Millennial Investing Podcast Episode: Venture Capital Investing With Kevin Siskar
Last month I had the opportunity to sit on the opposite sit of the podcaster’s table to be a guest on the Millennial Investing Podcast! Where hosts, Robert Leonard and Clay Finck interview successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors to help educate and inspire the millennial generation.
Kevin Siskar, Millenial Investing Podcast
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit on the opposite sit of the podcaster’s table to be a guest on the Millennial Investing Podcast! Where hosts, Robert Leonard and Clay Finck interview successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors to help educate and inspire the millennial generation.
I hope you enjoy the episode. Listen here!
Host Clay Finck chats with Kevin Siskar about venture capital investing, the types of companies emerging in the venture capital space, how studying human behavior can help you as an investor, the differences between working at a large corporation vs a smaller company, how you can shift yourself to have a growth mindset, how luck has played into the companies Kevin has worked with, and much, much more!
Topics Discussed:
· What types of companies 43North looks to invest in.
· Why tech incubators should be everywhere, not just in Silicon Valley.
· What types of industries are currently most exciting from Kevin’s point of view.
· How studying human behavior can help you as an investor.
· What Kevin wishes he could tell his younger self about investing in startups.
· The differences between working at a large corporation and working at a smaller company.
· How people can shift from a worker mindset to a growth mindset.
· How luck has played into the companies that Kevin has worked with.
· The importance of a strong network and how Kevin maintains such a wide network.
· And much, much more!
How Jordan Levy Left His Mark On The Venture Capital Industry
In the fall we sat down with one of the godfathers of Venture Capital, Jordan Levy, who shares his very inspiring founder story and how that led to his career as an investor.
Jordan Levy | SEed Capital Partners (SBNY)
In the fall we sat down with one of the godfathers of Venture Capital, Jordan Levy, who shares his very inspiring founder story and how that led to his career as an investor.
Jordan co-founded Software Distribution Services which was acquired by Ingram Micro, before going on to be a Partner on the early-stage investing team at SoftBank Capital (SBNY) for 16 years.
Jordan has served on the boards of BuzzFeed, TalkSpace, Work Market, ACV Auctions, and many others. Using his upbringing and religion to pay it forward (Tzedakah) to the community that he grew up in, in Buffalo, New York. Jordy also co-founded Z80 Labs, a startup incubator in Buffalo, and 43North, an accelerator that hosts an annual startup competition, investing $5M per year in Buffalo, NY. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including:
Topics Discussed:
Building Software Distribution Services in the early days of venture capital.
How to think about the private vs public markets.
The intricacies of SPACs vs the IPO.
Lessons learned from decades of investments.
Betting on the first days of the internet and what has changed since.
Investing through the dot com boom and bust.
How ACV Auctions re-defined the auto market.
The importance of investing in people over markets, trends, and other aspects of the business.
Quote of the Episode:
“You invest in the people and I will always believe that” and “if you don’t think someone can take this company to the promised land, then don’t invest in them.”
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
As his grandmother passed down to him, “never go to bed angry with your wife.”
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Finta - Finta’s end to end fundraising management platform enables you to manage your investors throughout their entire lifecycle in a single streamlined flow.
A-List: After every episode of the Ambition Today podcast we record an exclusive bonus clip, where we ask each guest to tell us the best advice they have ever received. Hear first-hand stories from over 30 entrepreneurs and investors in these exclusive bonus clips.
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Scott Wayman's Plan for Kangarootime to Support the $648 Billion Care Economy
From a 6 year old calling around on car repairs for his mother, to a thriving CEO of Kangarootime, our next guest Scott Wayman gives us insight on how he got to where he is today. Scott was the oldest son of 24 kids (18 of which were adopted).
Scott Wayman | Kangarootime
Scott Wayman's shares his very inspiring founder story. His passion for Kangarootime is next level and the company is currently focused on winning the childcare management software space for daycares and preschools. With plans to expand to the larger “care economy” which includes not only early education & childcare but also elder & senior care. A $648B TAM in the U.S. Alone according to Melinda Gate's Pivotal Ventures.
