The Silicon Valley Podcast

Guest: David Hamilton Nichols Bio: David Hamilton Nichols is an American speaker, author, investor, and producer. Hailing from a prominent California farming family, David is best known as a global investor with a diverse portfolio spanning industrial and retail real estate, fast-growing startups, and impact investments across North America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa. His focus sectors include climate change, renewable energy, blockchain, AI, EdTech, and healthcare in Africa. David has served as a board member and advisor for various startups and has been featured in media outlets such as Entrepreneur, The Jerusalem Post, and Yahoo Finance. He was awarded the Global Impact Champion 2020-2021 by India Needs You (INY) and was listed among the “Top 10 Investors and Investment Companies to Follow in 2022” by the International Business Times. An accomplished speaker, David has delivered keynotes and participated in panels at prestigious venues including the Nobel Peace Center, the United Nations Association, and various family office summits. He has also been a transformational speaker in the personal development field across the United States. David is a published poet and article writer, currently working on a book titled "Mastering the Madness: Live Your Best Life, and Create a Better World." Additionally, he is a producer and executive producer on multiple entertainment and media projects. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, joining illustrious individuals such as Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, and Stephen Hawking. David is also an Eagle Scout from his youth in the Boy Scouts of America. Areas covered:   What exactly is a family office and what are the different types of family offices? What is the typical profile of a family that might consider establishing a family office, and how has the family office landscape evolved in recent years? What are some of the emerging trends in the family office space, such as direct investing and co-investments? How does a family office typically structure its investment strategy? Why might a startup seek investment from a family office? How important are warm introductions when approaching a family office, and how can startups cultivate those? What are the key differences between getting funding from a family office versus a traditional venture capital firm? Do venture capital firms like to work with family offices? How can startups effectively connect with and pitch to family offices? What are some common mistakes startups make when approaching family offices?   Closing: We want to thank David, for sharing your insights with us today. It has been a pleasure having him on the show. For our listeners who want to keep up with David's work, be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn. Links: Connect with David Hamilton Nichols on LinkedIn Stay tuned for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

From Startup to Exit: Brian Will's Lessons on Building and Scaling Successful Businesses   Guest: Brian Will, Serial Entrepreneur, Two-Time Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author, Business and Sales Management Consultant Bio: Brian Will has built a remarkable career creating successful companies across diverse industries. His experience in startups and Fortune 500s offers him a unique perspective on agile processes and their impact on businesses. Currently, he owns various businesses and serves on the city council in his hometown. Key Points and Questions: Brian's background and how it shaped the lessons in his book: Get insights into the experiences that influenced Brian's approach to business and the advice he shares. Delegation and its role in business growth: Understand why delegation is essential, even if it can be challenging, and how to effectively delegate management and tasks. Hiring the right people, especially the COO: Learn the importance of strategic hiring and the qualities to look for in a COO. Key lessons for scaling a business: Discover strategies to navigate the complexities of scaling a business and ensure sustainable growth. Avoiding burnout during business growth: Get practical tips on how entrepreneurs can maintain their well-being while scaling their businesses. Personal story illustrating a significant business lesson: Hear a relatable story from Brian's book that highlights a valuable lesson for entrepreneurs. Preparing a business for an exit: Learn the key steps to take to ensure a successful exit when the time is right. Impact of writing the book on Brian's views on entrepreneurship: Explore how the process of writing the book has shaped Brian's perspective on entrepreneurship. Notable reader feedback: Hear about any feedback from readers that particularly resonated with Brian. Where to find Brian's book and follow his work: Provide links and information on how listeners can connect with Brian and access his book. Final words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs: Share Brian's parting advice for those embarking on their entrepreneurial journey. Connect with Brian: Website: Home New - Brian Will Media LinkedIn: Brian Will | LinkedIn  Brian Will | LinkedIn Additional Notes: Reference to the first interview: Encourage listeners to check out the previous interview with Brian for more context.

Guest: Marsha Wulff, Impact investing pioneer with 40 years of experience building corporations, managing investments, and establishing a venture capital firm focused on Africa. Key Discussion Points: Marsha's Journey: Marsha will share her career path, including her role in building multi-billion dollar corporations and establishing a successful venture capital firm in Africa. Global Perspective vs. Afro-optimism: Explore the difference between these perspectives and their influence on African funding and development. Hurdles to African Funding: Discuss the primary challenges hindering funding in Africa and potential solutions to address them. Value Destruction in Africa: Understand the concept of value destruction and its specific manifestations within the African context. Ecosystem Construction for Progress: Identify the key factors that drive progression through ecosystem construction in Africa. Government and Charitable Reliance: Analyze whether increased reliance on government and charitable support is the solution to funding challenges or if alternative approaches are more effective. The White Savior Complex: Define the concept of a white savior and discuss its implications for development efforts in Africa. French-Speaking Africa's Lag: Explore why this region lags behind others in terms of development and funding opportunities. Angel Investing in Cote d'Ivoire: Provide guidance for individuals interested in angel investing in countries like Cote d'Ivoire. Startups in French-Speaking Africa: Discuss notable startups and the factors influencing their success or challenges. Emerging Trends and Sectors: Highlight promising investment and growth opportunities within African economies. Secondaries Market in Africa: Explain the existence and functioning of a secondaries market in Africa. Afro Hubs and Afrilabs: Understand the roles of these organizations in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. Learning More: Provide resources and advice for those interested in further exploring African funding and ecosystem development.   Call to Action: Connect with Marsha Wulff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshawulff/ Explore LoftyInc Capital Management: LoftyInc Capital – Backing early stage Afropreneurs building tech-enabled solutions for the "everyday economy"

Bio: Kristi Herold is the founder and CEO of JAM, a multi-million-dollar global business that has connected millions of people through play since its inception as one of the largest adult recreational sports leagues in the world. The JAM team has produced and delivered over 4,000 playful corporate events, in over 30 countries since the summer of 2020 and the JAM team consults organizations helping them integrate fun and play into their “workPLAYce culture”. JAM has been awarded “Canada’s Most Admired Culture Award,” and certified as “Great Places to Work – Canada” multiple times. Kristi is the best-selling author of It Pays to PLAY – How Play Improves Business Culture, a rich resource to help organizations playfully connect with their teams and improve productivity, retention, and workplace culture. Her vision is to get 1 million people playing annually! Awards and Accolades:   Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures – Emerging Award (2022)   Canada's Most Powerful Women - Top 100 (2020)   RBC / Women of Influence - Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards - Momentum - Top 3 (2020)   Sport & Social Industry Association - "Industry Impact Award" winner (2020)   Great Places to Work - Canada award (2019)   Governor General's "Diamond Jubliee Award" in recognition of contribution to community (2009)   Features:   Forbes Magazine, "Create Teamwork By Doing This,’” (2020) https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2020/03/05/create-teamwork-by-doing-this/#5c10c9c35aff   Fast Company, "Corporate Team Building," (2019) https://www.fastcompany.com/90510635/without-team-sports-this-recreational-league-company-is-still-committed-to-boosting-spirits   Toronto Star, “Kristi Herold is all about team spirit,” (2021) https://www.thestar.com/life/together/people/2021/02/28/kristi-herold-is-all-about-team-spirit-here-the-ceo-talks-sports-play-and-her-picks-for-the-top-toronto-online-fitness-classes.html We talk about:   When you look to acquire a business, what are your minimum expectations for the business you will acquire? How do you know if a target company’s culture fits yours when acquiring a company? What are some strategies for identifying and mitigating potential risks in a main street/lower mid-market business acquisition? Would you happen to have suggestions on going into a negotiation that you can share with us? What are some best practices for communicating with employees and maintaining morale during the M&A process? How do you ensure a smooth transition of key personnel and talent retention post-transaction What role does strategic planning and long-term vision play in the success of a business's mergers and acquisitions? How important is it to join mastermind groups and organizations outside of work? And much more   Connect with Kristi    https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-herold/   https://jamgroup.com/

Guest Speakers: Dario Fusato: CEO of Savvly Tony Derossi: Co-founder of Savvly About the Guests: Dario Fusato is the CEO of Savvly, a platform revolutionizing personal pensions and long-term financial security with market-driven solutions. He has extensive experience in building fintech solutions aimed at removing financial uncertainty. Tony Derossi is the co-founder of Savvly, an online platform designed to optimize retirement savings through innovative risk-sharing algorithms. With a background in insurance, technology, and strategic consulting, Tony brings a wealth of knowledge to the fintech and retirement planning industries. Episode Overview:In this episode, we dive into the innovative approach Savvly is taking to reshape retirement planning and financial security. Dario and Tony share their journey from successful corporate careers to entrepreneurship, the challenges of pioneering a new market, and their vision for the future of Savvly. The discussion covers key lessons learned, strategies for balancing innovation with risk management, and the importance of building a community around a startup. Key Questions Discussed: What inspired Dario and Tony to transition from corporate careers to founding Savvly? How do their corporate experiences influence the way they build and scale Savvly? What advice do they have for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those transitioning from corporate roles? What are the unique challenges of innovating in the fintech space for retirement solutions? What are Savvly's long-term goals and how do they plan to achieve them? Connect with the Guests: Dario Fusato: LinkedIn Tony Derossi: LinkedIn Savvly Website: www.savvly.com Closing Notes:If you’re interested in learning more about Savvly’s approach to financial longevity and retirement planning, be sure to visit their website or connect with Dario and Tony on LinkedIn.

Guests: John Lenker, Marketing Strategist & Communications Artist at LENKER Kevin deLaplante, Philosopher & Marketing Specialist at LENKER Episode Summary: Join us for a fascinating conversation with John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante, two experts from LENKER, as they delve into the world of marketing, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship. John, a seasoned marketing strategist with a passion for ethical marketing, shares his insights on developing and promoting products and services that resonate with audiences. Kevin, a former philosopher turned marketing specialist, brings a unique perspective on critical thinking and decision-making in the business world. Together, they discuss: Their career journeys and how they arrived at their current roles at LENKER The importance of competitive analysis and effective research when exploring new business ideas The role of AI in idea research and decision-making Key factors entrepreneurs should consider when evaluating marketing and business opportunities The balance between AI and human judgment in business Essential questions entrepreneurs should ask themselves before pursuing a new venture Lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful ventures The unique challenges and opportunities of working with Bitcoin millionaires How to qualify a business and conduct a comprehensive market opportunity analysis Strategies for staying ahead of industry trends and advancements The impact of effective competitive analysis on business success The future of AI integration in business decision-making Risk management strategies for entrepreneurs Resources: LENKER website: https://lenker.com Kevin deLaplante's website: https://kevindelaplante.com/my-writing The Argument Ninja Podcast: [Link to podcast] Call to Action: If you're looking to enhance your marketing strategies, refine your critical thinking skills, or navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship, this episode is a must-listen! Connect with John & Kevin: John Lenker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlenker/ Kevin deLaplante on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevindelaplante/

Show notes Mark Kleyner Mark is the co-founder of Dream VC, an entrepreneur, ecosystem builder and early-stage investor in Emerging Markets. Mark has worked within VCs in the UK, US, Europe and Africa and actively advises, coaches and mentors several very early stage West & East African startups - who have gone on to raise upwards of $10m in Venture Financing, and joined programs like Google's Black Founders Fund Africa, PioneerApp, TechStars and Y Combinator. Mark is passionate about empowering the private sector to take responsibility for making people's lives better and is a big advocate for Consumer and Enterprise Software Startups as mediums to improve lives around the world. Mark is also a co-founder of Dream VC, a leading remote program, helping founders, entrepreneurs and working professionals across the African continent and among the diaspora to break into the Venture Capital industry as emerging investors.   Beyond these activities, Mark is an active startup mentor in 9+ Accelerators and Incubators at Startupbootcamp, Impact Hub Lagos, Seedstars, Founder Institute and Village Capital. Mark is also a startup mentor with FasterCapital and StartupLoungeAfrica.     Dream VC and the mission you are on. The current investment landscape in Africa and some key trends shaping it? The role of diaspora investment in driving economic development and entrepreneurship in Africa? The unique opportunities that investors can find in African markets compared to other regions? How do political stability and regulatory environments impact investment decisions in Africa? How necessary is local knowledge and partnerships when investing in African markets? What are some key resources or sources of information that investors can leverage to stay informed about investment opportunities and developments in Africa?   Connect with Mark    https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkleyner/   https://www.dream-vc.com/

The Future of Small Business: AI & Real-Time Solutions  Guest: Sidharth Saxena, CEO and Founder of Docyt Show Notes Introduction: Welcome Note: The host introduces Sidharth Saxena, highlighting his role as the CEO and founder of Docyt, an innovative all-in-one financial management solution for small businesses. Episode Overview: Brief overview of the topics to be covered, including real-time bookkeeping, the role of AI in small business operations, and insights into building a successful tech startup. Main Discussion: Background and Journey: Sid’s Story: Sid shares his background and the journey leading up to the founding of Docyt, detailing his career path and experiences. Building Expertise: Navigating Challenges: Sid discusses how he navigated building a business in a field where he wasn't initially considered an expert and the strategies he employed to gain credibility and expertise. Real-Time Bookkeeping: Benefits for Small Businesses: Exploration of the advantages of real-time bookkeeping for small businesses, emphasizing why it’s crucial for efficiency and financial accuracy. AI in Small Business Operations: Transformative Impact: Sid shares his insights on how AI will continue to transform the operational aspects of small businesses, making them more efficient and competitive. Team and Innovation: Driving Innovation: A look at the Docyt team and their roles in fostering AI innovation in small business operations, highlighting key contributors and their expertise. Connecting with Sid: Further Engagement: Information on how listeners can connect with Sid and learn more about his work and Docyt’s offerings. Website  Best AI-Bookkeeping Software for Multiple Businesses | Docyt Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidharthsaxena/

In the fast-paced world of tech entrepreneurship, experience is invaluable. Oleg Golynker, a seasoned tech entrepreneur, manager, and investor since the mid-90s, shares his insights garnered from a journey marked by both epic failures and mind-blowing successes. About Oleg Golynker With a track record spanning decades, Oleg's journey in the tech industry has been nothing short of remarkable. From founding CTO of Global-e (Nasdaq: GLBE) to his current venture, Trueli, Oleg's career is a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of tech entrepreneurship. Solving Problems, Creating Solutions At Global-e, Oleg played a pivotal role in solving significant challenges for millions worldwide, culminating in one of the most celebrated IPOs of 2021. Now, with Trueli, Oleg aims to tackle another pressing issue – rescuing memories from the digital clutter that plagues our smartphones. Key Insights from Oleg Approaching New Ventures: Oleg sheds light on how the anticipation of an exit from a previous venture impacts the approach to starting a new company. Drawing from his wealth of experience, he discusses the importance of strategic planning and foresight in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape. Evolution of Startup Culture: Having witnessed the evolution of startups over the last two decades, Oleg shares his observations on how working at a startup has changed. From organizational structures to technological advancements, Oleg provides valuable insights into adapting to the ever-changing startup environment. Understanding Your Product: Oleg emphasizes the significance of thoroughly understanding the product or service you are selling. By delving into the importance of product-market fit and customer-centric approaches, Oleg offers invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Connect with Oleg To learn more about Oleg Golynker and his ventures, connect with him on LinkedIn or visit Trueli's website,  https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleggolynker/ https://www.trueli.me/

