and B investments in fintech, digital health, and AI.
The conversation dives into the differences between early-stage venture and traditional private equity, highlighting how people-driven problem-solving is at the core of great investing. Xan unpacks how AI is enabling a new generation of capital-efficient startups—what he calls “Velociraptors”—companies reaching $100M+ ARR with fewer than 50 employees. He also discusses how Canvas wins competitive rounds, supports founders through tough times, and focuses on sectors where the firm has deep domain expertise and proven results.
Brian and Xan touch on critical VC dynamics, from decision-making and founder evaluation to fund construction and follow-on strategy. The episode is packed with insights on building durable businesses, navigating exits, and why speed of execution is more important than ever in a world where AI is lowering the cost of intelligence across every industry.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:38)
Xan’s Global Journey Into Venture (00:39 – 02:28)
Comparing Emerging Markets PE to U.S. VC (02:29 – 03:55)
The Appeal of People-Driven Investing (03:56 – 05:23)
Founding Courtyard Ventures at Berkeley (05:24 – 07:14)
Hustling into Deals with a Small Fund (07:15 – 09:06)
Lessons from Raising & Deploying a Student-Run Fund (09:07 – 10:48)
Evaluating Luck vs Skill in Venture (10:49 – 13:22)
Decision-Making Discipline & Investment Memos (13:23 – 15:04)
Power Laws, Fund Math, and LP Preferences (15:05 – 17:12)
Transitioning to Canvas Ventures (17:13 – 18:49)
Choosing Apprenticeship Over Going Solo (18:50 – 20:01)
From Pre-Seed to Series A & B: What Changes (20:02 – 22:11)
The Series A Data Shift and Market Expectations (22:12 – 23:58)
What Defines Pre-Seed? Semantics and Valuations (23:59 – 25:06)
Why Valuation Sensitivity Beats Stage Labels (25:07 – 26:16)
Winning Competitive A & B Rounds (26:17 – 28:01)
Follow-On Strategy and Fund Structure at Canvas (28:02 – 29:29)
Preparing Startups for Exit: M&A as the Default Path (29:30 – 30:50)
Canvas Fund History & Sector Focus Shift (30:51 – 32:05)
Why Canvas Is Doubling Down on Fintech, Digital Health, and AI (32:06 – 33:08)
Investing in Healthcare: Navigating Incentives (33:09 – 35:10)
AI-Powered Healthcare and Reducing Burnout (35:11 – 36:41)
Savvy Wealth & Vertical SaaS in Fintech (36:42 – 39:23)
The Rise of Human-Enabled Tech in Wealth Management (39:24 – 40:59)
AI as a Tsunami: Lowering the Cost of Intelligence (41:00 – 42:03)
Velociraptor Startups: Capital Efficiency at Scale (42:04 – 44:00)
Durability vs Speed in AI-Enabled Startups (44:01 – 45:15)
How Venture Fund Size Shapes Strategy (45:16 – 46:55)
Power Laws, Return Expectations & Venture Models (46:56 – 48:10)
Why Canvas Stays U.S.-Focused (48:11 – 48:50)
The Rebirth of San Francisco as an Innovation Hub (48:51 – 49:19)
Rapid Fire: Founder Traits, Favorite Startups & Resources (49:20 – 51:20)
The Power Law Book & Silicon Valley's Secret Weapon (51:21 – 52:12)
Misconceptions About Venture Capital (52:13 – 53:40)
Productivity Tools: Granola AI & Workflows (53:41 – 54:52)
Global Problem Solving & Moonshots with Tech (54:53 – 56:12)
Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Xan (56:13 – 01:03:11)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of The Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell sits down with Kevin Carter, founder and CIO of EMQQ Global, to explore the evolution of emerging market investing. Kevin shares his unconventional entry into finance—hired after a 20-minute chat about college basketball—and how reading Burton Malkiel’s A Random Walk Down Wall Street shaped his approach. He explains his shift from active investing to indexing, driven by mutual fund inefficiencies and the long-term benefits of passive strategies.
Kevin recounts his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting his founding of e-Investing, an early fractional share platform sold to E-Trade in just 12 months during the dot-com boom. Recognizing flaws in traditional emerging market indices—particularly due to state-owned enterprises—he founded EMQQ, targeting internet and e-commerce companies that capture true growth potential in emerging markets.