The Kangarootime team brilliantly positioned themselves throughout COVID19 as leaders in the space, by taking time to host educational sessions about how their customers can best adapt their centers, as well as quickly shipping new features such as contactless check-in/out, health checks, and more. I have personally watched Scott relentlessly grow this company from their early days at Founder Institute, through several investments from 43North, and was very excited to sit down with him for this episode.
Topics Discussed:
A unique upbringing with 18 adopted siblings.
Building his sales chops with Enterprise Rental Car.
Why you need passion to succeed in your startup’s vision.
Kangarootime’s origin story.
The role of psychology in startups.
How Kangarootime seized a leadership role by helping their daycare centers through COVID19.
The future of the $648 Billion Care Economy.
Quote of the Episode:
“Working in a center and living the life of our customers… was crucial to finding product-market fit”
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Check out the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List , where you can listen to free exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Finta - Finta’s end to end fundraising management platform enables you to manage your investors throughout their entire lifecycle in a single streamlined flow.
A-List: After every episode of the Ambition Today podcast we record an exclusive bonus clip, where we ask each guest to tell us the best advice they have ever received. Hear first-hand stories from over 30 entrepreneurs and investors in these exclusive bonus clips.
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Creating Data-Driven Founding Sales Leaders With Peter Kazanjy
Pete Kazanjy is Ambition Today’s new guest from Southern California. He is sitting in San Francisco, CA right now as we speak, enjoying Alamo Square. He is a serial founder and seasoned early stage Saas executive, advisor, and investor.
Peter Kazanjy | Co-Founder of Atrium
Pete Kazanjy is Ambition Today’s new guest from Southern California. He is sitting in San Francisco, CA right now as we speak, enjoying Alamo Square. Peter Kazanjy is a serial founder and seasoned early stage Saas executive, advisor, and investor. Pete has cofounded many companies including TalentBin, Modern Sales, and Atrium. He is also an author of “Founding Sales”.
He went to Stanford where he learned English and Philosophy. Pete is still going strong and has a lot to offer his clients, be sure to read his book “Founding Sales”, a Startup Sales Handbook. In this episode of the podcast, we go deep into how best to optimize early sales for startups companies.
Topics Discussed:
Go-to-Market and Marketing Strategies
The difference between founding sales and normal sales.
Why sales are so critical to early growth.
The best tools for sales, revenue, and accounting
Maintaining work-life balance as an entrepreneur
Quote of the Episode:
“Three main rules: focus, focus, focus”.
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Check out the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List where you can listen to exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Finta - A secure, cloud-based, deal room platform. Companies quickly set up a deal room and have a blazing fast tool for raising capital. We make sharing company information with investors secure, simple, and automated.
A-List: After every episode of the Ambition Today podcast we record an exclusive bonus clip, where we ask each guest to tell us the best advice they have ever received. Hear first-hand stories from over 30 entrepreneurs and investors in these exclusive bonus clips.
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Jack Greco Helps Build A Unicorn Company In Buffalo, With ACV Auctions
From growing up on a dairy farm, to a successful entrepreneur with hundreds of employees, meet our next guest, Jack Greco. Greco co-founded ACV Auctions, an online auction dealer platform, which was last valued at $1.5B.
Jack Greco | ACV Auctions
From growing up on a dairy farm, to a successful entrepreneur with hundreds of employees, meet our next guest, Jack Greco. Greco co-founded ACV Auctions, an online auction dealer platform, which was last valued at $1.5B. He never thought that he would be the person to co-found Buffalo’s first unicorn startup in 2014. The great part is the story behind his success. He later reveals to Kevin that he has been fired from every job before he became a founder, and what kicked him in gear, was learning that he had a baby on the way. Every success story is different, and I think this is great for our audience to hear, and prove to you, never give up, or think that you are not worth something because you got fired! Pick your feet up and move on!
As of 2018, Greco left ACV Auctions and is now an angel investor. To date, he has invested in over 50 companies and is trying his hardest to maintain a quality work-life balance for his son.
Topics Discussed:
A little background on Jack Greco
Unicorn Start-Up
Angel investing in 50 companies
Working with others
Covid effects on the world
Work-life balance
Mental Health
Having a coach is so important
Buffalo Bridge
Quote of the Episode:
“This [ACV Auctions] is a great learning experience, and it will shape who I am going to be as an investor, a mentor, executive, father, for the rest of my life.” - Jack Greco
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Checkout the podcast’s back channel, The A-List where you can listen to exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Finta - A secure, deal room platform for early-stage companies. Quickly set up your company and you’ve got a blazing fast tool for organizing your fundraise and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency.