Episode Title: How AI is Disrupting Sales and Marketing with Raj Prasad Episode Description: In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, our host dives deep into the world of AI in marketing with expert Raj Prasad. With over 25 years of marketing experience, including roles as a CEO and Fractional CMO, Raj has developed a deep understanding of brand development and revenue growth. Join us as Raj shares insights from his impressive career and explores the transformative impact of AI on marketing strategies. From search engine optimization to targeted advertising, learn how AI is revolutionizing the way marketers understand consumer behavior and optimize their campaigns. Whether you’re a small business owner or a seasoned marketer, this episode is packed with valuable advice on integrating AI into your marketing efforts. Key Questions and Topics: Career Journey: Raj, can you tell our audience a little bit about your career up to this point? AI in Marketing Applications: What are some specific applications of AI in marketing that you find most impactful? SEO and Content Optimization: Can you discuss the impact of AI on search engine optimization (SEO) and content optimization? Consumer Behavior Analysis: How has AI changed the way marketers understand and analyze consumer behavior? Revolutionary AI Tools: Can you share examples of AI-powered tools or platforms that have revolutionized marketing strategies? Future of Targeted Advertising: How do you see AI shaping the future of targeted advertising and audience segmentation? Campaign Performance and ROI: In what ways does AI contribute to improving marketing campaign performance and ROI? Social Media Marketing: How can marketers leverage AI to optimize their social media marketing efforts? Challenges and Limitations: What challenges or limitations do marketers face when implementing AI in their strategies? AI for Small Businesses: How can small businesses or startups with limited resources benefit from AI in their marketing efforts? Future Role of Marketers: How do you see AI influencing the role of marketers in the future? Advice for Marketers: What advice would you give to marketers who are considering integrating AI into their marketing strategies? About Raj Prasad: Raj Prasad has over 25 years of marketing experience, including roles as a CEO and Fractional CMO. He has developed a deep understanding of brand development and revenue growth, focusing on using a range of marketing tools, such as PPC, SEO, Influencer Marketing, and Event Marketing, to build and strengthen brands. A key achievement was leading the product management for an Online Franchise Dealer Portal, an innovative B2B subscription model, which generated $24 million in revenue over four years. His approach centers around implementing effective digital marketing strategies, contributing to enhanced brand recognition and business performance. This experience is well-suited for roles requiring a strategic yet hands-on approach to digital marketing, where data-driven decisions and a clear vision are essential for driving growth. Connect with Raj Prasad:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajpras/ Raj Prasad | LinkedIn   Listen Now: Tune in to this insightful conversation with Raj Prasad and discover how AI can transform your marketing strategies for better performance and results. Make sure to subscribe to The Silicon Valley Podcast for more expert insights and discussions on the latest trends in technology and business. Don’t forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your network!

Episode Summary: In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with J.P. Keating, a prominent figure in the supply chain and mobility sectors. J.P. shares his extensive career history and provides deep insights into the rapidly evolving world of supply chain technology, mobility startups, and the complexities of navigating these industries. From discussing the sexiness of supply chain tech to addressing the critical challenges and sustainability considerations, J.P. offers a comprehensive look at the present and future of these dynamic fields. Key Topics Covered: Career Background: P. Keating gives an overview of his career journey and experiences that have shaped his expertise in supply chain and mobility sectors. Supply Chain Technology: Why supply chain tech is one of the most exciting fields in technology today. The impact of recent advancements and why people should be excited about this sector. Evolving Mobility: Navigating the complexity of mobility startups amidst advancements in autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and other technologies. Regulations and Policies: The importance of understanding regulations and policies when building or investing in companies within the supply chain and mobility spaces. Challenges in the Sector: Unique challenges faced by startups and investors in supply chain and mobility compared to other sectors. Technology Evolution: How technologies like human-less electric cargo planes evolve compared to software MVPs and iterative testing. Resilience to Disruptions: Assessing the resilience of supply chain startups to disruptions caused by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability Initiatives: Evaluating the sustainability practices of companies in the supply chain and mobility industries. Economic Impact: The importance of supply chain and mobility to the overall economics of cities and countries. How the adoption of new technologies can impact GDP. Global Interest: Identifying the regions and stakeholders most interested in supply chain and mobility technologies. Philosophy on Success: P. shares his philosophy on "stacking bills without anyone knowing who you are" and its implications for business success. Exit Strategies: Discussing the preferred exit strategies for companies in the supply chain and mobility sectors. IPO vs. earlier round exits. Value to Founders: Why founders should be excited to have J.P. and his team on their cap table. Success Stories: P. shares a compelling story of a company he worked with or one in the supply chain and mobility space. Connect with J.P.: How listeners can learn more about J.P. Keating and his current projects. Listener Takeaways: Gain insights into the cutting-edge developments in supply chain and mobility technologies. Understand the challenges and opportunities in navigating these rapidly changing industries. Learn about the importance of sustainability and regulatory knowledge in building successful startups. Discover the economic impact and global interest in supply chain and mobility advancements. Hear real-world success stories and practical advice from an industry expert. Resources: P. Keating's LinkedIn

LinkedIn Profile: Ms. Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke Episode Summary In this episode, we dive into the Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact Investing (NPO) with distinguished panel members Ms. Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke, Ms. Ayodele Olojede, Ms. Elizabeth Oguegbu, and Mr. Tola Adekunle-Johnson. They share insights into the NPO's objectives, strategies, and initiatives aimed at fostering job creation and economic growth in Nigeria. Key Questions and Topics Discussed Introductions Ms. Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke: Chairperson of the NPO, providing a brief overview of her role and background. Ms. Ayodele Olojede: Representative from Wema Bank and NPO Implementing Committee member, sharing her expertise and involvement. Ms. Elizabeth Oguegbu: Representative from Access Bank and NPO Implementing Committee member, introducing her role and contributions. Background and History of NPO The origin and evolution of the Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact Investing. The role and significance of the NPO in Nigeria's economic landscape. Coordination with Public Office How the NPO collaborates with the Vice President's office to streamline efforts. The integration of public and private sector initiatives. Organizational Goals and Strategies Primary objectives of the NPO and the strategies in place to achieve them. Key focus areas and intended outcomes. Pipeline of Companies and Resource Needs Developing a robust pipeline of companies. Resources and support required to scale up job creation efforts. 50% Allocation to Women Recipients Definition and criteria for women recipients (founders, co-founders, advisors). Long-term goals and impacts of this allocation criterion. Grants and Requirements Conditions and potential matching investment requirements tied to grants. Efficiency in deploying grants to ensure timely job creation. Sector Focus and Decision Process Specific sectors targeted for capital deployment. Rationale behind the selection of these sectors. Potential for Model Replication Possibilities of other African countries adopting a similar model. Expected outcomes and benefits for the broader African continent. Investor Partnerships Opportunities for Silicon Valley investors to partner with and invest in the NPO initiative. Ways to foster collaboration and mutual growth. Growth and Expansion Strategies Plans for companies to expand into new markets. Strategies for growth and international expansion. Governance and Utilization of Funds Assurance mechanisms for proper utilization of grant money. Governance structures tied to financial assistance. Funding Application Process Information companies need to provide to secure funding. Criteria and eligibility requirements for applicants. Beyond Financial Assistance Additional support provided to companies beyond funding. Resources and mentorship available to aid business growth. Role of Technology and Innovation Importance of technology and innovation in the NPO's investment strategy. Future trends and opportunities.

Guest: John Hittler | LinkedIn Overview: In this episode, we dive deep into the extraordinary journey of John Hittler, a CEO Trusted Advisor, 9-time Founder and CEO, funding source, author, TEDx speaker, and father of seven. John shares his wealth of experience, insights into leadership, and strategies for balancing a demanding career with personal life. Discussion Points: Career History John provides an overview of his career path, highlighting key milestones and achievements. Time Management As a busy professional with multiple roles, John discusses how he efficiently manages his time and responsibilities. Overcoming Challenges John shares notable challenges and setbacks he has faced in his career and the strategies he used to overcome them. Entrepreneurial Stories Reflecting on the companies he has started, John recounts some memorable experiences and lessons learned. Evoking Genius John explains his motivation for founding Evoking Genius after successfully starting nine other companies. Methodologies and Frameworks Insight into the specific methodologies or frameworks John utilizes with his clients to drive success. Qualities of Successful Leaders Discussing the key characteristics that differentiate elite leaders from the average person and what makes them successful. Initial Client Sessions What a first session with John looks like and how he sets the stage for productive coaching relationships. Leveraging Strengths and Talents John's approach to identifying and leveraging unique strengths and talents within an organization. Finding Balance and Avoiding Burnout Strategies for supporting leaders in maintaining balance and preventing burnout in high-pressure environments. Client Success Stories Anonymous success stories showcasing how John has helped clients achieve their goals. Continuous Learning How John stays informed and ensures his insights and strategies remain relevant in the ever-evolving business landscape. Cultivating Innovation and Creativity Advice for aspiring leaders or entrepreneurs on fostering innovation and creativity within their teams. Common Challenges and Misconceptions Addressing common challenges and misconceptions encountered when working with organizations and how John handles them. Misconceptions about CEOs Exploring common misconceptions people have about CEOs and the realities of their roles. Connect with John Hittler Information on how to learn more about John and his current projects, along with contact details for further engagement.

Ep 228 Unlocking Venture Capital Insights with Brian Bell: Strategies, SPVs, and Future Trends   Brian Bell Bio   Managing Partner at Team Ignite Ventures | ex AI at AWS, Microsoft, and several startups.   Main Discussion Background and Experience Brian’s Journey: Brian shares a brief introduction to his background, career path, and how he became a venture capitalist. Venture Capital Landscape Evolution of Venture Capital: Brian discusses the evolving landscape of venture capital, including current trends and future outlooks. Aspiring Venture Capitalists Starting in VC: Practical advice from Brian for those aspiring to enter the venture capital industry. Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) Investing and Managing SPVs: Insights into Brian’s experience with SPVs, including the benefits and challenges. Value-Add for VCs Future Value-Add: Brian’s perspective on where the most significant value-add for venture capitalists will lie in the future from both the investor and company perspectives. VC Branding Importance of VC Brand: Discussion on the future significance of having a venture capital brand on a company's cap table. Portfolio Management Tracking Investments: How angel investors typically keep track of their portfolio companies. Effective Communication: Examples of how companies effectively maintain communication with their investors. Founders Seeking Capital Timing and Strategy: Brian’s thoughts on why some founders wait until the last minute to seek capital or consider selling their companies. Investment Write-Offs Implications of Write-Offs: The impact of writing off an investment in terms of taxes, returns, and LP reports. Reporting to LPs Types of Reports: Insights into the types of reports venture capitalists typically provide to their limited partners. Newsletters Advantages of Newsletters: The benefits for both venture capitalists and founders in maintaining a newsletter. Personal Branding Marketing Efforts: Brian’s approach to managing his marketing efforts and building his personal brand. Relocation Insights Pros and Cons of Moving: Brian shares his experiences and thoughts on relocating from Silicon Valley, including the pros and cons of his new living situation. Connecting with Brian Staying Connected: Information on how to learn more about Brian and his current ventures, including the best ways to connect with him. Connect with Brian    https://www.linkedin.com/in/bblinkedin/   Subscribe to Brian’s substack  https://brianrbell.substack.com/

Sara Zare Bio   Leadership philosophy: Inform, Enable, Empower - and witness the magic. Mission: building the "3 Founder Unicorns" community. Slogan: quoting Alexander Hamilton -- as he allegedly sang: I am not throwing away my shot!   Armed with degrees in Mechanical, Electrical, Nano, Bio, and Software Engineering from prestigious institutions in the USA, Germany, and Iran, coupled with fluency in English, German, and Persian, my perspective is detailed and holistic as well as local and global. My insatiable curiosity about human psychology, on top of my background, afford me a unique vantage point on the interplay of engineering, science, and the mosaic of human aspiration, desire, and motivation.   My track record in the productization of emerging technologies, transformative leadership impacting hundreds of teams at Google and beyond, and an insatiable curiosity for historical reflection and future forecasting, form the cornerstone of my fascination with '3 Founder Unicorns'. A vision of a future where innovation is democratized, enabling the creation of highly profitable startups with minimal capital, at unprecedented speeds. Hence I am building and leading the 'Gen-AI-Enabled Founder Community', where super savvy, creative and capable entrepreneurs gather to teach each other and learn from each other how to build their own Virtual Workforce.   In this weeks episode, we talk about   How Ai is impacting Silicon Valley   The Future of Venture Capitalism and how it will never be the same   The opportunities for everyone with the power of AI Should we afraid of AI   And Much more…   Connect with Sara on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarazare/

In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we delve into the dynamic world of investment banking with the esteemed Vincent Monteparte, a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience in managing strategic enterprise initiatives across various industries. Vincent Monteparte serves as a Board Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Dalrada Financial Corporation (DFCO), a Healthcare, Technology, and Clean Energy Company. Additionally, he holds Board Director positions for Measurabl, a global sustainability SaaS Software company, and Slingshot Aerospace, a computer vision AI SaaS software company for the commercial/government satellite industry. He also serves on the boards of Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and the College of Business and Engineering for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. With a background spanning mergers & acquisitions for the middle market, board leadership & governance, market expertise & positioning, and strategic business investment & planning, Vincent brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Here are some key questions we explore with Vincent:   How early should a business owner start to talk to an investment banker for planning the sale of their business, and when should a company start to prepare for an exit? How important is it for a founder to plan for an exit? How does one think about the valuation of their company? What are some warning signs that an investment banker can see that may indicate a deal will not work? After the sale is complete, what do you want your client to say about you as an investment banker? How will investment banking change with the addition of new technology? We also touch on the evolution of investment banking over the years and explore the potential competition between Venture Capitalists and family offices for deals in the future. Join us for this enlightening discussion with Vincent Monteparte as we uncover the intricacies of investment banking and gain valuable insights into the world of finance and deal-making. Connect with Vincent Monteparte on LinkedIn

Ron Whittier Interview Introduction Intel Corporation was founded in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, who left Fairchild Semiconductor to start their own company. In the early years from 1970 to 1978, Intel went through major inflection points that helped transform it from a startup to an industry leader. Ron Whittier, who joined Intel in 1970 as an engineering manager, played a key role in navigating many of these pivotal moments. This included instilling the pioneering "Intel Culture" driven by Andy Grove, expanding into new product lines like microprocessors, raising funds through Intel's first public offering in 1972, and then rapidly scaling up design and manufacturing capabilities. From 1978 to 2000, Intel experienced explosive growth riding the PC revolution and the emergence of the world-wide web. Ron helped the company successfully navigate through additional inflection points like improving manufacturing processes under Craig Barrett's leadership, the famous decision to exit the DRAM business to focus on microprocessors, developing major marketing campaigns like "Intel Inside", transitioning to being a sole microprocessor supplier, and forming new groups like the Intel Architecture Labs and Intel Capital. Through recognizing and deftly navigating these many inflection points, Ron and Intel's leadership team transformed the company into a global technology powerhouse. We talked about   How did Intel balance looking for outside ideas and developing things internally? When you listen to historians talk about the history of Intel, what are they missing or not getting 100% correct? What words do you want to say to the next generation of Intel employees and entrepreneurs out there? Did you ever look at the other companies in Silicon Valley and think that their businesses were being run in ways that you wished to model? And much more…