The conversation then dives into India’s position as the next major growth market. Kevin discusses India’s rapid digital transformation driven by the innovative India Stack, enabling 800 million people to access digital banking and fueling a thriving startup ecosystem. He points to platforms like Blinkit and Zepto revolutionizing quick commerce logistics.
Kevin and Brian explore how venture investors can effectively navigate opportunities in India and other emerging markets, emphasizing technology-driven investments, avoiding pitfalls of traditional indices, and capitalizing on India’s potential to drive global economic growth.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:38)
Kevin’s Unlikely Entry into Finance (00:39 – 02:15)
The Impact of A Random Walk Down Wall Street (02:16 – 04:25)
Early Mutual Fund Industry Lessons (04:26 – 07:42)
From Active Investing to Indexing (07:43 – 10:15)
The Origins of e-Investing & Fractional Shares (10:16 – 14:55)
Dot-Com Era, Shorting Amazon, & Meeting Burt Malkiel (14:56 – 18:28)
Startup Lessons & Selling to E-Trade (18:29 – 20:10)
India Focus & Investing Post E-Trade Exit (20:11 – 22:25)
The Birth of Active Indexing (22:26 – 24:42)
Direct Indexing Advantages: Customization & Tax Efficiency (24:43 – 27:00)
Google IPO, Private Clients, & India Exposure (27:01 – 31:01)
Why Traditional Emerging Market ETFs Are Flawed (31:02 – 36:27)
The Case for Consumer-Focused Emerging Markets Investing (36:28 – 38:41)
Launching EMQQ and the Power of the Internet in EMs (38:42 – 41:34)
Three Megatrends Converging in Emerging Markets (41:35 – 44:47)
India vs. China – A Digital Leapfrog (44:48 – 48:05)
How VCs Should Think About India (48:06 – 51:09)
Zepto, Private vs Public Markets, and Unicorn Growth (51:10 – 54:02)
Why INQQ and India’s Digital Opportunity (54:03 – 56:53)
The India Stack: Infrastructure for Digital Dominance (56:54 – 01:02:48)
How the India Stack Powers UPI & Fintech Explosion (01:02:49 – 01:06:30)
Entrepreneurship, Startups & Talent in India (01:06:31 – 01:08:09)
Quick Commerce in India & Final Thoughts (01:08:10 – 01:09:38)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell welcomes Simon Wu, a partner at Cathay Innovation, a global venture capital firm managing billions in assets. Simon shares his journey from his early days building computers as a teenager to working in M&A at VMware and UBS before transitioning into venture capital. He reflects on how his background shaped his investment philosophy and discusses the unique approach Cathay Innovation takes in working with startups globally. With a strong focus on fintech, digital healthcare, and consumer investments, Simon provides insights into how the venture landscape has evolved, particularly in the wake of the 2021 funding boom and the current AI-driven innovation wave.
The conversation dives into Cathay Innovation's global investment strategy, highlighting their ability to leverage corporate LPs across various industries, including retail, pharma, and finance, to provide startups with strategic partnerships beyond just capital. Simon explains how their geographic funds in Africa, LatAm, and other regions serve as feeders to their main fund, allowing them to identify promising companies early and scale them through their global network. He also touches on the challenges of securing deals in a highly competitive VC landscape and the importance of understanding founder dynamics when making investment decisions.
As the discussion shifts to the current state of venture capital, Simon and Brian explore the impact of AI on startup formation and investment trends. They discuss how the barriers to software development and distribution are dropping, leading to an explosion of new startups in niche verticals. Simon shares insights into the rapid fundraising cycles of AI companies, the shift in growth expectations, and the increasing importance of distribution over pure technological moats. The conversation also covers venture capital’s evolving secondary market, the challenges of timing exits, and how funds should approach portfolio management in today’s dynamic environment.