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Bringing Back Jeff Wald To Discuss The End Of Jobs
Our next guest is so amazing, we had to interview him a second time! He was on nearly 5 years ago on Episode 8! Jeff Wald is an entrepreneur who has started three technology companies, with his latest company, WorkMarket, being sold to ADP.
Jeff Wald | Author | The End of Jobs
Our next guest is so amazing, we had to interview him a second time! Jeff Wald was on Ambition Today nearly 5 years ago on Episode 8 and we are bringing him back for episode 62!
Jeff Wald is an entrepreneur who has started three technology companies, and since we last spoke with Jeff, he sold his latest company, WorkMarket, to ADP. Jeff is also a Board Member on the following boards: Steel Connect, Costar Technologies, TransfrVR, Peerless Systems, and Register.com. During this episode we catch up with Jeff and talk about his new book, “The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations”. Tune in to hear all about his book as well as statistics regarding the workforce in 2020:
Topics Discussed:
His experience selling the company.
The impact of remote working.
How to create “social squads” in your company.
The importance of defining the goal of any meeting.
The steps of technological change, mechanization, electrification, computerization and what comes next with robots and AI.
Quote of the Episode:
“Every time {we revolutionize} we ended up with more jobs, at a higher standard of living, with working fewer hours, that is definitively clear through history.” - Jeff Wald
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Checkout the podcast’s back channel, The A-List where you can listen to exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Finta - A secure, deal room platform for early-stage companies. Quickly set up your company and you’ve got a blazing fast tool for organizing your fundraise and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency.
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Join The Bandwagon With Harold Hughes
Imagine being on a cruise with friends and a good business idea comes to mind, then months later, your idea is now being distributed in Walmart’s around the world! Today’s guest, Alexis Beechen was enjoying her time partyin’ and thought, putting wine in a can would be much easier to casually drink.
Harold Hughes I Founder of Bandwagon
Our next guest on the show, is the amazing Harold Hughes. He is the founder of Bandwagon, which helps companies discover the identity of their fans in order to increase attendance, offer personalized services, and increase revenue.
Growing up, Harold made his first dollar selling AirHeads for cheaper than the school sold them at their cafeteria until he got caught! He went to Clemson University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics, before going back for his Masters's degree later. It was then, while he was taking his strategic management course that he realized it was a lot like being a fan at a sports event.
Harold loved playing sports when he grew up, and he loved that it didn’t matter your families financial status was or where you lived, you just loved to play the game. That is where Bandwagon all started. Now Harold has expanded Bandwagon from just preventing ticket fraud for fans, too also being a fan identity and data analytics company. Tune in to hear more about Harold’s story and experiences going through the ups and downs of being a CEO.
Quote of the Episode:
“Service to others is the rent for your time on earth”
Gauntlet:
Listen in for Harold’s amazing tips from his experience growing his business:
Branding/Design
Go-to-Market
Product Development
Hiring
Revenue and Accounting
Fundraising
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Join the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Equity Token - Helping early stage companies raise capital faster. Set up your company and fundraising deal once to build your company’s deal room. Then share it anywhere. Let Equity Token take care of the rest.
Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now!
The A-List - Join the podcast’s backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Alexis Beechen Drops Some Knowledge From Building Her Wine Empire
Imagine being on a cruise with friends and a good business idea comes to mind, then months later, your idea is now being distributed in Walmart’s around the world! Today’s guest, Alexis Beechen was enjoying her time partyin’ and thought, putting wine in a can would be much easier to casually drink.
You are on a cruise with friends and a good business idea comes to mind. Fast forward a few years later and your idea is now very much real and being distributed in Walmart’s around the world!
Alexis Beechen I Founder of The Drop
That’s what happened to today’s guest, Alexis Beechen. She put wine in a can making it much easier to casually drink and enjoy. Alexis and her team created The Drop, which is now at concert venues, small wine stores, and as of late last year, in Walmart’s all around.