Martin Tobias: Navigating the Landscape of Investment and Entrepreneurship In the ever-evolving world of investment and entrepreneurship, few voices resonate with the depth of experience and insight quite like that of Martin Tobias. With a career spanning decades and ventures across various industries, Martin brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the table. A Passion for the Formation Stage "I have always been excited in the formation stage of things," Martin shares. "The early stuff. Who is the customer? What is the product? And how do we sell it? That is the part I like." For Martin, the early stages of a venture present the most intriguing challenges and opportunities. It's where decisions are made, bets are placed, and the course of action is charted. Over the years, Martin has been at the helm of numerous ventures, raising over $500M in equity, project finance, and working capital. Investor, Mentor, Entrepreneur Beyond his role as a CEO and investor, Martin's entrepreneurial journey is peppered with diverse experiences. From owning bars and restaurants to venturing into renewable energy and technology investing, Martin's portfolio reflects his insatiable curiosity and drive to solve complex problems. He has personally invested in over 70 startups and led several through venture funds, all while engaging in charitable endeavors through the Martin Tobias Family Foundation. Exploring Industry Dynamics In our conversation with Martin, we delved into several key areas shaping the investment and entrepreneurship landscape: Evolution of Preseed and Seed Stages: Martin shared insights into how these stages have evolved over the years and the implications for founders navigating early-stage funding. Enhanced Connections Between Founders and Investors: We discussed emerging solutions and trends facilitating better connections between founders and investors, essential for fostering successful partnerships. AI in Investor Meetings: Martin shed light on how founders are leveraging AI to prepare for investor meetings, streamlining the pitching process and unlocking new efficiencies. Opportunities Amidst Global Challenges: Despite the current global landscape's challenges, Martin remains optimistic about the unique opportunities it presents for aspiring entrepreneurs. Connect with Martin Tobias To learn more about Martin's work and insights, you can connect with him on LinkedIn or visit Incisive VC, where he continues to make an indelible mark on the world of investment and entrepreneurship. LinkedIn: Martin Tobias Incisive VC: Explore Here In a world brimming with possibilities, Martin Tobias stands as a beacon of wisdom and inspiration, guiding entrepreneurs and investors alike on their journey towards success.

Michael J. Firestone, CFA  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljfirestone/ Fire Capital Management, LLC is a boutique investment management company that helps people achieve their dreams. We empower our clients to re-imagine what is possible to accomplish with their investments, social impact goals, and family legacy. The firm offers private wealth management and multi-family office services to HNW individuals, families, and foundations. Fire Capital Management is strategically headquartered in the heart of innovation economy, San Francisco, CA.   Sophie Tsang, MBA https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophietsang/ Sophie’s Civil Engineering background and marketing expertise contribute to her broad understanding and high efficiency in marketing real estate properties. She has been consistently a top performer since 2005, and personally ranks the highest 1% by volume of all Silicon Valley Realtors. Also a WSJ Real Trends 2022 America's Best Honoree. As a seasoned negotiator, Sophie’s no-nonsense marketing system and meticulous attention to details have been key success factors. She is known as the The Fixer, or Miracle Worker, frequently helps sellers sell their homes when other agents had failed or given up. She helps buyers get into homes when they previously struggled. 20+ years in Real Estate, Sophie has honed her skills on getting the best possible results for her clients. Her trusted network of vendors and use of cutting-edge technology ensure each step of each transaction is executed to achieve next level result! Sophie is a proud parent of 2 Eagle Scouts (in college). She has done guest speaking at Faith Radio, and written a column for World Journal Newspaper to share her Real Estate knowledge. Sophie is a Palo Alto Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow, also a Golden Gate Keeper (Golden Gate National Park Conservancy).   Jeanie (Kim) Colclough   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcolcloughtravel/ In my professional role as a travel advisor, I specialize in creating soft adventure experiences for my clients. My favorite types of trips to book include: Cultural Immersion Vacations — These trips are designed to get travelers interacting with local people, experiencing cultural events and dining on authentic cuisine. Culinary Tours — Perfect for foodies and wine lovers, culinary tours allow travelers to experience the unique flavor of their destination. Active Vacations As I carve my own path within the travel industry, I have made this quote my motto: "Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind." These words of Seneca define the need for travel as part of our human experience. When we book a vacation to a new destination, whether it's a tropical island filled with the potential for relaxation or an ancient city built for learning and exploring, we know we will be changed by the experience. Travelers come home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, while also yearning for more at the same time. Contact me today to book your next adventure! I look forward to helping you every step of the way.   We discuss:   What are the most common mistakes people on the panel see people make as soon as they have a large sum of money?    Depending on the exit price, what are some options a seller must know to do the right things to create generational wealth or maintain the exit for a needed amount of time?   After they exit their companies or sell a part of them, many people want to diversify their wealth; what are some ways that they choose to do this?   What issues do they face if they are looking to invest in real estate?   What about if they want to start investing in real estate projects? Are there any problems they might face?   If an owner doesn’t properly plan before the sale, what can they do afterward to mitigate taxes?   The most common thing owners say the first thing they will do after selling a business is to go on a trip. What are things they should consider?   If there are economic changes, how would they impact the new l

Karen (Kovaleski) Traversi, SHRM-CP https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmtraversi/   I work with CEOs that are going through transitions or disruptive stages due to M&A activity, growth, upscaling markets or are looking to create value, including start-ups. I am a revenue optimization expert that helps leadership make the right decision for solution & client development as well as integration & cross-functional alignment for efficient revenue growth. I have successfully helped companies ranging in size from start-up to >$100 million as well as those looking to monetize assets such as TMP/Monster.com, Ticketmaster, and Revolution Health Group. Call Me When You Have: • Rapid growth (or market adjustments) which create distraction, missing goal targets, etc.• Turnover with customers or teams, interrupting operations.• A need for integrating departments, increasing efficiencies, and reducing department friction ensuring sales, marketing and client delivery play nice in the sandbox.• A startup needing support in terms of growth and addressing the foundational aspects of a changing organization, including HR/benefits. I work with clients to uncover the core issues/opportunities, set strategy, and execute work as either project consultant, in an ongoing engagement or as a fractional role.       Angelo DeSando   https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelo-desando-0b19633b/   Commercial Insurance Specialist - Workers’ Comp Insurance Expert - Exclusive Programs   DeSando Insurance Services was formed in 1978 by my father, Mark DeSando. I began my career at DeSando Insurance in 2006 assisting my father in varies aspects of the insurance business. I quickly discovered my passion for helping clients protect what matter most to them. In 2008 I transitioned our firm from a captive company to an independent insurance brokerage. I now manage DeSando Insurance Services full time where I have grown the business by offering the best possible solutions unmatched by any of my competitors. I take pride in the integrity and professionalism our firm offers to the marketplace. I greatly appreciate every referral as this has been the building blocks of our foundation. My product of expertise is in workers compensation. I can offer innovative exclusive products that will provide the best solutions for the staffing, construction, manufacturing, distribution, and other blue-collar industries. With this wealth of knowledge, it has helped me dominate and broaden our expertise appetite to include general liability, commercial property, commercial auto, bonding, professional liability and WRAP policies.I take pride in being family owned since our inception and I am grateful it has grown to a second-generation company. My goal is to continue to dominate with our expansion while never forgetting that every client and member of our company is part of the DeSando family. Please contact me if you share my same vision and would like to be apart of the family either as a client, employee, or business partner. We are always expanding!       John Morada https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnvmorada/   As an S&O and M&A executive, I love what I do to grow existing corporations. And I am equally as passionate about growing the next generation of corporations. If you are a startup, I would love to hear what you are working on. Please check out my investing requirements at https://bayangels.com/requirements/ since I am a member of the Bay Angels investing group. If you are a VC looking to get into the Bay Angels deal flow then please send me an email to partnerships@bayangels.com. Or if you have a business that you think would be useful to Bay Angels, I would enjoy hearing from you. Let’s start a thread at partnerships@bayangels.com.

Tyler Marin, CPA https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler/   Have you ever felt like your business is capable of more but just can't seem to break through to the next level? I'm Tyler, and I turn those "almost there" businesses into flourishing success stories. With more than two decades in finance and entrepreneurship, I specialize in propelling businesses with revenues between $1 million and $15 million to new heights.My Approach: One Clear PathImagine a system so clear and effective that your business's financial uncertainties turn into milestones of success. That's One Clear Path for you. It's a six-step journey tailored to stabilize and amplify your cash flow. Our monthly color-coded scorecard (green for thriving, yellow for caution, and red for critical areas) simplifies complex financial data, ensuring we're always moving forward.How I Propel Your Business:* Transforming inconsistent cash flow into a consistent positive cash flow* Cultivating financial strategies for both short-term and long-term goals.* Elevating your profit margins beyond just 'good enough'.* Aligning your business's financial trajectory with your personal vision.* Streamlining financial processes for efficiency and innovation.* Strategic financial forecasting to prepare you for what's next.* Personalized, experience-backed advice to tackle your unique business challenges.My Credentials:* Founded a CPA firm to grew to 200 clients that led to a successful exit.* Grew a staffing firm from $5 million to a $25 million in revenue that led to a successful exit.* Served as a financial leader in a major non-profit organization.* Active associate board member at a Northern California Credit Union.* Advisory roles in multiple multi-million dollar companies.   Jane Beule https://www.linkedin.com/in/janebeule/ Founder and CEO, Griffin Black, Inc. | NAPFA Registered Financial Advisor | CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional Over the years I have worked on Wall Street and I have worked in tech, but it is my current job that I find most fulfilling. Griffin Black, the company I founded in 2001, is a Registered Investment Advisor. We bring together a love of finance and passion for leveraging technology to help individuals and families make the most of their money and live the kind of lives that they envision.Delivering great financial advice and service, however, requires more than good tools and technical expertise. It takes a real understanding of each individual client’s values, personality, and long-term goals. This human element is what distinguishes a great advisor from the pack, and what enables the creation of a personal financial strategy that has the potential to be implementable and fulfilling, as well as financially sound. Are you hesitant to talk to a human advisor because you think it will be too expensive? (Hint: it needn’t be.) Are you looking for financial support and advice that is truly you-centric? Are you overwhelmed and confused by all of the automated financial tools and investment choices that are being pitched to you these days? If so, we’d be happy to hear from you.   Sheri Pan, CFP® https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheripan/   As the founder and CEO, Sheri brings her breadth of knowledge as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner to clients, so they can make informed decisions when planning their financial future. Also, her Master’s Degree in Taxation gives her a unique advantage to advice on tax planning. Her many years of experience and education offer her clients many benefits, as Sheri is able to tackle multifaceted tax situations and minimize liabilities. This enhanced expertise makes her an asset to those seeking in-depth tax advice during their careers, before and after retirement, and while they form estate plans. Prior to founding Pantheon Wealth Planning, Sheri Pan took a position at Morgan Stanley. Before long, she realized that while she enjoyed asset management, something was missing in her work. Instead of serving

Show notes for Amman Ahmed. Amman Ahmed is a seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse background in e-business, venture-backed startups, and brand building. With a keen eye for identifying market niches and driving business growth, Amman brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussion.   Background   The Story of "Petflix", a crazy idea born in Manchester and acquired in Hollywood for 8 figures. Founded by Amman Ahmed, who built 'The 'Netflix for Pets' - relaxing Music and TV created in house based on 8 years of research. RelaxMyDog and RelaxMyCat are the two brands now consumed by 50 million pets around the world.   With an insanely wild idea, Amman would get laughed at by investors so his only option was to use his own money of £1000 to get this idea off the ground in a lean way.    By creating his own researching, his own team of international producers and marketers. He scaled the business to a multiple million pound international business without investors. Until catching the eye of a major Rap/Hip-hop record label in Hollywood who went on to buy the business.    RelaxMyDog and RelaxMyCat was a side hustle for years while he was the founder of another VC backed music discovery app that failed.    He has experience both sides of the coin, VC backed founder and a bootstrapped founder.    Questions and Topics covered   Can you give us a brief overview of your career journey leading up to this point?   What does it mean to be an "E-Business Specialist," and how did your experience in that role shape your entrepreneurial path?   Let's talk about venture-backed versus non-venture-backed businesses. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?   When is the right time for a founder to consider pivoting a business versus closing it down entirely?   What conversations did you have with investors when you knew it was time to step away from a business as a founder?   How did you discover your niche with Roundwaves, and what aspects of that business did you find most rewarding?   Building a business on a platform like YouTube can be challenging. What were your experiences and concerns during that journey?   As a founder, what were the major value drivers of your business that you emphasized to investors?   Can you shed some light on the role of a brand ambassador and how one can secure such a position?   MusicForPets versus Roundwaves—what lessons did you carry over from one venture to the other?   Reflecting on MusicForPets, what aspects of the business do you think could have been improved?   How was the transition period for you when your company was acquired?   What advice would you give to a founder transitioning from business ownership to employment in a larger company? Looking back at your journey, how would you describe yourself personally during each business endeavor?   Lastly, what exciting projects or ventures do you have planned for the future?   Connect with Amman https://www.linkedin.com/in/ammanahmed/   https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13000305/la-hip-hop-producer-pet-musician-record-deal.html

Board Dynamics and Advisory Roles with Louise Broekman In this episode, we dive deep into the world of corporate governance and advisory boards with esteemed guest Louise Broekman. Louise brings a wealth of experience and insights gained from her extensive career in board advisory roles. Here's a breakdown of the intriguing topics covered in our conversation: Introduction to Louise Broekman's Career Louise provides a brief overview of her career journey, highlighting key milestones and experiences that have shaped her expertise in the field. Understanding Board Dynamics We start with the basics, exploring how boards are set up and the distinct roles each member typically plays within the boardroom. Differentiating Observer, Consultant, and Advisor Roles Louise clarifies the differences between observers, consultants, and advisors in the context of a board, shedding light on their respective contributions. Enhancing Board Member Skills and Continuous Improvement Discussing the importance of continuous improvement, Louise shares valuable insights on how individuals can enhance their skills to become more effective board members or advisors. Compensation for Advisory Board Members Louise addresses the compensation aspect, explaining how advisors typically get compensated for their time and expertise. Positive Impact of Advisory Boards on Company Performance We delve into the positive changes expected in a company when an advisory board is performing optimally. Key Distinctions between Private and Public Company Boards Louise outlines the key differences between serving on private boards versus public company boards, providing valuable insights into each setting. Barriers to Joining Large Public Company Boards Exploring potential barriers, Louise discusses qualifications that might hinder someone from joining the board of a large public company. Creating Diversity Within Boards Louise shares insights into the process of creating diversity within a board and its significance for effective decision-making. Success Stories and Impact of Strong Advisory Boards Louise shares a compelling success story where the presence of a strong advisory board led to significant positive outcomes for a company. Evolution of Advisory Boards and Future Trends Reflecting on the evolution of advisory boards, Louise discusses emerging trends and future projections for the role of advisory boards. Challenges for Startups in Managing Advisory Boards We explore unique challenges faced by startups when establishing and managing advisory boards. Assessing Advisory Board Effectiveness and Governance Best Practices Louise provides valuable advice on assessing advisory board effectiveness and optimizing board structures for governance best practices. Practical Steps for Aspiring Board Members Closing on a practical note, Louise offers actionable steps for individuals aspiring to serve on a board in the future. Learn More About Louise Broekman  Louise Broekman | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-broekman/ https://www.advisoryboardcentre.com

