Welcome to "Funds & Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs," where we dig deep into the stories of successful Austin founders. Instead of focusing on their successes though, we dive into their journeys, particularly the struggles and obstacles they had to overcome. This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders: 🚀 ...
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How TrulyMadly Took on Tinder & Built a 100 Crore Dating App in India | Snehil Khanor - E57 Part II
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53:10In this episode, we sit down with the founder of TrulyMadly, India's most trusted dating app, to explore the startup journey, fundraising pitfalls, growth hacks, and how TrulyMadly is solving the trust problem in Indian online dating. We dive deep into: - Competing with global giants like Tinder and Bumble. - How compatibility scores and trust-base…
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How I Accidentally Became a Consultant & Made 1 Year’s Salary in 1 Month | Snehil Khanor - E57 Part 1
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1:15:01In this episode, we dive deep into a candid conversation with a founder who shares how he stumbled into consulting, earned a year's salary in a single month, and built impactful startups straight out of college. From building websites for the price of a cigarette to launching mobile products before the smartphone wave, this is a raw and relatable s…
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How I Hacked College Admissions to get Into Top schools! ! Anthony Berryhill - E56
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1:04:18How I Hacked College Admissions to get Into Top schools! description In this episode of Fundsandfounders, we sit down with Anthony Berryhill, the founder of Elite College Hacker, to discuss the insider secrets of elite college admissions. Anthony shares his personal journey from growing up in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward to getting into Stanford a…
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How He Built a SaaS for Creators 💡 | Ansh Vashisht - E55
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45:46In this episode of Funds & Founders, we sit down with Ansh, co-founder of Quickreel, the AI-driven platform that helps content creators, brands, and marketers transform long-form videos into viral short-form clips. We dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey — from selling stickers in second grade to building a SaaS product with over 100K users. …
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Lessons from a Paperboy who built a $13M Company! | James Wahba - E54
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57:55**From delivering newspapers in 4th grade to raising millions for real estate and co-founding a thriving co-working space—James Wahba’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.**🚀 In this episode of Funds & Founders, James shares: ✅ How his childhood paper route taught him business fundamentals 📈 ✅ Raising $13M at 25 for real estate development 🏗️ ✅ …
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Proven Playbook to Get Investors on Board in 30 Days! | Rajesh Sawhney - E53
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54:55In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Rajesh Sawhney—a seasoned investor, advisor, and the founder & CEO of GSF—who’s backed over 135 companies. Rajesh shares deep insights on what first-time founders need to know, the art of achieving product–market fit, and the unique dynamics of the Indian startup ecosystem. Whether you’re just…
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Navigating Fundraising and Growth in a Competitive Market 💰 | Justin Schoenfelder - E52
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1:01:58In this episode of Funds and Founders, we welcome back Justin, founder of Fantasy Elect, a cutting-edge political gaming startup. Justin dives into his journey over the past year, tackling fundraising challenges, optimizing user acquisition, and building a trust-driven remote team. Gain actionable insights on scaling a startup in the political aren…
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Learn how to Raise Millions with the Perfect Pitch Deck | Garret Dailey & Brian Schuster - E51
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1:37:04In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Garrett and Brian from Lucid, a consulting firm specializing in pitch decks and brand clarity. Garrett and Brian share how they combined their complementary skill sets—spanning design, operations, and growth—to help founders overcome the challenge of communicating complex ideas simply. Learn h…
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The Ultimate Paid Ads Playbook: Accelerate Your Business Growth | Moby Hayat - E50
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1:03:03In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Moby, a seasoned paid ads specialist who helps startups and established businesses alike accelerate their growth through strategic advertising. Moby shares his journey and dives deep into: Determining the right time to start running paid ads—and why timing is crucial Choosing between Google, L…
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This Goal Setting Framework Made Me 3x My Business | Aaron Trahan - E49
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1:04:52In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Aaron, a performance coach who helps founders and entrepreneurs optimize their business execution through OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Aaron shares deep insights on goal setting, prioritization, and creating effective business frameworks. Learn how Aaron: - Helps founders set realistic y…
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Stop Wasting Money on Engineers! | Silicon Valley Secrets from Ex-Bay Area CTO | John Davidson - E48
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1:12:42In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with John Davison, founder of StartupLandia, a hybrid venture studio and development shop. John shares his journey from being a Bay Area engineer to helping early-stage founders build sustainable products. Learn how John: Helps founders validate ideas before writing code Reduces engineering costs t…
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Why I Left My VP Role for a Seed-Stage Startup | Inside Beehive's Growth Story | Preeya Goenka - E47
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59:07In this episode, we sit down with Preeya, COO of Beehive, to discuss her journey from being a VP at a large tech company to joining Beehive as employee. Learn how she helped scale the company from seed stage to Series B, growing from 8 to 80+ employees. Priya shares insights on startup operations, remote work culture, board management, and making t…