An entrepreneur by heart, Alexis made her first dollar selling her mom’s gently used clothes when she could barely drive. Her dad, an entrepreneur himself, had his own legal firm, and her mom was the first person that talked to her about branding yourself and establishing trust with people. Alexis went to Georgetown for Marketing and eventually landed a job with Havas where she maintained Dos Equis account while helping to create the Most Interesting Man in the World. Although she loved her job with Havas, she decided to go back to Columbia for business school. During her schooling is when The Drop was born. Today, she is working on another business that she is passionate about, Hunterz.io which helps startups with connections they need to grow their business. Listen in to hear more in-depth about Alexis’ awesome story!
Quote of the Episode:
“You can only make as much money as the hours you build”
Gauntlet:
Listen in for the best tips, tricks, and tools that Alexis used growing her business:
Branding/Design - Fiverr
Go-to-Market – Hunterz.io
Product Development – feedback from customers
Hiring - LinkedIn
Revenue and Accounting - QuickBooks
Fundraising - Carta
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Join the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Equity Token - Helping early stage companies raise capital faster. Set up your company and fundraising deal once to build your company’s deal room. Then share it anywhere. Let Equity Token take care of the rest.
Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now!
The A-List - Join the podcast’s backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Automating Indoor Agriculture with Dan Nelson's Grow Computer
Packing for a nice relaxing vacation, you look around, and realize, you have these beautiful plants that you have worked so hard in growing, and you wonder, are they going to be thriving when you get home?
Dan Nelson I Founder of Grow Computer
Packing for a nice relaxing vacation, you look around, and realize, you have these beautiful plants that you have worked so hard in growing, and you wonder, are they going to be thriving when you get home? Our amazing guest today, Dan Nelson thought just that as he prepared for his honeymoon a few years back. There has to be a better way than having dead plants when you get back from vacation! This is the event that gave him a new chapter in life. After countless hours of studying under his belt, he helped create Grow Computer as it is today!
Dan didn’t always have the ambition to help automate agriculture, he grew up in Long Island where his father and grandfather instilled his great work ethic in him. He would help with the latest house project by wheelbarrowing supplies to them when needed. He had great hardworking role models and followed in their footsteps. Nelson graduated with a Masters Degree in accounting and an undergraduate in Economics at the University of Michigan. Before Grow Computer, he had many jobs, with one of his favorites being a virtual CFO because he has always loved helping people build better businesses. He even created a tool called Start of Economics 101. Tune in to this episode to hear more about Dan and his tips and experience in building his own company.
Quote of the Episode:
“If it [computer system] doesn’t talk to each other, it adds layers, complexity, transaction costs and stress and hassle, and reduces the efficiency in any business”
Gauntlet:
Listen in for the tips, tricks, and tools that Dan shares with us!
Branding/Design
Go-to-Market
Product Development
Hiring
Revenue and Accounting
Fundraising
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Join the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Equity Token - Helping early stage companies raise capital faster. Set up your company and fundraising deal once to build your company’s deal room. Then share it anywhere. Let Equity Token take care of the rest.
Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now!
The A-List - Join the podcast’s backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Taylor Jacobson Shares How Focusmate's Virtual Coworking Creates Distraction-Free Productivity
Welcome to Season 3 of Ambition Today! My guest today is Taylor Jacobson. He is the founder of Focusmate, the app that helps you focus and in return be more productive. In this episode, we discuss with Taylor what in his personal life lead him to the idea of needing a solution like Focusmate, as well as his personal take on a lot of procrastination issues.
Taylor Jacobson I CEO of Focusmate
After a summer break, we are back with a brand new season of Ambition Today!
Season 3 brings with it some fresh new changes to the podcast, coming to you from our brand new podcast studio in the heart of New York City!
We have some exciting guests coming up and I can’t wait to share all of the great conversations & new questions with you! I hope you enjoy Season 3, now on to the episode!
Who struggles with procrastination? Did you know that studies show up to 95% of people struggle with procrastination!
My guest today is Taylor Jacobson. He is the founder of Focusmate, the app that helps you focus and in return be more productive. In this episode, we discuss with Taylor what in his personal life lead him to the idea of needing a solution like Focusmate, as well as his personal take on a lot of procrastination issues.