Show notes Joe Siencinski 2nd interview https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesiecinski/       My passion is mentoring CEOs and Executive Teams who want to be in control of the growth and expansion of their business. My clients develop and grow in confidence, agility, awareness, and leadership essentials. One thing is for sure, they expand their influence, communicate more effectively, cultivate strong business and personal relationships, and develop a powerful team so the company can focus on exponential growth.WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU: --------------------------------------------------------powerful tools, time-tested processes, and comprehensive resources, I guide my clients to a great business -- one that is achieving optimal success, as defined by them.MY APPROACH:Exponential growth is attainable. My role is to help you strip away the confusion of constantly changing economic, regulatory, personnel, supply chain, and cash flow issues that can cripple a business. I help you dive deep into the bones of the organization – the framework around which you can set the policies, procedures, systems, strategies, tactical plans, marketing initiatives, sales campaigns, hiring & firing processes, and much, much more. Just like building a house, we’ll start with laying the foundation upon which a sturdy, strong, long lasting, profitable, ethical, respected business can be built.       We talk about   The DISC personalities When to raise capital The power of communication and leadership in a business Setting personal goals before business goals AI and how it will impact business owner.   And much more       Connect with Joe   ✅Email me at joe@brainsharecoach.com✅Schedule a call https://my.timedriver.com/VNTR6 https://www.brainshare.online/pages/3-paths-page

Exploring the unique challenges and opportunities for startups in Silicon Valley and Saudi Arabia, and how collaboration between these two regions can drive innovation and growth.

Building Your Tribe, Unleashing the Power of a Startup Wolfpack with Michael Devellano Topic: Navigating the entrepreneurial journey, fostering strong communities, and leveraging the power of collaboration. Intro: Introduce Michael and his background in startups, investment, and community building. Highlight his book, "Form Your Pack," as a guide for entrepreneurs to create and empower their own support networks. Building Your Wolfpack: Discuss the core concept of the "Wolfpack" and why it's crucial for entrepreneurial success. Explore the book's goal of equipping listeners with tools and strategies to build their own powerful communities. Cracking the Success Formula: Ask Michael to share his personal insights on the elusive formula for success in the business world. Delve into his unique perspective that goes beyond traditional "hustle" or "innovation." Understanding Keiretsu: Briefly explain the history and unique structure of Keiretsu, a venture capital firm focused on community-driven decision-making. Analyze the pros and cons of this model for both entrepreneurs and investors. YC Meets Wu-Tang Clan: Explore the surprising connection Michael draws between Y Combinator, the prestigious startup accelerator, and the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Discuss the common threads of building strong communities and driving impact through collaboration. Power of Public Building: Unpack the potential benefits and challenges of building your company "in public," as Michael advocates. Explore effective strategies for engaging communities and leveraging transparency for growth. Behind the Board Ape Club: Share Michael's perspective on the phenomenal success of the Bored Ape Yacht Club, a community-driven NFT project. Analyze the key factors that contributed to its rise and the valuable lessons for other entrepreneurs. Optimizing Your Wolfpack: Discuss ideal pack size and strategies for ensuring everyone contributes meaningfully. delve into the process of establishing a shared agenda and aligning individual goals with the pack's mission. Beware the Dark Triad: Explain the concept of the "three dark triad" personalities (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and their potential to harm a pack's dynamics. Offer tips for identifying and mitigating the negative impact of these individuals. Embracing Wrong Decisions: Dive deeper into Michael's powerful quote about accepting the risk of making wrong decisions. Discuss the importance of failing forward and learning from mistakes in the entrepreneurial journey. Connect with Michael: (9) Michael Devellano | LinkedIn

Show notes for Adam Coffey   Bio: CEO, Board Member, Best-Selling Author, and Acclaimed International Speaker, Adam Coffey is a visionary leader who drives transformative growth and fosters high-performance cultures.With 21+ years of experience as CEO, Adam led three national private equity-backed service companies for 9 private equity sponsors. During this time period he completed 58 acquisitions, his track record includes notable outcomes measured in the billions, averaging 5x MOIC at exit.Adam is a respected mentor to MBA candidates and a sought-after speaker at UCLA. He brings diverse expertise from commercial and industrial service businesses, alongside being a licensed general contractor, pilot, former GE executive, and US Army veteran.As an author, Adam's books "The Private Equity Playbook" (2019), "The Exit Strategy Playbook" (2021) and Empire Builder (2023) all became #1 Amazon Best Sellers. Recognized as one of the "Most Influential Leaders" by the Orange County Business Journal, he founded the CEO Advisory Guru in 2021, providing consulting services to private equity firms, their portfolio companies and to founders.Adam's impactful seminars have generated millions in revenue, solidifying his position as one of the world's top speakers. He resides in Westlake, TX, with his family. Outline of episode   Intro : Briefly introduce Adam and his expertise in private equity and business growth. Mention his bestselling books, "The Private Equity Playbook", "The Exit Strategy Playbook", and "Empire Builder". Understanding Private Equity: Refresh listeners' memory:Briefly explain the role of private equity in business growth and its different types (venture capital, buyout funds, etc.). Leveraging PE:Discuss how companies can use PE for funding, acquisitions, and operational expertise. The Private Equity Pyramid: Explain Adam's concept of the private equity pyramid and its stages based on revenue (ideally, include illustrative graphics). Discuss how entrepreneurs can apply this framework to their own growth strategy. Growth Stages and Revenue Milestones: Compare traditional Silicon Valley funding stages (pre-seed, seed, etc.) with Adam's revenue-based stages. Provide practical insights for entrepreneurs on identifying their current stage and key milestones for growth. Building a Great Culture: Debunk myths about company culture (beer on tap, ping pong tables) and emphasize Adam's core principles for building a high-performance culture. Discuss factors like leadership, communication, and employee engagement. Unit Economics and Financial Fundamentals: Explain the importance of calculating unit economics (cost to acquire/retain a customer, lifetime value, etc.). Discuss when companies should start tracking these metrics and how they can be used for informed decision-making. Product-Based Business Essentials: Share Adam's insights on what makes a good product-based business. (e.g., product-market fit, customer focus, continuous iteration). Provide actionable tips for entrepreneurs to improve their product strategy. Transparency and Communication: Discuss the importance of transparency and open communication within a company, especially during different growth stages. Offer guidance on balancing transparency with maintaining strategic confidentiality. Culture and Revenue: The Intertwined Path: Explore the relationship between company culture and revenue growth. Explain how a positive culture can drive employee engagement, productivity, and ultimately, financial success. Pricing Power and Growth Levers: Discuss who "owns the price" in a company and how to establish strong pricing power. Share key growth levers entrepreneurs can pull to increase revenue and market share. The Power of Rolling Over Equity: Explain the concept of rolling over equity during a company exit and its potential benefits for founders. Provide guidance for entrepreneurs on negotiating favorable terms for their equity stake. Connect with Adam https:

Paul Epstein, leadership expert, organizational culture guru, and Founder of Purpose Labs. With nearly fifteen years of experience in professional sports management and business coaching, Paul shares his transformative journey and insights with our audience. Career Journey: A brief overview of Paul's career, from his roles in multiple NFL and NBA teams to his current mission with Purpose Labs. The life-changing transformation at the San Francisco 49ers that led Paul to discover his 'Why' and inspire purpose in others. Navigating Corporate Challenges: Selling for a "losing" team and playing "offense" in a "defense" environment. Insights into a competitive corporate environment and rising up in a challenging workplace. Engaging with Professional Athletes: Strategies for founders to capture the attention of professional athletes or teams. Best practices for founders partnering with celebrities for endorsements. Transition from Sports to Purpose Labs: Reasons behind Paul's transition from the world of sports to founding Purpose Labs. Insights and lessons for entrepreneurs and business owners. Exploring the Book "Playing Offense": Understanding "Most Valuable Decision" (MVD) and its significance. Green-light life vs. red-light life, the "Head + Heart = Hands" equation, and the challenge of a "yellow light" situation. Decision-Making and Confidence Building: The 4 Cs for making better decisions faster. Building unshakable confidence and the role of a growth mindset. CEO Traits and Future Goals: Traits observed in the best CEOs. Paul's goals for the scalability of impact in the coming years. Connecting with Paul: How to learn more about Paul, Purpose Labs, and his impactful work. Additional Insights (if time permits): Faking it until you make it vs. real authenticity. Understanding "breaking the needle." Being at peak performance in business when needed. Discoveries from Paul's podcast interviews with exceptional individuals. Tune in to gain valuable insights on leadership, decision-making, and building unshakable confidence with Paul Epstein. Connect with Paul: LinkedIn

Show notes for Jon Staenberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/   The Search Fund Model with Jon Smith   Introduction and Career Background Jon shares insights into his career journey leading up to his current role.   Understanding Search Funds Definition and historical context of search funds in the business landscape.   Risks and Challenges A discussion on potential risks and challenges associated with the search fund model.   Evolution of Search Funds Insight into how search funds are evolving and what excites Jon about their future.   Track Record Overview An overview of the track record and success stories associated with search funds.   Participants in the Search Fund Model Exploring who typically opts for the search fund route, including the backgrounds of investors and operators.   Identification and Evaluation The process of identifying and evaluating potential target companies for acquisition.   Exit Strategies and Timelines Addressing whether search funds have specific exit timelines and the parameters involved.   Due Diligence Insights into how search funds approach due diligence and factors considered in the evaluation of potential acquisitions.   Access to Deals How search fund operators gain access to premium deals and compete with larger institutions.   Why Choose a Search Fund as a Buyer? Common reasons why sellers may opt for a search fund as the buyer for their company.   Seller Due Diligence The due diligence process sellers typically undertake when considering a search fund acquisition.   Value Creation and Growth Plans Strategies employed by search funds to create value and drive growth in acquired businesses.   Investor Involvement Post-Acquisition The level of investor involvement and oversight in the operations of the acquired company.   Management Fee Structure and Incentives Explaining the fund's management fee structure and performance incentives for the search fund team.   Investor Communications How communication is managed with investors and the frequency of updates on the search fund's progress.   Closing Remarks and Contact Information Jon invites listeners to connect and learn more about him and his work.   To learn more about Jon and his insights,   Connec with Jon   https://www.agatehound.fund/ https://twitter.com/AgateHoundFund https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/ jon@staenberg.com   Jon’s bio   Founder / Managing Partner   Jon Staenberg   Jon Staenberg has been an active venture capitalist for over 30 years, serving as a General Partner in three Funds managing over $250 million. He is also a venture partner in three Venture Funds. As an angel investor, Jon has made over 250 investments.   Currently, he is focused on building Agate Hound Fund, a fund for Search Funds. This asset class is relatively unknown but has shown exceptional performance over the past 40 years. Additionally, he spends his spare time working on his vineyard in Argentina, www.handofgodwines.com.   In these intriguing times, Jon has a captivating story to share about what lies ahead and why search funds are the new venture capital.

Shownotes for Emily Ward   Join us for an insightful conversation with Emily Ward, Founder and CEO of AlcaCruz, as we explore her remarkable journey from VP and Chief Technology Counsel at eBay to the helm of her own tech startup.   Key Questions and Topics:   Career Overview: Emily shares a summary of her distinguished career leading up to her current role.   Global Market Expansion: Lessons learned from eBay's expansion into China and global markets. Strategies for fast-growing startups planning to enter new markets.   Intellectual Property for Startups: The importance of intellectual property for startups. Insights on filing patents from a legal and technology perspective.   Mergers and Acquisitions: Emily's experiences on eBay's M&A teams and the importance of a strong legal team. Stories and lessons from assessing and acquiring companies like GSI, Bill Me Later, and Braintree.   Diversity on Boards: Emily's thoughts on diversity on company boards. Considerations for founders when creating a board.   Leadership Wisdom: Wisdom on leadership from Emily's extensive speaking engagements in the tech community.   Transition to Tech Entrepreneurship: Emily's decision to start a tech company instead of a law practice. Insights on women CEOs in the tech startup space.   AlcaCruz Overview: Emily provides an overview of AlcaCruz and the problems it aims to solve.   Tech Readiness for Problem Solving: The intersection of technology and problem-solving for AlcaCruz's mission.   Career Transition Advice: How Emily's corporate experience prepared her for entrepreneurship. Advice for individuals transitioning from well-funded companies to starting their own ventures.   Resources for Women Founders: Insights into resources available for women founders. Personal experiences regarding advantages and disadvantages in Emily's career.   Connect with Emily: Learn more about AlcaCruz and connect with Emily.   Closing: Don't miss this enriching conversation with Emily Ward, where we delve into the nuances of tech leadership, entrepreneurship, and the journey from corporate giants to startup dreams.   Stay tuned for more insights and inspiration!     Connect with Emily   https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilysward/ com (Company) com (Company) emilyward@gmail.com   Full Bio:   CompetesTV uses our award winning MultiView tech for video competitions. Creators use their videos to showcase their talents and share contests to grow viewership and revenue streams. www.competes.tv. Launching soon! AlcaCruz created MultiView video streaming technology that live streams multiple camera views or multiple games (sports, esports, concerts, channel programming, etc.) into one interactive screen. Available in IOS & Android as CruzTV. Emily is CEO of CompetesTV & AlcaCruz.Previously, Emily was Vice President & Worldwide Chief Technology Counsel at PayPal and eBay for many years. Legal tech leader for PayPal’s and eBay’s technologies, products and companies. Legal tech lead on eBay’s M&A teams that assessed and bought GSI ($2.4B), Bill Me Later ($1.2B), Braintree ($800M), and many other companies, as well as divested Skype. Split the IP portfolios for eBay and PayPal during PayPal’s spin-off from eBay. Testified on patent reform before Congressional committee. Successfully resolved bet-the-company lawsuits, including Merc Exchange v. eBay (previous unanimous US Supreme Court decision for eBay).She has won numerous awards, including being recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Silicon Valley (SV Business Journal), one of the Top Women Leaders in Technology Law, one of the World’s Leading IP Strategists, Legal Impact Winner, Multicultural Leadership Award, Legal Momentum Women of Achievement honoree and the Direct Women Board Institute program. She enjoys spending time with family, friends and church, and she and her family are avid dog lovers and currently have 4 rescue dogs at home. They also support the Hope Technology School