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Startup legal essentials that founders NEED to know before raising money | Dean Elazab
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1:06:51In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Dean Elazab, a former big law attorney who now helps startups navigate the legal landscape. Dean shares insights from both sides of the table, having built and sold his own startup before becoming a lawyer. Learn how Dean: Guides founders through critical legal decisions Helps protect founder …
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The Untold Way to Build Airbnb for Musicians | Damian Longoria - E45
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57:11In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Damian Longoria, founder of Hubble - a marketplace connecting artists with live event opportunities. From sleeping in his car to building a music tech startup, Damian shares his journey with raw honesty. Learn how Damian: Discovered problems in the music industry through event organizing Navig…
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Finding Your True Calling: Confessions of a Startup Founder & Podcaster | Sarthak Kaul - E44
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55:55In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Sarthak Kaul, founder at GigPay and host of the True Calling podcast. Sarthak shares his unique perspective on finding purpose in the startup world and why the 0-to-1 journey keeps calling him back. Learn how Sarthak: Transitioned from VC in Singapore to startup operations Built and managed re…
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Startup Lessons: Why He Left a $40M Business to Start Again | Ash Barot - E43
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1:06:10Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Ash, co-founder of Wolf.xyz, who recently closed their Series A round. Ash shares his journey from building a successful staffing platform in Chile to his current venture in B2B SaaS. Learn how Ash: Built and scaled a staffing pla…
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How a $47 Template Generated $120K+ in Revenue | Sara Loretta - E41
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1:14:00Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Sarah Loretta, a former nonprofit worker turned digital architect. Sarah shares her journey from making $40K at a nonprofit to building a successful digital systems business through Notion templates and consulting. Learn how Sarah…
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From Shoe Obsession to Luxury Brand to build a Custom Shoe Business | Joshua Rozario - E40
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55:14Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Joshua Rosario, founder of J.Rozario, also has a luxury custom shoe brand. Joshua shares his journey from a shoe enthusiast with over 500 pairs to launching his own high-end shoe company. Learn how Joshua: - Turned his passion for…
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Hustle Exit Conquer Becca's $4M Workweek Success | Becca Sherman - E39
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59:54Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Becca, co-founder and COO of Workweek, a rapidly growing B2B media company. Becca shares her journey from customer success roles to building a multi-million dollar media business. Learn how Becca: - Transitioned from The Hustle to…
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Building a Niche Travel Marketing Agency | Brennan Bliss - Ep 38
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1:05:28Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Brennan Bliss, CEO of Propellic, a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO for the travel industry. Brennan shares his journey from building websites as a teenager to running a multi-million dollar agency. Learn how Brennan: …
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From Engineer to Serial Entrepreneur: Building Million-Dollar Businesses | Tomer Soran - E37
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1:03:34Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Tomer, a former structural engineer turned serial entrepreneur. Tomer shares his journey from designing skyscrapers to building multiple successful businesses, including an e-commerce brand, a virtual staffing agency, and an innov…
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SEO Genius Reveals Secret to Building & Selling a 7-Figure Agency | Jon Cooper - E36
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1:03:54Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Jon, former CEO of Hyperlinks Media and current organizer of Tiny Talks in Austin. Jon shares his journey from starting an SEO blog in high school to building and selling a successful digital marketing agency, and eventually launc…
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Building a 6-Figure Video Business in Less than a Year | Ryan Atkinson - E35
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51:51Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Ryan Atkinson, CEO and co-founder of Spacebar Visuals. Ryan shares his journey from working at an aquatic center to becoming a growth specialist at HubSpot, and eventually launching his own successful video production agency. Lear…
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How to find the right market fit? | Catalin Briciu - E34
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51:51Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe In this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Catalin, co-founder and CEO of Linnify, joins us to discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur and product development expert. Catalin shares valuable lessons from his experiences with previous startups and offers advice on avoiding …
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From Homeless to Millionaire: The Empire Built from Nothing | Hunter Burkey - E33
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1:01:20Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribe Join us as we sit down with Hunter Burkey, Partner at Next Level Valet and CEO of Next Level Security. Hunter shares his incredible journey from living in his car to building two successful businesses in Austin, TX. 👉Hunter's early struggles and how he turned his life around 👉The birth…
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Building a Multimillion-Dollar Agri-tech Empire | Nikhil Dixit - E32