As Taylor developed Focusmate, he found three major aspects of being more productive. One, you perform better when you need to complete a task in the presence of someone else. Two, if you commit to another person that you are going to do something, it is highly likely that you will complete it. And three, you are likely to increase productivity if you reflect on your work afterward. You know that you are going to have to review the job that you did, so in the moment of work, your actual focus becomes stronger. Focusmate is now helping thousands of people with all of these aspects! Tune in to hear more about Taylor and his company, Focusmate!
Quote of the Episode:
“These are the people {Co-workers} that have my back to grow into my best self”
Gauntlet:
This is a new section of my podcast for season 3, where I will ask my guest a tip or tool that they recommend for their business in each of the following categories. Listen in to hear Taylor’s answers:
Branding/Design
Go-to-Market
Product Development
Hiring
Revenue and Accounting
Fundraising
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Join the podcast’s backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By:
Equity Token - Helping early stage companies raise capital faster. Set up your company and fundraising deal once to build your company’s deal room. Then share it anywhere. Let Equity Token take care of the rest.
Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now!
The A-List - Join the podcast’s backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Listen to Ambition Today now:
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗
Bryan Janeczko Is Helping Entrepreneurs Gro
Bryan Janeczko has a colorful portfolio of businesses including: NuKitchen, a food preparation service that helped people eat healthier, which was later sold to Nutrisystem. Gro Academy, an on-demand startup academy, Loeb, a new-approach to launching startups. Now, his latest venture that is currently in the seeding stage is Nunbelievable Foods, a baked goods company that turns their profits into feeding the homeless. Bryan was also recently named Top 23 LGBTQ people in Tech.
Bryan Janeczko
Bryan Janeczko was recently named one of the Top 23 LGBTQ people in Tech, along side other notable figures such as Tim Cook, Peter Thiel, and more. He has built a strong track record for building great businesses including: NuKitchen, a food preparation service that helped people eat healthier. NuKitchen was later sold to Nutrisystem and pioneered the market long before Blue Apron or Plated even existed.
Now Bryan is the Founder of Gro, an on-demand startup academy. As part of the Loeb.NYC family, a venture studio in the heart of New York City, Bryan is helping founders at all stages. In a new partnership between Tony Robbins and Loeb, they have also launched Nunbelievable Foods, a baked goods company that turns their profits into feeding the homeless.
Bryan grew up in Milwaukee, started a candy selling business in High School where he would at times bribe the teachers with a candy bar in order to sell more candy bars at the beginning of each class to his fellow classmates. It was such a popular business, that he started having distributors, which eventually had the principal pulling the plug on his first entrepreneurial experience. However, that didn’t stop his entrepreneurial spirit! After school, and a summer abroad in England, Bryan decided to make the big move to NY! He had a place to stay for one week and a credit card, and the rest is history! Tune in to hear more of Bryan’s story:
Learning resourcefulness early on
His life changing trip to England
Starting and selling his company, NuKitchen
Co-founding Startout
His time as the Director of Founder Institute New York
Working with Loeb NYC
Founding Gro Academy
Working with Tony Robbins and Nunbelievable Foods
Quote of the Episode:
“Every founder brings their unique set of traits and many of us become entrepreneurs because we may not make it in more traditional jobs…”
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
”What advice can you give an entrepreneur at the beginning stages of building their first business?”
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Skip Hop's Michael Diamant Innovates Baby Products
From being forced to layoff his whole staff, to selling his company for $140 million, our next guest, Michael Diamant, has great insight on how he became successful. Michael Diamant created a well-known brand with his wife, called Skip Hop, which was sold to Carter’s for $140 million.
Michael Diamant
From being forced to layoff his whole staff, to selling his company for $140 million, our next guest, Michael Diamant, has great insight on how he became successful. Michael Diamant created a well-known brand with his wife, called Skip Hop, which was sold to Carter’s for $140 million. It all started with a diaper bag in 2003. Michael and his wife wanted a diaper bag that was fully functional, however, also appealed to a fashion savvy crowd. The company continued to grow for 15 more years creating several more innovative baby care products before they were bought by Carter’s. Now both Michael and his wife continue to work with Carter’s to help grow the brand Skip Hop.