Founder & CEO at Enable, discuss: Startup Ecosystem: UK vs. Silicon Valley Expansion Routes and Advice for Silicon Valley Companies Evolution of SaaS Over Time Key Metrics for Company Tracking and more

Show notes for Adam Nash - Adam and the Daffy team are offering all our listeners a free $25 to give to the charity of their choice when they get started with Daffy. Simply use this sign-up link to get started.  Adam is a proven advocate for development of products that go beyond utility to delight customers. At Dropbox, he led the teams responsible for growth, product strategy, product management & product analytics for a platform with over 600 million registered users with responsibility for all of Dropbox self-service revenue (~90% of all company revenue in 2019).Before Dropbox, Adam served as the President & CEO of Wealthfront, where for four years he championed the creation of a new category of automated investment services. While Adam was at Wealthfront, the company grew its client base by over 60x, and grew assets under management 45x from less than $100m to over $4 billion. During his tenure, Wealthfront delivered industry-leading innovations including Direct Indexing, the Single-Stock Diversification Service, and the first automated 529 College Savings Plan. Prior to joining Wealthfront, Adam was Vice President of Product Management at LinkedIn. Adam led LinkedIn’s Platform & Mobile products, including the launch of LinkedIn’s open developer platform and their highly successful native applications and mobile web experiences. Adam was the founder and architect of LinkedIn Hackdays, a seminal program for driving the innovation culture at the company. He also was responsible for leading LinkedIn’s search & cloud efforts, as well as forming and leading their user experience & design team.Prior to joining LinkedIn, Adam held a number of leadership roles at eBay, including Director of eBay Express, an innovative new site focused on new, fixed-price products. Previously, Adam also held strategic and technical roles at Atlas Venture, Preview Systems and Apple.Adam holds an MBA from Harvard Business School as well as BS and MS degrees in Computer Science with a focus on Human Computer Interaction from Stanford University.Adam was born and raised in Silicon Valley where he lives with his wife, four children and a golden retriever.   We talk about What is exciting between the intersection of finance and technology? What is some due diligence one should do on a company before investing? Knowledge, experiences or a network…what is the most important when building a company? What are common behavioral biases or tendencies that individuals exhibit when making financial decisions?

What should people know about Secondary’s and the private markets? How do investors do their due diligence on these private companies? What is the concept of balanced liquidity solutions for stakeholders of private technology companies? In the past, what have GP’s, LP’s, done for liquidity?

Reaction is a global community and fund invested in solving the toughest global problems.   We are a global team who shares a vision for a world where thought leadership and innovation can change more lives in less time.   Why now?  Because more innovations will be created in more countries and industries over the next decade than in the previous 50 years.  Many that offer the potential to solve pressing global issues will fail to reach the markets that need them the most.   Reaction was founded by a diverse team of global leaders who united to solve this problem.     Dan Matthies Dan is a proven builder and operator of global businesses, a Stanford Changemaker, awarded innovator, and Top 100 Entrepreneur.   He has been leading Reaction since its inception.   Prior to Reaction, for 15 years Dan built and operated global tech businesses, including an awarded investment platform used by leading institutions to manage trillions of assets.  As a corporate entrepreneur, he was responsible for all aspects of strategy, product, growth and P&L, creating over $3 Billion in enterprise value.   Dan is an alum of Stanford University (Stanford Executive Program and The Corporate Entrepreneur),  The Wharton School of Business (MBA), and The College of New Jersey (Finance and International Business).   Dan has also completed his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmatthies/     Michael Dorsey I have a successful 20-year record in Impact Investing, having co-founded and managed the innovative Bay Area Equity Fund (now DBL Investors), which achieved a 24% IRR, 4x cash-on-cash return, and created more than 15,000 jobs. My current fund, the Bay Area Growth Fund, seeks to repeat this success. I also managed two funds for the Westly Group, focused primarily on clean tech. Prior to my venture capital career, I spent 20 years in investment banking, primarily focused on technology and other emerging growth companies. I served as Head of Technology Company investment banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Cowen & Co.I am committed to improving the world through for-profit investing. In addition to investing, I am also committed to supporting the companies and entrepreneurs we invest in. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dorsey-372a6710/     Julieta Romero   Julieta has broad experience across venture capital, FoodTech, government and banking.   She began her career at JP Morgan where she led a team of analysts performing macroeconomic and industry research on opportunities in Power and Utilities, Oil and Gas, Retail and Hospitality.     She then went on to advise the Secretary of Financial Services and the Commissioner in the Argentinean Government Executive Branch on public policy initiatives across the mortgage, insurance and capital markets.   Most recently, she invested in climate and social solutions at an impact investment fund based in Mexico, and worked on strategy and partnerships for one of the largest alternative meat companies.      Julieta is an alum of Stanford University (MBA) and Universidad de 'San Andrés' (Masters in Finance, Corporate Finance and Bachelors in International Relations). https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietaromero/   We talk about Lessons learned while working 20 plus years at Bloomberg. The origin story of Reaction? Stories of being an Investment Banker through the history of Silicon Valley. Investing in the double bottom line. The value of a global network And more   Website https://www.reaction.global/

Drue Freeman is an Independent Board Director at Ideal Power (NASDAQ:IPWR) and is currently serving on the Board of Directors at Sand Hill Angels.   The former CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth, Silicon Valley (ACGSV) and a 30-year semiconductor veteran, Drue advises and consults for early-stage startups, multi-billion dollar corporations, and for financial institutions studying the implications of technological disruptions on the automotive industry. Drue is on the Advisory Boards of several public and private companies as well as Silicon Catalyst. His Venture Capital and Angel Investments focus primarily on the automotive sector.   Previously, Drue served as Sr Vice President Global Automotive Sales & Marketing at NXP (2009 - 2015), gaining significant automotive semiconductor TAM share. In his career with NXP (formerly Philips Semiconductors), Drue spent 3 years in Shanghai establishing a #1 position in the China automotive market while launching and serving as Board Member for the first Chinese automotive semiconductor company, Datang-NXP Semiconductors. Prior to China, he worked 7 years at NXP’s Automotive HQ in Germany, including 4 years as VP of Automotive Quality. He has also been based in Tokyo, with Philips and VLSI Technology and held positions in key account management, applications engineering, and development engineering for various companies in California.   We talk about Who are the most active angel groups in Silicon Valley? What types of due diligence does one do on a company before investing? What role do syndicate members play after making an investment? What are the negatives or benefits of investing as an individual or a syndicate? How does one find boards to be on? What technologies do you see really helping in West Africa? And much more Connect with Drue https://www.linkedin.com/in/drue-freeman-b67a12/ drue@betterbigpicture.com

Jon Li Over 20 years of entrepreneurial, managerial, and product/UX design experience. Founded 3 companies, built and led teams of over 100 engineers and designers, and shipped over 20 products from mobile phones to cloud services to AI computer vision systems. What are the key benefits and advantages that augmented reality can offer an individual or an organization? How does augmented reality align with an overall digital transformation or innovation strategy of companies? Are there any specific regulatory or privacy considerations that need to be addressed when implementing augmented reality solutions? How do you incorporate user feedback and insights into the iterative development of AI-driven spatial reality experiences? Where are the opportunities for entrepreneurs right now in this space? Connect with Jon linkedin.com/in/jonli001 Twitter jonli01

Alisa was named the #1 Startup Coach in the world at the Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith Leading Coaches Awards in London. She was also named one of the Top 30 Global Gurus for Startups. Based in NYC, she coaches startup CEOs, co-founders, other startup executives and board members all over the world. She also coach senior and emerging leaders from Fortune 500 companies. Her clients include Venmo, Foursquare, InVision, Etsy, The Wirecutter (sold to The New York Times), Pfizer, Novartis, Dell, Hitachi, IBM, Calvin Klein, Tory Burch, The New York Times. I also speak at Cornell, Harvard, The Naval War College and am the executive coach for the Runway Program at Cornell Tech.   On today Show we Talk about: How can praise be Your Secret Superpower? When measuring performance, what should be measured? How does a CEO “Manage their Board?” What should one do when their co-founder, “Can’t keep up”? What is the CEO megaphone effect?      Connect with Alisa Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website alisacohn.com   Email alisa@alisacohn.com     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Shownotes for Dylan Malot Most of what matters in leading a fulfilling life cannot be bought. Healthy bodies, minds and relationships are crucial to happiness, as well as the fruits of creative effort beyond the trappings of prosperity. While business stress is present at every level of wealth, confidence in our financial security allows us to focus on our pursuits, family and community to make the lives of others better.Growing up in a family-owned business—what my father always called the “business school of hard knocks,” I witnessed firsthand the passion, struggles and successes that went into a vibrant middle market business with international operations. That experience, coupled with my fascination for business and investing, has led me to where I am today. I advise entrepreneurs through decisions on what matters most to them and tie their creations to their livelihoods, giving and future endeavors. I build bridges between values and capital—in planning, philanthropy and portfolios.Helping my clients solve problems, deeply understand their choices, and make wise decisions is the best part of being an advisor. I help them navigate their complex financial lives and to be wise stewards of their wealth by deeply understanding their values and how to align their resources with those values. Most of my clients are beyond concerns about their financial security—they are most concerned about making sure that they are capturing the right opportunities, mitigating risk and improving tax efficiency. My advice empowers them to make the right decisions while understanding why they are making them.   We Talk About What are some of the biggest mistakes founders of companies make when they sell their companies?   What happens to your taxes when there is a valuation “POP” in your startup’s equity? Should Environment, Social, and corporate governance (ESG) concern a startup founder and their company? Is there benefits for Startup founders to join ACG?   For informational purposes only; not an advertisement and does not constitute an endorsement of any particular wealth transfer strategy. Bernstein does not provide legal or tax advice. Consult with competent professionals in these areas before making any decisions.     Connect with Dylan Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-dylan-malot-a782648/ Email

Axel Kloth   Axel is a physicist by training, and he is used to the need for large-scale compute. Axel, discovered over 30 years ago that scalability of processor performance was paramount for solving any computational problem. That necessitated a new paradigm in computer architecture. At Parimics, SSRLabs and Axiado he was able to show that new thinking was needed, and what novel practical solutions could look like. He is now repeating that approach with Abacus Semi.       On today Show we Talk about: What is an Application Programming Interface, an API for short? Why do we need API’s? Are there legal issues on use and modification of APIs?                If you are in school right now, studying Computer Science, what would you learn and why? Where will industry have the most problems in the years to come?     What would be an ideal API? What are the Pros and Cons of API’s?     Connect Axel https://www.linkedin.com/in/axelkloth/ http://www.abacus-semi.com/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Shownotes for Lu Zhang Lu Zhang is the Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Fusion Fund is active in supporting early-stage entrepreneurs who are looking to build globally disruptive companies using innovative technologies to drive systemic change originating from the U.S market. For the past couple of years, Lu leads the Fusion Fund team funnels exits of multiple portfolios’ IPO and M&As. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was also recently selected as the Best 25 Female early stage Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer and Top 10 All America Chinese Youth. As one of the top female investors in America, Lu was featured in the book – Women Who Venture, and her story was a case study of UN Women Leaders in Action series. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, Lu was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acquired in 2012). Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is also the board member and chairman of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award   On today Show we Talk about: What experiences, education, or background, should a fund manager have? Techniques or strategies to raising a fund? How is raising the second fund different from the first? Secrets for founder or investors on time management or priorities with goals and getting things done?   Connect with Lu Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/luzhangvc/ Website www.fusionfund.com Twitter @luzhangvc   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Sam is a CEO coach, interim CEO/CTO/CFO, a Silicon Valley advisor and the author of 21 Secrets of Successful Startups, a book about world-class execution for startups. As a serial entrepreneur, he has been CEO, CTO, or VP Engineering / TechOps for five companies, driving multiple acquisitions. As a hands-on “roll up the sleeves” startup advisor, Sam draws from his 30+ years of successes and failures to train and help entrepreneurs with execution, fundability, fundraising, strategy, product/market fit, product management, finance, operations, legal, talent development and founder wellness.      We Talk About How did going through a failed acquisition affect the company? How was your M&A deck different from a fundraising pitch deck? Why is having multiple offers to choose from important, as the seller of a business? How does an Investment Banker prep an Owner/ Founder of a company for a sale?       Connect with Sam Wong Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-wong-startup/ Website https://www.fundablestartups.com/         CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Shawn Flynn spent 4 plus years living and conducting business in Beijing, China. While in China, he founded, grew, and profitably exited a successful education company. Shawn moved back to San Francisco to invest his experience, connections, and resources back into the world’s deepest and most vibrant technology ecosystem. Shawn works with institutions, governments, and various capital sources, to help promote economic growth at a global scale. He is heavily involved in the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem of fast growing, high potential businesses. He has played a pivotal role to help multi-nationals, both pre and post-IPO companies including overseas “Unicorns”, set up operations in Silicon Valley while connecting prominent Silicon Valley companies with strategic and funding sources overseas.  Shawn’s contacts, talent, and energy are directed at achieving Global Capital’s Clients’ goal of maximizing shareholder value during liquidity and growth capital events. Shawn is the founder of the TV show “Silicon Valley Successes” and hosts the podcast “The Silicon Valley Podcast”. He is passionate about building bridges that connect Silicon Valley to the rest of the world. Shawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from UCSD and speaks Mandarin and Spanish.  He also holds FINRA Series SIE, 7, 24, 63, and 79 licenses.   On today Show we Talk about: Key takeaways from interviewing some of the biggest leaders in Silicon Valley. What’s next for the podcast Thank you for all the help     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Steve Schneider joined ZAP as Chief Executive Officer and Director in 2002 helping raise nearly $1 billion and at the same time successfully listing ZAP on the NYSE. He is the founder of Voltage Vehicles the core of ZAP's business operations. Schneider’s education and early career in the automotive industry include positions with specialty and fuel-efficient automobiles offered by Honda, VW, Renault, Ford, Smart and DeLorean. Mr. Schneider completed a 51% acquisition of Jonway Automobile. This purchase was first time in history that any foreign company has taken a controlling interest in a Chinese Automobile Mfg Plant. Mr. Schneider next completed the acquisition of 100% of Aptera Electric Car. He is currently the CEO of Homes 4 the Homeless where they are combining automotive and modular applications for an effective volume solution to the homeless housing crisis as well as rapid rehousing for disaster relief victims.   On today Show we Talk about: What was it like to raise 1 billion in funding? How is it different raising capital from China vs the US? Has the Electric Vehicle market evolved as one would have predicted over the last 20 yrs Possible solutions to solve the Homeless epidemic that’s growing in the US?   Connect with Steve Website https://homes4thehomeless.org/ Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-schneider-%E5%8F%B2%E8%92%82%E8%8A%AC-%E6%96%BD%E5%A5%88%E5%BE%B7-32321020/ Email  Steve@homes4thehomeless.org   Sapien where this was filmed https://sapiensimpact.com/