Closing out the episode, Simon offers advice on fund strategy and LP relations, particularly for emerging managers looking to scale their funds. He emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with institutional LPs, understanding their risk profiles, and ensuring clear differentiation in an increasingly crowded VC market. With deep insights into venture capital cycles, global investment strategies, and the role of AI in shaping the next wave of innovation, this episode is a must-listen for founders and investors alike.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:40)
Simon Wu’s Background & Path to Venture Capital (00:41 – 02:15)
From M&A to VC: Lessons from Corporate Development (02:16 – 04:25)
Early Days at Cathay Innovation & Building a Global Firm (04:26 – 07:09)
The Role of Corporate LPs in Venture Capital (07:10 – 09:46)
Investment Strategy: Sectors & Geographic Focus (09:47 – 12:37)
Scaling Startups: Key Challenges from Series A to Growth (12:38 – 16:57)
AI’s Impact on Venture Capital & Startup Moats (16:58 – 21:26)
The Market Cycle Shift & The Return of Fintech (21:27 – 25:41)
Evaluating Growth Startups & The Importance of Distribution (25:42 – 28:25)
How Secondary Sales Help Funds Manage Risk (28:26 – 32:11)
Lessons from Managing a $2.5B Venture Portfolio (32:12 – 35:54)
Fundraising & LP Strategy for Growth-Stage Firms (35:55 – 40:21)
Navigating Competitive Deals & Winning Founder Trust (40:22 – 44:23)
The Future of AI, Venture, and the Startup Ecosystem (44:24 – 50:15)
Final Thoughts & Advice for Founders & Investors (50:16 – 51:25)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell welcomes Kevin Michael, the co-founder and CEO of Tempo Labs, an AI-powered development platform revolutionizing front-end collaboration. Kevin shares his journey from engineering roles at Microsoft and Perpetua to founding Tempo Labs, where he identified a gap in low-code development tools. Unlike legacy low-code platforms, Tempo integrates seamlessly with existing React codebases, empowering designers, product managers, and engineers to collaborate more effectively. Kevin explains how the platform builds upon Figma’s success in design collaboration but extends its capabilities into code generation, enabling non-technical contributors to create higher-fidelity prototypes.
Throughout the discussion, Kevin and Brian explore the evolving landscape of AI-assisted development, emphasizing how AI is shifting the role of engineers from boilerplate coding to focusing on core intellectual property. Kevin predicts a future where every product manager becomes a technical PM, and every designer evolves into a design engineer. He also highlights the challenge of balancing AI-powered automation with user control, addressing both the promise and frustrations that come with AI-generated code. The conversation touches on the importance of brand differentiation in an era where AI is accelerating the commoditization of technical capabilities, reinforcing that speed, execution, and thoughtful product design will separate winners from competitors.
On the business front, Kevin shares insights from Tempo’s fundraising journey, discussing how conviction and timing played key roles in securing investors. He recounts how early skepticism about AI-generated code transformed into investor enthusiasm as large language models advanced. The episode also delves into hiring challenges, particularly Tempo’s commitment to an in-person work culture in Toronto, and how the company maintains direct customer engagement even as it scales.
Looking ahead, Kevin discusses Tempo’s roadmap, including deeper integrations with cloud infrastructure and a vision for AI-powered collaborative agents that can act as virtual team members. The conversation wraps up with rapid-fire questions, where Kevin shares his favorite AI tools, insights on the future of front-end development, and a bold take on the diminishing moat of AI-powered agents. With AI set to reshape software development, Tempo is positioning itself at the forefront, bridging the gap between design, engineering, and product management.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:40)
Kevin Michael’s Background & Journey to Tempo Labs (00:41 – 02:28)
The Problem with Traditional Front-End Development (02:29 – 04:16)
How AI is Reshaping Software Development (04:17 – 06:52)
The Shift Towards AI-Powered Collaboration (06:53 – 09:20)
Why Every PM Will Become a Technical PM (09:21 – 12:18)
The Evolution of AI in Code Generation (12:19 – 15:42)
Building for Production-Grade Codebases (15:43 – 18:32)
Challenges & Misconceptions About AI Code Tools (18:33 – 21:26)
The Future of AI-Powered Virtual Collaborators (21:27 – 24:15)
How AI is Changing the Role of Engineers & Designers (24:16 – 27:09)
Brand vs. Technical Differentiation in AI Startups (27:10 – 30:38)
Tempo Labs’ Fundraising Journey & Lessons Learned (30:39 – 34:45)
Scaling a High-Growth AI Startup (34:46 – 37:38)
Balancing Innovation with Developer-Friendliness (37:39 – 40:12)
The Future of AI & Emerging Tech Trends (40:13 – 43:35)
AI’s Impact on the Software Industry Over the Next 5-10 Years (43:36 – 46:02)
Rapid Fire: AI Tools, Hiring, and Startup Advice (46:03 – 50:42)
Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Tempo Labs (50:43 – 52:49)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell sits down with serial entrepreneur and investor Adeo Ressi, co-founder of VC Lab and Decile Group. Adeo shares his journey from launching billion-dollar startups in his early career to reshaping the venture capital industry. He recounts his experience with Elon Musk during their formative years, including their pivotal conversation about space exploration that led to the founding of SpaceX. Adeo also discusses his involvement with the XPRIZE Foundation and the broader challenges of venture capital, highlighting the industry's historical inefficiencies and its impact on entrepreneurship.