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1:02:32In this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Nikhil, CTO and co-founder of Hylio, shares the inspiring journey of building an innovative drone company. From their initial focus on drone delivery to pivoting into agricultural applications, Nikhil reveals the challenges and triumphs of creating cutting-edge drone technology. Tune in to discover…
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Raising Millions for the Future of Sustainable Farming | Jessi Roesch - E31
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1:11:13In the latest episode of Funds and Founders, Jessi, founder of Downland, reveals how agrotourism and regenerative agriculture could revolutionize land management and food production. Discover how matching landowners with next-generation land stewards can restore landscapes and create sustainable business models. Tune in to explore: - The journey of…
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Building a Feature vs Creating a Product | Simran Singh - E30
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1:09:01Simran Singh narrates his entrepreneurial journey from his college days at Duke University to co-founding Zogo, a financial education platform which was eventually acquired by Peak Six. He elaborates on the challenges of early-stage startups, the pivoting of Zogo, and decision-making processes related to product development and market targeting. Si…
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The Evolution of South by Southwest (SXSW) | Hugh Forrest - E29
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1:10:19Having been with SXSW for 35 years, Hugh Forrest, the Chief Programming Officer and Director of the Interactive Section of South by Southwest (SXSW), shares the origins and growth of Austin's largest conference and festival. He discusses the event's roots in 1987, modeled after the New Music Seminar in New York City, and its evolution into a major …
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Scaling, Hiring, and Building Strong Teams | Vikas Punna - E28
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1:01:42Vikas is an experienced entrepreneur, advisor and the Managing Director of Frisco Analytics. In this conversation, he discusses the importance of selecting good advisors and how he identified gaps in the tech consulting space to grow his successful company later acquired by Huron. Vikas gives insights on how to build the right team, and sales strat…
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3 Steps Every Startup Should Immediately Implement | Vinay Chandrasekaran - E27
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1:03:40Vinay Chandrasekaran, founder of Frontek Solutions, Crayon’d, and Layerpath, shares his fascinating journey from learning HTML as a teenager in India to becoming the CEO of a successful SaaS company. Vinay delves into his entrepreneurial motivations, experiences at Zoho, and the essential role of community, mentorship, and resilience. He also discu…
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The Iron Triangle: Integrating Product, Engineering, and Design | Alberto Silveira - E26
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1:04:48Alberto Silveira is a seasoned engineering leader with a diverse career spanning companies like IBM, Kaplan, Amplify, OnDeck, and currently, HireVue. He is also the author of the book, Building and Managing High Performance Distributed Teams. Alberto discusses the differences between leading small and large engineering teams, the importance of crea…
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Why You SHOULD NOT Follow Your Mentor | Aaron Trahan - E25
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1:04:24Aaron Trahan, founder of Performance Mindset Coaching, discusses the fundamental differences between a coach and a mentor. Aaron shares his journey to becoming a coach, emphasizing the importance of having a coach for achieving personal and professional breakthroughs. The conversation delves into identifying signals for needing a coach, finding the…
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Community Building, A Harvard Study’s Take on Fulfillment, and The 4 P’s of Mentoring | YJ Lin - E24
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54:12YJ Lin is a key player in the Austin startup ecosystem. He graduated from the University of Houston and is deeply involved with communities like Ascend Austin and the Executive Council Network. Currently, he is the Chief Fun Officer of York's Game Pieces, and Senior Program Manager at Dell for Startups. Over the past decade, YJ has orchestrated cit…
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Customer Discovery, Validation, and Acquisition for Early-Stage Growth | Jeff Eversmann - E23
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1:05:32Jeff Eversmann is an experienced design engineer, fractional CFO at Miranti Growth, and GP at Longview Tech Ventures. Drawing from his career across various high-level roles, Jeff explains the continuum from product market match to alignment and finally to fit. He discusses examples, especially Uber's market strategy, and elaborates on how early-st…
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Robotic Delivery, Co-Founder Dynamics, & Seeking Feedback | Ben James and Dylan Mankey - E22
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1:00:29Ben James and Dylan Mankey from Tubular Networks discuss their journey from their initial meeting at HomeAway to co-founding Tubular Networks. Ben shares his extensive background in product management, having worked at companies such as National Instruments, VRBO, and Magic Leap, while Dylan talks about his engineering leadership roles with experie…
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Humanity and AI, Embracing Serendipity, and the Art of Storytelling | Mark Fallows - E21
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1:00:30Mark Fallows is a seasoned advertising professional and founder of Fabrica Collective. He is also a creative collective based in New York, now operating from Austin. Mark shares his early career journey in advertising, including his roles at Oracle and McCann, and his motivation behind founding Fabrica Collective. He emphasizes the importance of li…
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Building TeleSign, Registering a C Corp, Navigating Acquisitions, and Utilizing Cybersecurity | Stacy Stubblefield - E20
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58:21Stacey Stubblefield is a former entrepreneur in residence at Curious Minds Inc, who co-founded TeleSign, a company born out of the incubator. Stacey shares her unconventional journey from considering law school to embracing technology and entrepreneurship, leading to the creation and eventual acquisition of TeleSign by BICS. Stacey discusses the ch…