Avram Miller served as Vice President, Business Development for Intel Corporation for over a decade, where he was the driving force behind Intel’s successful initiative to establish residential broadband Internet access. In 1991, he co-founded Intel Capital, which became one of the top corporate venture capital groups in the world. When USA Today profiled Miller in March 1996, it referred to him as “A One Man Think Tank” and in the same article, Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast, gave Miller “much of the credit” for the development of the cable modem. We Talk About What was the mission and goals for Intel Capital? What does it mean to invest in a beautiful house in a bad neighborhood or a bad house in a beautiful neighborhood? How important Is a succession plan in a company? If one was born today, how should they go about getting an education?   Connect with Avram Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/avram/   For Book For more information, visit: www.twothirdsdone.com and www.wildduckflight.com   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Publicity Contacts: Mallory Campoli || Erin Reback Cipiti 856-489-8654 x1030 || x1021 mallory.campoli@smithpublicity.com erin.rebackcipiti@smithpublicity.com

On July 26, 2018, Craig Allen began his tenure in Washington, DC as the president of the US-China Business Council (USCBC), a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing over 200 American companies doing business with China. Prior to joining USCBC, Craig had a long, distinguished career in US public service.   Craig began his government career in 1985 at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA). He entered government as a Presidential Management Intern, rotating through the four branches of ITA. From 1986 to 1988, he was an international economist in ITA’s China Office.   In 1988, Craig transferred to the American Institute in Taiwan, where he served as Director of the American Trade Center in Taipei. He held this position until 1992, when he returned to the Department of Commerce for a three-year posting at the US Embassy in Beijing as Commercial Attaché.   In 1995, Craig was assigned to the US Embassy in Tokyo, where he served as a Commercial Attaché. In 1998, he was promoted to Deputy Senior Commercial Officer. In 1999, Craig became a member of the Senior Foreign Service.   From 2000, Craig served a two-year tour at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. While there, he worked on the APEC Summits in Brunei, China, and Mexico. In 2002, it was back to Beijing, where Craig served as the Senior Commercial Officer. In Beijing, Craig was promoted to the Minister Counselor rank of the Senior Foreign Service.   After a four-year tour in South Africa, Craig became Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. He later became Deputy Assistant Secretary for China. Craig was sworn in as the United States ambassador to Brunei Darussalam on December 19, 2014. He served there until July 2018, when he transitioned to President of the US-China Business Council.   Craig received a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Political Science and Asian Studies in 1979. He received a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1985.   On today Show we Talk about:   We Talk About What is the extent of high-tech relations between US and China? What steps are China taking to advance Chinese innovation? How does the China’s 2017 Intelligence Law, have an impact on technology transfer? How has the Biden and Trump approach to China relationships been similar and how have they been different?   Connect with Craig https://www.uschina.org/ Craig Allen callen@uschina.org   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Liesel lives for helping people. She founded The Mentoring Club, Inc. to provide a mentoring community for aspiring as well as seasoned leaders in the workforce. By establishing a global platform, the Mentoring Club has the bold intent of changing the world, one leader at a time by providing a mentor for anyone who needs a mentor anywhere in the world. The community has over 150 mentors and mentees from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, India, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia.   On today Show we Talk about:   What skills are most entrepreneurs lacking or asking for help with? Do any Mentors or mentees suffer from imposter syndrome?  How real is that? What advice do you have for new graduates to get experience to find a job? How do you know when something is scalable?     Connect with Liesel Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/liesel-mendoza-232868/ Email liesel@thementoringclub.org Website thementoringclub.org

Steve Barnett Technical specialist (Ph.D.) with extensive sales and marketing experience in a broad array of optical sensor technologies.Experienced with applications in pharmaceutical/biotech, aerospace, homeland security, materials science, forensic science, polymer, and petrochemical industries.Managed global relationship with multinational corporation - formed sales and support structure for operations in 35 countries.Chair of Northern California Section, Society for Applied Spectroscopy.Member of Society for Applied Spectroscopy, American Chemical Society, American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Society for the Advancement of Materials Processing and Engineering.Specialties: Optical sensors from the UV to the far-IR. FTIR spectroscopy, microscopy, and imaging; Raman spectroscopy and imaging; near-IR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopies.     On today Show we Talk about: If a startup was looking to get government contracts, or sell their product to the public sector, what is the best way to go about that? How does one decide on what problem or challenge to tackle next? What is currently happening with the capital of California and their Tech scene?     Connect with Steve Email steve.barnett@barnett-technical.com Linkedin linkedin.com/in/stevenmbarnett1 Website https://barnett-technical.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Joe helps business owners make more money and have more time.  He has 3 decades of Accomplish-laden experience and has helped over 2000 companies worldwide to improve their lives and businesses. He has a B.S. in Engineering, M.B.A. in Marketing, Certified Business Coach, Certified Executive Coach, Best Selling Author, Speaker and NLP Practitioner He sees abundance everywhere, comes from a place of generosity of spirit and channels that energy helping his clients to thrive.     On today Show we Talk about: What is the Ultimate Business Framework? As your team grows, who should be the first hires? What areas of financials do people get in the biggest problems? How does one prepare a business for an exit event or to take on outside capital?   Connect with Joe   408 899 6737 joe@joskiinternational.com brainsharecoach.com   LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesiecinski/

Dr. Shiva Kintali is the Founder & CEO of EulerChain, True Dat Inc. Before starting True Dat Inc, he taught in the Computer Science department, Princeton University for four years.He is a frequent public speaker on AI, Blockchain, Cryptography and Game theory and their socio-economic and cultural impact.His (academic and industry, theoretical and practical) experience spans algorithm design, complexity theory, cryptography, machine learning, blockchain protocols, algorithmic game theory, structural graph theory, natural language processing, information retrieval, high-performance computing, compiler design and large-scale graph algorithms. He is researching Blockchain protocols (scalability, stability and privacy) since 2012.He received his PhD in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology, Masters in Computer Science from University of Southern California and B-Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. On today Show we Talk about: What is the social media censorship problem? What is decentralize identity and why is it important? How is AI being used to divide people on their viewpoints?     Connect with Shiva https://www.linkedin.com/in/kintali/ https://freebits.app/shiva/ Freebits https://freebits.app/

Jeep Kline who it the first Thailand Venture Capitalist, her experiences include creating a startup, taking a leadership role in technology companies, and managing Big Data at The World Bank (and teaching at Hass school of business at Berkeley.  She enjoys applying strategies and analytics to solve difficult problems and create meaningful impacts.   On today Show we Talk about: If the US started to have inflation issues how would that impact VC funds?  What is the due diligence process in Latin America like?  How are Venture Capital opportunities in South East Asia countries?   Connect with Jeep Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeepkline/ Clubhouse @jeepkline  Twitter @jeep_kline  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jeepkline

Show notes for Almaz In 2010, Almaz founded the African Diaspora Network (ADN) to inform and engage Africans in the diaspora and facilitate direct collaboration with social entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders to invest and improve the lives of everyone on the continent. Under her leadership and vision, ADN is now the home of The African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS), the Builders of Africa's Future (BAF), and Impact & Innovation Speaker Series. Currently, she is pursuing the development of Africa Impact Investment Fund to provide capital to those working to better the lives of people in Africa through entrepreneurship and innovation.   On today Show we Talk about: What is the African Diaspora Network (ADN) mission? What resources are African founded startups needing? What are some of the positives and negatives of remittances? How does one recruit an amazing board?   Connect with Almaz Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/almaznegash/ Website https://africandiasporanetwork.org/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Chris is passionate about startups, sports, FinTech (specifically payments), and financial literacy. He believes that you can get anywhere you want in this world as long as you work your butt off and never stop learning."Everything around you, that you call life, was made up by people that are no smarter than you. You can influence it, you can change it." - Steve Jobshttps://youtu.be/kYfNvmF0Bqw?t=12   We talk about What is Fintech and what role does Financial Literacy play in the sports world? What is the Step-by-Step Payment process system? How can startups collaborate with one another to succeed?   Connect with Chris Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-j-kane/ Website  https://chekspend.com Email   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Steve Hoffman, or Captain Hoff as he’s called in Silicon Valley, is the Chairman & CEO of Founders Space, one of the world’s leading startup accelerators. He’s also a venture investor, serial entrepreneur, and author of several award-winning books. These include “Make Elephants Fly” (published by Hachette), “Surviving a Startup” (published by HarperCollins), and "The Five Forces" (published by BenBella).     On today Show we Talk about: What are possible repercussions of taking friends and family money? When do patents matter? How do you know the commitment level of your co-founder, are they 100% in? When is it time to quit your startup?     Connect with Steve Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/foundersspace/ Founder Space https://www.foundersspace.com/ Book  Surviving a Startup  Amazon.com: Surviving a Startup: Practical Strategies for Starting a Business, Overcoming Obstacles, and Coming Out on Top (9781400223190): Hoffman, Steven S.: Books       CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Mark Wilser As Co-Founder of Global Capital Markets, Mark Wilser is a 25 year veteran investment banker with a proven track record of maximizing shareholder value through M&A and Corporate Finance transactions.Specialties: Sell-side M&A (involving both strategic buyers and private equity), growth capital (debt and equity), and management buyouts.   On today Show we Talk about:   What is the process for an M&A deal, what are all the steps that are involved? What are some red flags in deals in a deal? How do bankers get paid? What is a normal fee structure?     Connect with Mark Website  https://www.globalcapitalmarkets.com/ Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwilser/ Email mw@globalcapitalmarkets.com Phone (949) 252-4600 x 225     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Vanessa Russells Bio Love Never Fails is committed to the restoration, education and protection of young people who are at risk of or currently being sexually exploited in California. Since inception they have educated thousands on this issue, trained over 100 Mentors for Positive Change”, launched an elementary, middle and high school abuse prevention program and located over 100 missing and exploited women and children and provided young people with sustainable jobs in IT, real estate, banking, health care etc They are a state certified CyberSecurity Pre-apprenticeship program, Cisco Networking academy, CalJOBs trainer and Department of Rehab vendor.   On today Show we Talk about: What are the responsibilities of the app stores to sensor or block apps targeting children? How is cryptocurrency playing a part in Human trafficking? Can technology be used to help find missing children?     Connect with Vanessa Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessarussell10/ Website https://www.loveneverfailsus.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Nick Started Founders Live in Seattle, WA in 2016. In addition to creating the global entrepreneur network Founders Live, Nick stays busy as an advisor to numerous startups and occasionally takes positions in sales or biz dev roles if needed. Previously he founded the mobile payment startup Seconds as well as helping start Coinme, a company built around expanding bitcoin and digital transactions into the physical realm via Bitcoin ATM’s. As a sought-after adviser, entrepreneurial speaker and writer with guest appearances on popular technology and media outlets, Nick enjoys helping others discover their unique entrepreneurial path.     On today Show we Talk about:   Why does your events do 99 second pitches? Will accelerators still have a place post Covid? What are the needs of starts based where they are located geographically? Where are the gaps in the existing startup community infrastructure?       Connect with Nick https://www.linkedin.com/in/jnickhughes/   Websites Founders Live https://www.founderslive.com/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Chukky Okobi earned a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. Chukky currently is a Master Practitioner in Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). With his brand, Basic Instructions, he helps executives, athletes and others to access the resources within themselves to achieve the life experience they desire.   We Talk About How important is mindset in terms of success when playing in the Superbowl and as a founder of a company? Where do startup founders, have the biggest problems? How to reprogram your mind for success...How to have a Super Bowl winning mindset?   Connect with Chukky https://www.linkedin.com/in/chukkybasics/ https://www.basicinstructions.com/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Dr. Nikolaos Dimitriadis (MBA, PhD) has been applying neuroscience in business and education for over fifteen years. He is an award-winning communications professional, educator and consultant. He is the author of the books “Neuroscience for Leaders: A Brain Adaptive Leadership Approach” (now in its 2nd edition) and “Advanced Marketing Management: Principles, Skills, and Tools   On today Show we Talk about: How is Artificial Intelligence impacting marketing? Why don’t people like to talk to or trust CMO’s and what is a NeuroMarketer? How can we train our brains to act? What have been the major milestones in the field of neuroscience?     Connect with Dr. Nikolaso   Websites https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaosdimitriadis/ Email ndimitriadis75@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nikos.dimitriadis.3150   Books  Neuroscience for Leaders Advance Marketing Management     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Waikit Lau has founded 2 machine learning-based companies that were acquired and he helped take one public. He has been on both VC and founding/operating side.    Tim Alison is an entrepreneur who has started and scaled four businesses. At the age of 31 Tim walked away from one of the highest paying sales jobs in the country, moved to a tiny fishing village in Nova Scotia Canada, and started an educational software company. The naysayers laughed. They stopped laughing when his sales topped $10 million.   Rich Razgaitis has been passionate about building brands and teams. Since 2002, he has served in CEO/president-level roles in several venture capital backed start-ups, privately held turnaround and growth companies, and he brings insight from those experiences to his work today at FloWater. Raz was the CEO of several consumer-tech companies, including DealOn, an e-commerce company that developed the Web’s first deal-commerce exchange, and another, MyTownPerks, which built the first PCI-complaint, cloud-based loyalty program for B2B. (Both companies were subsequently acquired.)    Steve Hoffman. Steve, or Captain Hoff as he’s called in Silicon Valley, is the CEO of Founders Space, one of the world’s leading incubators and accelerators. He’s also an angel investor, limited partner at August Capital, serial entrepreneur, and author of Make Elephants Fly, the award-winning book on radical innovation. Always innovating on his life, Captain Hoff has tried more professions than cats have lives, including serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, angel investor, studio head, computer engineer, filmmaker, Hollywood TV exec, published author, coder, game designer, manga rewriter, animator and voice actor. Hoffman was the Founder and Chairman of the Producers Guild Silicon Valley Chapter, Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group.

What does the future hold for technology?  What is happening today that we should know about for tomorrow?  We take highlights from past interviews with Shmuel Silverman, Jonathan Trent, Peter Fiekowsky, and Tim Bigwood and share them in this weeks episodes   Shmuel Silverman. Shmuel is an inventor with over 145 patents & provisional publications and success with co-founding and selling two companies. He bring years of leadership experience in Telecommunications, Internet technologies, IoT, and Artificial Intelligence and have led technology teams of researchers, developers, and marketers at two global icons, where he helped develop a proven process to identify, nurture and develop unique Intellectual Property focused on protecting the business first and enabling technology second. He is a trusted advisor to attorneys, M & A specialists, and entrepreneurial CEOs around the world.   Jonathan Trent. His 20-year stint at NASA as a Senior Research Scientist has included research in marine science, microbiology and cell biology, medicine, nanotechnology, engineering, and environmental sciences. After doing 7 TED talks about his career in science, he is now leaving NASA to form his own startup which will pivot from the offshore system to an onshore design that he is calling UpCycle Systems. It will be the only patented technology that accepts wet waste as is, without initial treatment, and then converts it to renewable assets, clean water, steam, electricity, gas and minerals.   Tim Bigwood, Is the acting CEO of Noregon Systems. Noregon is a company that are the experts at acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting vehicle data. Their products include in-shop diagnostic and repair tools and real-time fleet asset-management solutions that give assistance in capturing and transforming your own vehicle data into actionable information.   Peter Fiekowsky Peter is an MIT-trained physicist and entrepreneur who is committed to leaving behind a world he is proud of. Peter’s passion for that goal drives his leadership in multiple climate initiatives, including volunteering for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and founding the Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA). He is also founder and president of Automated Visual Inspection (AVI) LLC and a board member of Zynergy Capital Inc. He holds 27 patents.