Adeo details his mission to reform venture capital by introducing ethical standards and transparency through VC Lab, which has helped launch over 600 firms globally. He reflects on past VC abuses, such as excessive liquidation preferences and unethical investor behavior, and explains how the Macarius Oath—a code of ethics for venture capitalists—seeks to uphold fairness and integrity. He also describes how The Funded, a platform he created to allow founders to rate investors, played a critical role in pushing VCs toward better practices.
Looking ahead, Adeo emphasizes the urgent need for venture capital to drive technological solutions to global crises, including climate change and sustainable development. He envisions a future where entrepreneurs no longer chase investors; instead, investors proactively seek out promising startups. He also teases the upcoming release of the ACE, a new financing vehicle designed to replace the SAFE and further streamline startup funding. Adeo closes by sharing his excitement for AI's role in venture capital and his belief that technology-driven solutions will be the key to solving humanity’s biggest challenges.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:59)
Adeo Ressi’s Career Journey & Early Entrepreneurship (01:00 – 03:53)
Building Billion-Dollar Companies & Early Exit Stories (03:54 – 05:48)
The XPRIZE, Elon Musk, and SpaceX’s Early Conversations (05:49 – 08:24)
Venture Capital’s Broken Model & Early Fixes (08:25 – 11:29)
Predatory VC Practices & The Funded’s Impact (11:30 – 15:18)
Reshaping Venture: The Mensarius Oath & Ethical Investing (15:19 – 17:39)
The Founder Institute & Global Startup Ecosystems (17:40 – 19:41)
Launching VC Lab & Decile Group to Fix VC (19:42 – 22:26)
The Scale of VC Lab: Over 600 Venture Firms (22:27 – 25:31)
Challenges in Raising & Managing Venture Capital (25:32 – 28:42)
Investor Misconduct & Bad Practices in Late-Stage VC (28:43 – 31:54)
Exits, Waterfalls, & How VCs Control Founder Payouts (31:55 – 35:22)
The SAFE Note Revolution & The Future ACE Model (35:23 – 39:07)
How Venture Capital Needs to Evolve for the Future (39:08 – 42:45)
The Role of AI in Venture & Startup Disruption (42:46 – 45:58)
The Future of Fundraising: Investors Seeking Founders (45:59 – 48:38)
Going Public: Decile Group’s Next Big Step (48:39 – 51:20)
Building High-Performance Teams & Hiring the Best (51:21 – 55:42)
Why Every Founder & Investor Needs to Embrace AI (55:43 – 58:26)
Rapid Fire: Exciting Startups, VC Firms & Books (58:27 – 01:04:02)
Closing Thoughts & The Future of Venture Capital (01:04:03 – 01:07:36)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell sits down with Sidhant Kabra, co-founder of Vocera, a startup pioneering AI voice agent testing and observability. Sidhant shares his journey from growing up in Jamshedpur, studying at IIT Bombay, and working in consulting before venturing into the world of AI-driven voice technology. His initial experience in developing voice agents for legal and medical record retrieval revealed the critical challenges of AI voice performance in real-world applications, ultimately leading to the creation of Vocera. The company provides an end-to-end QA platform that ensures AI voice agents function effectively in both pre-production and post-production environments.