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Reimagining Media Consumption, Podcasting and Advertising | Sky King - E19
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55:34Sky King shares his journey from being a digital marketing specialist to founding his own company, Modern Stoa. King discusses his early career, his experiences with companies like Onnit and Aubrey Marcus, and his transition into the podcasting world with creations like 'Creator of Curiosity' and 'Sky King's Mental Playground.' He dives into the im…
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Unshackled: An Immigrant’s Guide to Thriving in the US | Soundarya Balasubramani - E18
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59:27Soundarya Balasubramani, an NIT Trichy and Columbia graduate, writer, and founder of Unshackled.club, details her journey from India to the U.S. Her career shifts from Salesforce to entrepreneurship, and even ventures into writing, including her blog Curious Maverick and books 'Admitted' and 'Unshackled'. The discussion spans her motivations, the i…
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Navigating a Venture Debt Approach as an Early Stage Founder | Chris De Ayala - E17
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40:48Chris De Ayala, a UT McComb School of Business graduate working in banking, specifically in venture debt at the Bank of California shares insights into the role of venture lending, emphasizing its value to VC-backed startups by offering non-dilutive capital to extend their runway post-equity rounds. He details the ideal timing for startups to seek …
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Is Your Product Solving the Right Problem? | Jake O’Shea - E16
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1:04:08Jake O'Shea, currently a Principal at Antler in Austin, delves into his rich background in the startup ecosystem. With experiences ranging from director roles at Capital Factory to mentoring at accelerators, Jake discusses the vibrant startup ideas and trends in Austin, emphasizing the ubiquitous role of AI in modern software development. He sheds …
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Product Leadership, Sales, & Pricing in B2b SaaS | Mike Ditson - E15
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57:03In episode 15, Mike Ditson joins us today to talk product management, sales, and innovation! Currently, Mike is the VP of Product Strategy at Envato Group and a lecturer in product management. He shares valuable insights on the importance of sales for product leaders, how to approach building a competent sales team, especially for founders without …
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Navigating Acquisitions, Saying ‘I Don’t Know’, Embracing Randomness | Ken Platt - E14
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59:14Episode 14 features Ken Platt, an experienced entrepreneur and advisor with a rich history in operations, supply chain management, and startup leadership. Ken shares insights into his entrepreneurial journey that began later in life, sparked by his exposure to diverse businesses during the Y2K project era. He details his evolution from corporate pr…
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What You Need to Get Right to Nurture a Successful Mentorship | Scott Finkelstein - E13
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56:41Scott, a seasoned C-level executive, draws from a diverse background in business leadership and organizational transformation. Originally aspiring to a career in finance, his trajectory shifted after witnessing the events of September 11th, leading him to navigate a path of resilience and mentorship. With a strategic vision and executive acumen, Sc…
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Financial Modeling, Profitability & Raising Venture Capital for Startups | Lauren Pearl - E12
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52:58Lauren Pearl is a Fractional CFO/COO and Advisor who graduated from Boston University and NYU Stern where she did her MBA. She has a rich background in financial modeling and has a unique perspective on growing profitable startups. She is a 2x founder and recently started Pearl and Elmore, an offsite programming company. She was the Director of Str…
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Finding the Lessons in Messy Situations | Curtis Dean - E11
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58:12Curtis Dean is the founder and creative director for Strangers Only, a lifestyle clothing brand and is also a coach helping people maximize their potential and design the lives they want. He is a positive thinker with a unique perspective on life. He has spoken at Soho houses and shared his deep knowledge on various topics. Key Takeaways: Identifyi…
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Trust is a Commodity, Hiring for Culture vs Skill Set, & Change Management | Steven Puri - E10
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58:31Steven Puri is a multipreneur who launched his career in the film industry and is also the founder of Sukha Company, previously known as Centred. He started Centropolis Effects. a CGI company then exited and has held multiple senior roles in big film companies like 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks. He is a chief strategist and has supported various …
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Establishing a CPG Athleisure Brand, Calculated Risks, and Aligning with a Co-Founder | Daniella Rosa - E9
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1:04:20Daniella Rosa is the founder of Aiea Golf, an athleisure lifestyle brand for women golfers. She also was the owner and designer of cutclothing.com. Daniella has held various marketing roles in her career in the auction industry. As she hit the ceiling in her career she made an instant decision to switch and start a brand and this has been a great l…
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Tony Robbin’s Peak Performance Strategist on Overcoming the Top 3 Fears in Sales | Brian Mayoral - E8
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1:03:46Brian Mayoral has been the number one peak performance strategist for Tony Robbins for over six years and is currently the CIO and founder of his agency called Sellup. As an avid sales manager and leader early on in his career, Brian joins us on Funds and Founders to discuss what he’s learned when it comes to selling yourself, common fears entrepre…
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