Jenny Huang has 20 years of experience as a strategic marketing consultant, a brand marketer and communicator in the hardware, software, mobile app, and telecommunications industries, serving start ups and progressive companies. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Intel, Intuit and British Telecom, where she launched and managed regional co-branded programs with PC OEM partners, their retailers and resellers; invigorated new user acquisition to drive growth, and established regional brand presence.   Mark Brinkerhoff is the president of Fusion Design which is a full-service product development company located in Silicon Valley. Founded in 1990, they have worked with a variety of clients from small companies to fortune 100 corporations with engineering services. Mark’s specialties include: Product Development Consulting, Turnkey Solutions, Industrial Design, Mechanical Packaging and Mechanism Design, Finite Element Analysis, Thermal Analysis    Brett Sharenow Trusted advisor on raising capital from VCs, PE, and Angel investors, for start-up, growth, pivot, and exit. Since 1995 he has helped companies raise more than $750 million and have facilitated exits valued at more than $6 billion. Some of Brett’s client companies: Venture and Private Equity Backed• Verio (acq. by NTT) • Viator (acq. by Trip Advisor) • Dial Page/Dial Call (acq. by Nextel)• Switch Lighting • Vistard • VirtualLan • Ethernetworks • GroWiseBeWell Academy• Puronyx • Skylights • Husk Power Systems • Yonder    Scott Orns runs Operations at Kruze Consulting, a fast-growing Startup CFO Consulting firm that works with over 160 startup clients. Kruze is based in San Francisco with clients in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and New York. In addition to his Operations responsibilities, Scott runs the Venture Debt Consulting practice at Kruze.

Paul Kallmes is an independent technology professional with a focus on foreign start-ups coming to the US, with a specialty in the strategic management of intellectual property. His nearly 20 years of IP and technology licensing and management have given him a broad base in the nuance and complexities of developing and deploying intangible assets to the benefit of IP owners and users alike. He has extensive experience in various industries in IP management and manufacturing. He has extensive international experience working with companies in the US, Europe and Asia on patent portfolio development, market entry strategies, product development and roll-out, and early-stage fund-raising activities. Intangible assets and intellectual property are becoming ever more important in today's economy, and every company in a technology space needs to take their IP issues seriously or risk being left behind by their competitors. His current focus on assisting start-ups from various European and Asian countries allows him to see a wide range of opportunities that will make positive contributions to various markets in the US and around the world.    Sam Floy After living in East Africa for 3+ years he is now based in Copenhagen where he runs a business setting up and running podcasts for companies around the world. While in East Africa he started the The East Africa Business Podcast which is a podcast about the business environment in East Africa based around interviews with entrepreneurs, investors and organizations looking to help the region grow.   Tehlma Ekiyor is an Impact Investor, Development Expert, Social Entrepreneur, Fundraising Expert, Senior Public Sector Project Advisor. Implemented projects in 22 African countries Served as Senior Consultant to the Africa Union, ECA, IGAD, ECOWAS Co-founded SME.NG - Nigeria's impact investment platform for women. pioneered the establishment of national and international non-profit and philanthropic organizations Passionate about equipping women to participate in decision making - co-founded women's organizations.   Nichole Yembra. Nichole is the Founder and Managing Director of The Chrysalis Co which houses The Chrysalis Capital, a new $15M Africa and Diaspora early stage tech fund and The Chrysalis Advisors, a strategy and investment advisory firm. In addition to this work, Nichole is deeply committed to making gender diversity a priority within the financial-technology 'fintech' space in Nigeria and enhancing opportunities for women in leadership. She founded the Garden Women's Network, a group dedicated to the development and retention of high-performing women in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

Now on this week's episode, we go back and we revisit some past episodes, where some of our guests gave us some life changing advice. When I first heard this, it moved me when I heard it again, it impacted me even more. Now, some other information for everyone out there, we're redoing a lot. We're redoing some of the branding, the website and that for the podcast, and we're gonna have some big announcements moving forward in this coming month. So stay tuned. But right now, let's start the episode. All right, enjoy

Roger King Roger King founded BayAngels which is dedicated to promoting the entrepreneurial spirit by assisting early-stage technology companies with capital, connections, and board-level advice. Examples of our portfolio companies include Pree Media, CashBet, Trpz, Sea of Change Trading Co., CEO of Chiefpeople20 years’ experience in recruiting at both the executive level and the individual contributor level. Interested in companies with hiring needs. Offering extremely cost-effective solutions. Clients include SoftBank Robotics, Jiff, Gracenote, OpenTable, Manage, Grid Dynamics, and Navera.   Max Shapiro Max Shapiro Founded PeopleConnect in 2000 to help early-stage high-tech companies find the talent they need to succeed. Their clients are in technology, biotech, cleantech, apps, services, medical devices, and consumer products.He is also involved in areas that also support the startup community:● Angel Investor and member of Keiretsu Forum since 2001● Co-founder of Runway Innovation Hub● Creator & Producer of PitchForcePitchForce is a weekly pitch event for early stage companies with a panel of establish angel investors and CEO's   Steve Hoffman Steve Hoffman, or Captain Hoff as he’s called in Silicon Valley. Steve is the CEO of Founders Space, one of the world’s leading incubators and accelerators. He’s also an angel investor, limited partner at August Capital, serial entrepreneur, and author of Make Elephants Fly, the award-winning book on radical innovation. Always innovating on his life, Captain Hoff has tried more professions than cats have lives, including serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, angel investor, studio head, computer engineer, filmmaker, Hollywood TV exec, published author, coder, game designer, manga rewriter, animator and voice actor. Steve was the Founder and Chairman of the Producers Guild Silicon Valley Chapter, Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group.     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Sam is a CEO coach, interim CEO/CTO/CFO, a Silicon Valley advisor and the author of 21 Secrets of Successful Startups, a book about world-class execution for startups. As a serial entrepreneur, he has been CEO, CTO, or VP Engineering / TechOps for five companies, driving multiple acquisitions. As a hands-on “roll up the sleeves” startup advisor, Sam draws from his 30+ years of successes and failures to train and help entrepreneurs with execution, fundability, fundraising, strategy, product/market fit, product management, finance, operations, legal, talent development and founder wellness.     Elnaz Sarraf, who is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in technology, business, sales, and marketing. She is currently the CEO and Founder of ROYBI; an investor backed EdTech company focusing on early childhood education, that recently raised $4.2 million in its seed round. Before starting ROYBI, Elnaz co-founded and led a consumer electronics/IoT company, iBaby, serving as the company's President.  As an immigrant and female founder, Elnaz has made worthy accomplishments in a short duration living in the US. Honors include being selected as Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Maker 2018, named the Woman of Influence through Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016 and Entrepreneur of The Year in 2016 in Silicon Valley. She has been a speaker at several conferences such as the Mobile World Congress, ASU GSV Summit, Consumer Technology Association, and more.      Sandra Shpilberg is the Founder and CEO of Adnexi, a disease intelligence platform for the next generation of biopharma treatments. Prior to this, Sandra was the Founder and CEO of Seeker Health, a breakthrough digital patient finding platform, which accelerates drug development and commercialization for biopharmaceutical companies. Seeker Health was acquired by EVERSANA in September 2018. She’s the author of New Startup Mindset, a book on her non-traditional founder’s journey and lessons learned starting, building and exiting this company. She’s a featured contributor at Thrive Global, InsightTimer and Hackernoon.   Daniel Edwards is currently the CEO and Chairman of Transactive, a international financial technology company that provides payment infrastructure software and payment services globally.  Under Daniel’s leadership Transactive has successfully launched its software, services over thousand customers, done over $1bn in payments and achieved profitability.  Previously Daniel was the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Mobile Gaming Technologies. Mobile Gaming Technologies was the world’s first crypto iGaming platform. Under his leadership Mobile Gaming Technologies became venture backed, scaled international and achieved profitability. He also lead Mobile Gaming Technologies through several successful capital raises, raising over $40m for the company.  MGT became the first blockchain company in the world to sponsor a major league sports team, Arsenal Football Club from London. Eventually the MGT sold the company to Novomatic, the largest privately held gaming company in the world with over 5bn in revenue per year.  Prior to joining Mobile Gaming Technologies, Daniel worked as an Investment Banker at Financial Technology Partners, D.A. Davidson and Wells Fargo / Wachovia. He advised technology companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and strategic corporate development. He has successfully closed over 15 M&A and capital raise transactions. Daniel is also a board member of several technology companies spanning from London to Silicon Valley. He is a financial technology enthusiast and speaks at conferences all around the world about financial technology, blockchain and cryptocurrency. Daniel graduated with a B.S. in Finance & minor in Chemistry from Oregon State University.

This week we look back at some of the highlights of past interviews with some of the biggest Venture Capitalist that have been on the show   SC Moatti is a technology visionary and investor. She is the founding partner of Mighty Capital, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, and Products That Count, one of the largest and certainly the most influential network of product managers in the world.   Ravi Belani   He is the Managing Director of the Alchemist Accelerator which is a venture-backed initiative focused on accelerating startups whose revenue comes from enterprises (not consumers). The accelerator backs teams with distinctive technical founders.  He is also a Lecturer, Fenwick & West Educator of Entrepreneurship at Stanford University where for the past 8 yrs he co-teaches The Spirit of Entrepreneurship, an undergrad/grad survey course on entrepreneurship   Nick Moran is the General Partner at New Stack Ventures.  Prior to New Stack, Nick worked for Danaher (NYSE: DHR). After a few years in M&A, Nick led breakthrough innovation, developing one of the most successful products in the company's history -- an IoT solution w/ a novel method for testing compounds in drinking water. In addition to investing, Nick founded the 1st Venture Capital podcast, The Full Ratchet.   Aman Johar, Proteum Capital Over the last 12 years, Aman has worked with a variety of startups and has been on both sides of the entrepreneur-investor table. With a background in strategy, operations, and deal-making, Aman focusses on blockchain applications and the supporting ecosystem including expertise in the business and regulatory implications of tokenizing assets. He is a strategic advisor to executives and boards on creating new business models for fintech, media and entertainment, and identity management to name a few recent engagements. Currently, Aman is a mentor at the Singularity University and a board member at KeraCel, a solid-state battery company. Previously, Aman co-founded Applied Protein which was acquired by Pivot Pharma. He holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, BHU and an MBA from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon where he was named a Swartz Fellow for entrepreneurship. In his spare time, Aman enjoys teaching photography to his kids.

Waikit Lau has founded 2 machine learning-based companies that were acquired and he helped take one public. He has been on both VC and founding/operating side.    We Talk About What was it like to go to Harvard Business School? How should one think of Business school in general? How was the journey from starting a company to growing it to over 600 people before taking it public? What is your screening process to investing in deals?       Connect with Waikit Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/waikit-lau-89129/ Website https://www.remotehq.com/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Daniel is currently the CEO and Chairman of Transactive, a international financial technology company that provides payment infrastructure software and payment services globally.  Under Daniel’s leadership Transactive has successfully launched its software, services over thousand customers, done over $1bn in payments and achieved profitability.  Previously Daniel was the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Mobile Gaming Technologies. Mobile Gaming Technologies was the world’s first crypto iGaming platform. Under his leadership Mobile Gaming Technologies became venture backed, scaled international and achieved profitability. He also lead Mobile Gaming Technologies through several successful capital raises, raising over $40m for the company.  MGT became the first blockchain company in the world to sponsor a major league sports team, Arsenal Football Club from London. Eventually the MGT sold the company to Novomatic, the largest privately held gaming company in the world with over 5bn in revenue per year.  Prior to joining Mobile Gaming Technologies, Daniel worked as an Investment Banker at Financial Technology Partners, D.A. Davidson and Wells Fargo / Wachovia. He advised technology companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and strategic corporate development. He has successfully closed over 15 M&A and capital raise transactions. Daniel is also a board member of several technology companies spanning from London to Silicon Valley. He is a financial technology enthusiast and speaks at conferences all around the world about financial technology, blockchain and cryptocurrency. Daniel graduated with a B.S. in Finance & minor in Chemistry from Oregon State University.    In his free time Daniel likes to run, hike and go to the gym.  He is also an active reader, trying to read at least 4 books a month.      We talk about Why did you decide to leave Investment banking and do a startup? What was it like being the first Blockchain company to sponsor a major Soccer/ football team? What will be the big breakthroughs in Fin tech in the coming years?   Connect with Daniel  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwe/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

From college dropout to acclaimed designer to CEO of project-management pioneer Flow, Daniel Scrivner’s path to success has been anything but typical — and he wouldn’t have it any other way. It only took one web design class over a summer break in high school, and Daniel was hooked. He would eventually drop out of college to focus on mastering the art and science of design, first honing his talent as a freelancer, then joining an LA-based advertising firm in 2007. Barely a year later, he relocated to San Francisco to take a coveted design position at Apple. After three years of soaking up every bit of insight and wisdom he could, Daniel left Apple and joined the team at a small but promising startup: Square. He quickly worked his way up to Director of Design, responsible for overseeing everything from product design to video production. In his time at the company, he left his fingerprint on almost every aspect of Square's design aesthetic. Daniel left Square in 2016 to found his own design counsel and venture capital firm, Blackletter Ventures. Then, in February 2019, he took over as CEO of Flow. He’s spent the last year slowly, methodically, and tirelessly reinventing their product from scratch. Under his leadership, the business is back to profitability and growth — and he’s just getting started.   We Talk About As a new angel, how does one get access to early stage deals?  Bay Area to Colorado, why make the move? What are the next steps you plan on taking with Flow?       Connect with Daniel Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielscrivner/ Flow Website https://www.getflow.com/?utm-source=linkedin   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