The discussion explores the common pitfalls companies face when deploying AI voice agents, such as indeterminate behavior, misinterpretation of function calls, and handling diverse customer accents. Sidhant likens Vocera’s solution to a mix of Sentry and Mixpanel—offering both analytics and error detection for AI voice interactions. He highlights the growing role of AI in customer service and other industries, with particular adoption in healthcare due to staffing shortages and high regulatory compliance needs. Vocera’s technology not only helps diagnose and fix errors but also enables AI models to refine their prompts dynamically, improving response accuracy over time.
Brian and Sidhant delve into the broader implications of AI-driven automation, discussing the potential shift where human customer service interactions could become a premium service. They also touch on the evolving regulatory landscape, the importance of adversarial testing to prevent compliance issues, and the rise of multimodal AI that integrates voice, text, and vision. Sidhant predicts that voice-to-voice AI models will replace traditional STT (speech-to-text) and TTS (text-to-speech) systems within the next year, further streamlining the way AI interacts with humans.
Closing the conversation, Sidhant shares insights on startup growth, his experience with Y Combinator, and the future of AI-powered voice technology. He discusses the importance of validating customer pain points through willingness to pay, how AI startups can scale efficiently, and the potential breakthroughs in self-improving AI agents. For those interested in learning more, Sidhant invites listeners to connect via Vocera.ai or LinkedIn.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00 – 00:32)
Sidhant Kabra’s Background & Path to Entrepreneurship (00:33 – 01:21)
Discovering AI Voice Agent Challenges (01:22 – 02:25)
Building Vocera: Solving AI Voice Testing (02:26 – 03:40)
Common Failures in AI Voice Agents (03:41 – 04:45)
Regression Testing & AI Voice QA (04:46 – 05:26)
How AI Agents Can Self-Improve (05:27 – 06:34)
The Rise of AI-Driven Customer Interactions (06:35 – 08:12)
Boosting Developer Productivity with AI (08:13 – 09:39)
Accelerating AI-Powered Startups (09:40 – 11:16)
Vocera’s Impact on Large-Scale AI Deployments (11:17 – 13:00)
Navigating AI Regulations & Compliance (13:01 – 15:09)
Automation vs. Human Interaction in Customer Support (15:10 – 17:14)
Multimodal AI & Future of Voice-to-Voice Models (17:15 – 18:47)
Challenges of Scaling an AI Startup (18:48 – 20:58)
Y Combinator Experience & Growth Strategies (20:59 – 23:39)
How to Achieve Product-Market Fit in AI (23:40 – 25:22)
Lessons on Pricing & Startup Growth (25:23 – 27:12)
Future of AI Voice Agents & Long-Term Vision (27:13 – 30:05)
The OpenAI vs. Open-Source AI Debate (30:06 – 32:54)
Testing AI Models & Switching to Open-Source Alternatives (32:55 – 35:31)
Challenges in AI Voice Transcription (35:32 – 36:52)
Unexpected Use Cases for AI Voice Testing (36:53 – 38:20)
Final Thoughts & Where to Find Vocera (38:21 – 40:48)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell welcomes Adam Barbera, the CEO and founder of Dost, an AI-powered accounts payable co-pilot that automates invoice and delivery note management. Adam shares his journey from a background in Java engineering and enterprise sales at SAP and Tech Data to founding Dost. His experience in large-scale business operations exposed inefficiencies in accounts payable processes, inspiring him to build an AI-driven solution. Initially, investors—including Team Ignite—passed on Dost, but Adam’s persistence and steady traction proved the company’s value, leading to an eventual investment.
Adam explains how Dost targets industries with complex procurement and supply chains, such as manufacturing and construction, where invoice matching is crucial to business continuity. Unlike generic AP automation tools, Dost tackles high-volume, multi-page invoices that require precise three-way matching between purchase orders, invoices, and proof of delivery. The company scaled through a structured outbound sales approach, leveraging founder-led sales, SDRs, and a playbook-driven sales team. Cold calling, a traditional yet effective strategy, played a significant role in customer acquisition, as AP teams immediately resonated with the product's pain-point solution.
The conversation shifts to the evolution of AI in financial operations, with Adam envisioning a future where accounts payable processes are nearly autonomous, with AI handling exceptions and providing real-time insights. Dost prioritizes control and flexibility by building its AI models in-house rather than relying on proprietary cloud solutions. Adam also discusses the broader shift in SaaS towards AI-driven workflows, emphasizing that while full AI automation is the future, enterprise adoption will be gradual due to legacy systems.
To wrap up, Adam shares insights on startup scaling, structured hiring, and leadership, crediting his time at SAP and Tech Data for instilling operational discipline. He also touches on his passion for food and his past as a lifeguard, reflecting on the importance of aligning career choices with personal strengths. The episode ends with a discussion on emerging AI trends, the future of automation in finance, and Dost’s ambition to become a global leader in financial automation. For those interested in learning more, Adam encourages listeners to visit Dost.io or reach out via LinkedIn.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 01:19)
Adam’s Journey: From Enterprise Sales to Startup Founder (01:20 – 04:08)
The Aha Moment: Identifying the Accounts Payable Pain Point (04:09 – 06:18)
Scaling Dost: Finding Product-Market Fit (06:19 – 09:26)
Outbound Sales & The Power of Cold Calling (09:27 – 13:39)
Leveraging AI: The Build vs. Buy Decision (13:40 – 16:24)
AI in Finance: The Future of Automation (16:25 – 19:08)
Building a High-Performance Team (19:09 – 22:18)
The Challenges of AI Adoption in Large Enterprises (22:19 – 27:08)
Long-Term Vision: Where Dost is Headed (27:09 – 30:34)
Rapid-Fire: Productivity Hacks, AI Trends & Startup Advice (30:35 – 34:50)
Final Thoughts & How to Connect with Dost (34:51 – 35:01)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell welcomes Frank Sondors, co-founder and CEO of Salesforge, an AI-powered sales platform revolutionizing outbound email deliverability and personalization. With over a decade in B2B sales, Frank shares his journey from individual contributor to leading a company that has rapidly scaled to millions in ARR within just 20 months. He highlights the shift from hiring large sales teams to leveraging AI and automation to improve efficiency, reduce headcount, and optimize sales outreach. Frank discusses how Salesforge helps businesses streamline email campaigns, ensuring that messages reach the right audience while maintaining a lean operational structure.
Frank explains the bootstrapped origins of Salesforge, detailing how they reached their first million in ARR before raising a small funding round. Interestingly, despite raising capital, they never had to burn cash, maintaining profitability throughout their growth. He and Brian explore the changing landscape of early-stage fundraising, emphasizing that founders today often bootstrap to significant revenue before seeking external investment. They discuss the broader industry trend of capital efficiency, where companies aim to scale revenue while keeping headcount flat or even reducing it through automation.
The conversation dives into the technical and strategic aspects of Salesforge's offering. Frank introduces the company's AI-driven sales agent, "Agent Frank," which autonomously builds pipeline, personalizes outreach, and improves email deliverability. He explains how AI-driven sales automation is changing the role of SDRs, allowing account executives to engage directly with highly qualified leads. Brian and Frank also touch on the future of AI in sales, the role of deepfake technology, and the challenges posed by increasingly sophisticated spam filters.
The episode wraps up with insights on growth strategies for SaaS founders, the importance of scalable customer acquisition channels, and predictions for the next wave of AI-driven sales automation. Frank envisions a future where AI agents interact with each other to determine sales opportunities, significantly reducing manual effort in business development. He also shares advice for startup founders, emphasizing the importance of finding scalable acquisition strategies, leveraging automation, and staying ahead of emerging AI-driven sales trends.
Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 01:00)
Frank Sondors’ Background & Journey into Sales (01:01 – 04:37)
Scaling Sales Without Expanding Headcount (04:38 – 08:34)
Bootstrapping to ARR & Raising Capital Efficiently (08:35 – 12:27)
AI-Driven Sales Automation & Agent Frank (12:28 – 18:18)
How Salesforge Optimizes Outbound Email (18:19 – 22:54)
The Future of Cold Email & The Death of Templates (22:55 – 29:48)
Capital Efficiency & AI’s Role in Startup Growth (29:49 – 34:57)
Upcoming Trends: AI Sales Agents, Deepfakes, and Automation (34:58 – 40:48)
Final Thoughts & Where to Learn More (40:49 – 44:52)
Thanks to Byldd for sponsoring this episode! Byldd helps startups rapidly build and launch revenue-generating SaaS and marketplace businesses with cost-effective, scalable solutions - Get Started Here.
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