From college dropout to acclaimed designer to CEO of project-management pioneer Flow, Daniel Scrivner’s path to success has been anything but typical — and he wouldn’t have it any other way. It only took one web design class over a summer break in high school, and Daniel was hooked. He would eventually drop out of college to focus on mastering the art and science of design, first honing his talent as a freelancer, then joining an LA-based advertising firm in 2007. Barely a year later, he relocated to San Francisco to take a coveted design position at Apple. After three years of soaking up every bit of insight and wisdom he could, Daniel left Apple and joined the team at a small but promising startup: Square. He quickly worked his way up to Director of Design, responsible for overseeing everything from product design to video production. In his time at the company, he left his fingerprint on almost every aspect of Square's design aesthetic. Daniel left Square in 2016 to found his own design counsel and venture capital firm, Blackletter Ventures. Then, in February 2019, he took over as CEO of Flow. He’s spent the last year slowly, methodically, and tirelessly reinventing their product from scratch. Under his leadership, the business is back to profitability and growth — and he’s just getting started.   We Talk About Why is there such a high turnover at startups? What was it like before and after square went public? What it like to switch from working at a startup to being an investor in 100 plus startups?   Connect with Daniel Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielscrivner/ Flow Website https://www.getflow.com/?utm-source=linkedin     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Axel Schultze started and successfully exited 4 companies, the biggest reaching $5 Billion in revenue, the second close to $1 Billion. Axel is a published author, patent holder, 2015 listed in the global 100 most influential startup accelerators, 2008 won the SF Entrepreneur Award, 2006 chaired the SaaS Channel Committee at the SIIA, 2003 early adviser of LinkedIn.2001 Founder & CEO of Silicon Valley based BlueRoads a partner management software.Initially funded by The Angels Forum, then venture funded by Eldorado Ventures, Cardinal Ventures and Arrow Path. Named most successful channel management company in 2006. Exit in 2007. 1997 Pioneered equity based crowdfunding - Sold it in 2001. 1996 Founder & CEO Infinigate, Leading European IT security provider. Funded through private placement on Webstock. Today over $600 Million in revenue. 1983 Founder & CEO Computer 2000 a $5 Billion high tech distributor. With a highly disruptive business model bypassed 8,000 tech distributors and became the third largest in the world. VC Funded by Deutsche Bank WFG. IPO in 1996. merged with Tech Data at $5 Billion in revenue in 1998.   We Talk About            What questions should one ask themselves or brainstorming should be done before starting a company? What is the best advice for someone is plans on starting and growing a billion-dollar company with their significant other? Why does brainstorming to create a billion-dollar idea seem to fail when it is done in a corporate setting, but succeed when it is done by a startup?   Connect with Axel Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/axelschultze/ Website https://bluecallom.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Bob Car was the Founder and CEO of Heatland Payment Systems, one of the largest payment processors in the United States, which he sold in 2016 for over 4 billion dollars. He is now the CEO and Chairman of the Board for Beyond Inc. which strives to simplify operations, reduce costs and streamline payments for owners of small and mid-size businesses across the country.    We talk about What’s it like to sell a company for over 4 billion dollars? How did the CEO impact on individual employees change as the company grew from 10, 100, 1000 employees? How should one think about life, and what they do?   Connect with Bob Carr Website https://www.getbeyond.com/ https://www.giveback.ngo/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Paul Kallmes is an independent technology professional with a focus on foreign start-ups coming to the US, with a specialty in the strategic management of intellectual property. His nearly 20 years of IP and technology licensing and management have given him a broad base in the nuance and complexities of developing and deploying intangible assets to the benefit of IP owners and users alike. He has extensive experience in various industries in IP management and manufacturing. He has extensive international experience working with companies in the US, Europe and Asia on patent portfolio development, market entry strategies, product development and roll-out, and early-stage fund-raising activities. Intangible assets and intellectual property are becoming ever more important in today's economy, and every company in a technology space needs to take their IP issues seriously or risk being left behind by their competitors. His current focus on assisting start-ups from various European and Asian countries allows him to see a wide range of opportunities that will make positive contributions to various markets in the US and around the world.    We Talk About How should an outsider go about building a network in Africa? What have been some of the pit falls of Western money entering the African ecosystem? Accelerators and Incubators in Africa, how do they compare with those in Silicon Valley?       Connect with Paul https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kallmes-8a0376/ CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Max Shapiro Founded PeopleConnect in 2000 to help early-stage high-tech companies find the talent they need to succeed. Their clients are in technology, biotech, cleantech, apps, services, medical devices, and consumer products.He is also involved in areas that also support the startup community:● Angel Investor and member of Keiretsu Forum since 2001● Co-founder of Runway Innovation Hub● Creator & Producer of PitchForcePitchForce is a weekly pitch event for early stage companies with a panel of establish angel investors and CEO's   On today Show we Talk about How should a startup prepare themselves for a pitch event? How should an investor or a startup follow-up any contacts that they made at a pitch event? How much equity should be given to a new hire at a startup?     Connect with Max Email max@peopleconnectstaffing.com Company peopleconnectstaffing.com  Linkedin linkedin.com/in/maxshapiro Twitter PeopleConnectS   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Sandra Shpilberg is the Founder and CEO of Adnexi, a disease intelligence platform for the next generation of biopharma treatments.Prior to this, Sandra was the Founder and CEO of Seeker Health, a breakthrough digital patient finding platform, which accelerates drug development and commercialization for biopharmaceutical companies. Seeker Health was acquired by EVERSANA in September 2018.She’s the author of New Startup Mindset, a book on her non-traditional founder’s journey and lessons learned starting, building and exiting this company.She’s a featured contributor at Thrive Global, InsightTimer and Hackernoon. On today Show we Talk about What question should a founder or founder team should ask themselves about a company before starting it? How important is positioning one’s company? The temptation to take venture funding and the positives and the negatives of going down that path?   Connect with Sandra Shpilberg adnexi.comsandrashpilberg.com  Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-shpilberg-b7b334/ Website https://www.sandrashpilberg.com/       CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Sam is a CEO coach, interim CEO/CTO/CFO, a Silicon Valley advisor and the author of 21 Secrets of Successful Startups, a book about world-class execution for startups. As a serial entrepreneur, he has been CEO, CTO, or VP Engineering / TechOps for five companies, driving multiple acquisitions. As a hands-on “roll up the sleeves” startup advisor, Sam draws from his 30+ years of successes and failures to train and help entrepreneurs with execution, fundability, fundraising, strategy, product/market fit, product management, finance, operations, legal, talent development and founder wellness.      We Talk About   When a company is just starting out, how does it plan what it is going to execute, or how should it plan its execution and are there normally problems with this? When a company is acquired how should an employee negotiate his new role and benefits with the acquiring company, or does even have that option? What is the meaning of “A founder wellness is under-appreciated.”        Connect with Sam Wong Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-wong-startup/ Website https://www.fundablestartups.com/       CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

After living in East Africa for 3+ years he is now based in Copenhagen where he runs a business setting up and running podcasts for companies around the world. While in East Africa he started the The East Africa Business Podcast which is a podcast about the business environment in East Africa based around interviews with entrepreneurs, investors and organizations looking to help the region grow. We Talk About What are some of the challenges that Entrepreneurs face in Kenya? If a Westerner were to move to Africa to start a business. What does that person need to know to be successful? Where are the opportunities in Africa in both the countries and tech in the next 5 years?     Connect with Sam Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfloy/ Email sam@samfloy.com Website https://theeastafricabusinesspodcast.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Helen Pastorino has more than 40 years of experience in transforming the real estate industry via technology. She co-founded Alain Pinel Realtors, one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most prestigious real estate companies, driving billions of dollars of annual sales. Today, she is founder and CEO of Pertria, a real estate sales, investment, and property management firm that guides clients in creating investment strategies that generate income, benefit from real estate appreciation, and achieve capital gains objectives. Helen concurrently serves as interim President and Board member of Startup Sandbox, a bioscience incubator in Santa Cruz, CA. Startup Sandbox incubates biotechnology entrepreneurs as they translate basic and applied research into commercially successful businesses. With wide-ranging interests, Helen serves as CEO of the World Tomato Society, growing the organization as a global community with one of the world's largest tomato databases and almost one million members.   On today Show we Talk about: What was it like to meet and work with Steve Jobs? How does one implement technology in a company? What is it like to be on the bleeding edge of technology? What does the real estate market look like post Covid? What is the true legacy of a CEO?     Connect with Helen Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenpastorino/   Websites World Tomato Society https://www.worldtomatosociety.com/ Pertria https://pertria.com/ Startup Sandbox https://www.startupsandbox.org/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Jenny Huang has 20 years of experience as a strategic marketing consultant, a brand marketer and communicator in the hardware, software, mobile app, and telecommunications industries, serving start ups and progressive companies. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Intel, Intuit and British Telecom, where she launched and managed regional co-branded programs with PC OEM partners, their retailers and resellers; invigorated new user acquisition to drive growth, and established regional brand presence.   On todays show we talk about:   How do you see marketing and promotion for companies changing with technology? If a company wanted to be interviewed for an article or get exposure, what are some of the best ways to go about doing it? The process for creating and implementing a social media calendar. With marketing and PR, what really excites you for 2021?   Connect with Jenny Website jennyhuangmarketing.com   Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennychuang/ Email jenny@jennyhuangmarketing.com     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

David Bates is a senior corporate and commercial lawyer, recommended in Legal 500, with over 20 years’ experience of advising on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions and complex commercial arrangements across a variety of sectors with a particular focus on the tech sector.Experience also includes time spent on secondment to the inhouse legal teams of major corporate clients.  We Talk About: When a startup from the US wants to expand into Europe, what is the process? How does a company analyze the market to decide where in Europe to setup their operations? What types of exits are companies looking for or what is the current state of the investment environment like in Europe? Connect with David   LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbates2/ Website  https://www.taylorwessing.com/en/search?term=david+bates   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount   Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Mark Brinkerhoff is the president of Fusion Design which is a full-service product development company located in Silicon Valley. Founded in 1990, they have worked with a variety of clients from small companies to fortune 100 corporations with engineering services. Mark’s specialties include: Product Development Consulting, Turnkey Solutions, Industrial Design, Mechanical Packaging and Mechanism Design, Finite Element Analysis, Thermal Analysis      We talk about: What are soft batteries? Elastic Wiring? Limitless Multi-touch Force? What about 5 g technology, how is that going to play a part in wearables What is the typical design process when you are building a product?   Find out more about Fusion Design Website https://www.fusiondesigninc.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Tim Alison is an entrepreneur who has started and scaled four businesses. At the age of 31 Tim walked away from one of the highest paying sales jobs in the country, moved to a tiny fishing village in Nova Scotia Canada, and started an educational software company. The naysayers laughed. They stopped laughing when his sales topped $10 million.Profit Whisperer for bricks and mortar businesses where I specialize in helping business owners identify opportunities for improved financial outcomes.Host and Executive Producer Of The Screw The Naysayers Podcast where I have interviewed and amplified the voices of guests from around the globe including the likes of Jack Canfield, Seth Godin, John Perkins and an eclectic mix of Thought Leaders, WSJ and NYT Best Selling Authors, CEO's,Olympians, Paralympians, Professional Athletes and other women and men who have overcome great adversity. All are seeking to change the world.     We Talk About   What are the basics that someone needs to know when looking at financials? Price a product, what are some mistakes that people are making and what should they be doing that’s different? How do you reverse engineer an opportunity, or look at an opportunity to see if it is worth doing or not?     Connect with Tim Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-alison/ Website https://screwthenaysayers.com/podcast/   CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount   Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Sherri Haskell After witnessing firsthand, the innovation and eclecticism among cannabis startups Sherri launched CannaAngels LLC: an Angel Investor Consortium focused specifically on businesses within, and supportive of, the cannabis industry. With years of experience as an alternative investment leader she has a solid knowledge of how to vet companies, structure deals, raise capital, and establish trust. As cannabis transitions into the mainstream, her accomplished team is prepared to bring a unique blend of investment intelligence, technical savvy and steadfast integrity to this industry.   We Talk About   What are some of the different verticals of the cannabis industry? What new laws or regulations are being discussed that will impact cannabis investing and the companies in the industry? When will we see Wall Street enter the picture? Where will the money be made in the industry? Where is the hidden value that investors should know about?     Connect with Sherri Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrihaskell/ Canna Angels website https://cannaangelsllc.com/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount   Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

Roger King   Founder of BayAngelsBayAngels is dedicated to promoting the entrepreneurial spirit by assisting early-stage technology companies with capital, connections, and board-level advice. Examples of our portfolio companies include Pree Media, CashBet, Trpz, Sea of Change Trading Co., CEO of Chiefpeople20 years’ experience in recruiting at both the executive level and the individual contributor level. Interested in companies with hiring needs. Offering extremely cost-effective solutions. Clients include SoftBank Robotics, Jiff, Gracenote, OpenTable, Manage, Grid Dynamics, and Navera. We Talk About   How has angel investing changed over the past 20 years? Some suggestions for beginner angel investors? What problems do startups make when pitching to investors? Do angel groups talk to each other?   Connect with Roger Roger@bayangels.com Bay Angels website http://bayangels.com/ns/     CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://linktr.ee/ShawnflynnSV Shawn Flynn’s LinkedInAccount Silicon Valley LinkedInGroup Account Shawn Flynn’s FacebookAccount   Email Shawn@thesiliconvalleypodcast.com

We talk about: we talk about:   Once you have the model, how do you use it to forecast how much money you need to raise? What kind of expertise is needed to understand a financial model? Who can build a great financial model for start-up, raising capital, growth, and exit?

We talk about How does a founder/CEO know that their strategy will work? Should a company’s strategybe influenced by a financial model?  What are the typical inputs and outputs in a financial model?

We talk about:  How can parents encourage their children to become entrepreneurs? What is LinkSV? How to create a network that leads to being able to access anyone?

we talk about:  What are some of the usual questions that you ask the entrepreneur? Practical advice for entrepreneurs to connect with Angels and much more

We talk about: What were some of the companies passed on investing in and why? How does one advice a company? Why teach The Spirit of Entrepreneurship at Sandford University? and much more

Other than money what value can Venture Capitalist bring to the deal? What is considered a good product? What are common areas of negotiations between entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalist?

What is the difference between the VC and the CEO perspective of the business? How can an investor’s portfolio have synergy among the investments? Why are Korean startups ripe for investing right now?

What are the 5 stages that a company goes through? How does one unlock growth in a company? What is the difference between the VC and the CEO perspective of the business?

This episode we talk about: Why join or start an angel syndicate? Suggestions for first time Venture Capitalist to connect with Limited Partners How can one transition from being an employee to becoming a General Partner at a Venture Capitalist fund? How does a new Venture Capitalist build their network within the Venture Community?

Hollywood, Blockchain, Equity Offerings and more with Proteum Capital Principal Aman Johar who is a Venture capitalist with a technical background. See tomorrows world today.

Are ICOs Initial Coin Offerings dead? What is the future of Bitcoin? Digital Currencies?

This episode we talk about: How can blockchain solve wealth inequality? What are micro bonds? What are smart contracts and how will they impact people

Tehlma Ekiyor is an Impact Investor, Development Expert and talk about Nigeria, now and its future with startups, investment, opportunities and much more...

Sean Randolph is senior director for the Bay Area Council Economic and we talk Which countries have the strongest ties and influence on Silicon Valley? How does trade policy affect startups? and much more...

Scott Orn talks to us about: How do companies get into trouble by having sloppy financials? What are common tax mistakes that startups make? Venture debt and much more...