Before Michael created a very successful brand, he had a great career and started multiple companies. He has a background in advertising and was a happy employee at MTV. Tune in to find out more about how Michael became successful…
Growing up
The world of advertising
Working at MTV, and the impact it had on Michael
His first company – T3 Media
How he was able to start iClips
How it felt to have to lay off 35 employees
His Skip Hop Journey
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
What advise would you have for other entrepreneurs who are trying to find product market fit?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Australia's Benjamin Chong Helps Startups Excel With Right Click Capital
Today, my guest is a fellow Founder Institute Director, Benjamin Chong. Benjamin has been the director of Founder Institute in Australia since 2011 and is also well known as a partner at Right Click Capital.
Benjamin Chong
Today, my guest is a fellow Founder Institute Director, Benjamin Chong. Benjamin has been the director of Founder Institute in Australia since 2011 and is also well known as a partner at Right Click Capital. Right Click Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups. He is an active technology startup community member that has served as a mentor and guest speaker at many different entrepreneurial programs in Sydney, South East Asia, and the United States.
Benjamin Chong grew up in Australia and says his life-changing entrepreneurial moment was when he was in a program called Young Achievement in High School where a few select students from multiple schools got together and created a business, they had to sell stock, and make it profitable, which was a success. He graduated from the University of South Wales and has been unstoppable. Listen in to learn more about Benjamin’s successes…
Early years in Australia
Young Achievement program in High School
Working at PWC
Co-founding iMega
Directing Founders Institute since 2011
Is startup life different in Australia
How important mental health is
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
What was it like to make the switch from Founder to Investor?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“Relationship in businesses are critical, it takes time to build relationships…”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Michael Loeb's New Approach To Launching Billion Dollar Companies
Joining us today is Founder and CEO of Loeb.NYC and Loeb.ATL, Michael Loeb. Loeb Enterprises is an early stage venture investing company and an incubator for startups.
Michael Loeb
Joining us today is the Founder and CEO of Loeb.nyc, Michael Loeb. Loeb.nyc represents a new approach to launching early stage startups that pairs capital with the support of experts across a wide range of disciplines. Prior to this, Michael Loeb co-founded Synapse in 1992 with Jay Walker. Synapse then became the largest seller of consumer magazine subscriptions worldwide and now is a subsidiary of Time Warner. Along with Jay Walker, Michael Loeb also assisted with the creation and early stage funding of Priceline.
Although Michael Loeb was born in St. Louis, MO, he has been in New York since the age of one year old. However, it was not until he was fired from Time, Inc that he realized his entrepreneurial potential. Tune in to this episode of Ambition Today to learn more of Michael’s amazing story:
Growing up in New York City.
Working at Time, Inc.
Why being fired can sometimes be important.
Creating Synapse.
Co-founding Priceline.
Expansion of Loeb Atlanta
Selling his company for $800 million & becoming a billionaire.
Creating Loeb.nyc to help build new companies.
Why New York is a unique startup ecosystem.
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
I have heard you say that you wish you had bet on yourself earlier in your life. How old were you when you quit Time and how can people bet on themselves earlier in their own life?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“It is hard to be an entrepreneur in your 30’s, if you didn’t have a big win in your 20’s.”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Brian McCullough How The Internet Happened & What Is Happening Today
Approaching two decades later, our guest, Brian McCullough’s company is still going strong. Brian is CEO of ResumeWriters.com which is the longest lasting company for this service, shout out to Brian.
Brian McCullough
Approaching two decades later, our guest, Brian McCullough’s company is still going strong. Brian McCullough is CEO of ResumeWriters.com which is the longest lasting company for this service, shout out to Brian. Not only is he a successful entrepreneur, he is also the Author of How The Internet Happened book. In 2016, he became a Ted Talk Resident, and is also known for his podcasts: Internet History Podcast and Techmeme Ride Home, which is a News Aggregator that now gives you a daily dose of tech news.
Brian McCullough grew up in Florida with no entrepreneurial background as his parents were both hard working teachers. Brian went to college to get a degree in Film, which he did, however, it was when he had to write his thesis to graduate, that he ended up becoming an entrepreneur instead. Tune in to hear more about Brian’s story:
Life background
Interviewing people for his book
Internet History Podcast
Techmeme Ride Home
History of the internet
How The Internet Happened book
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
With regard to the venture capital industry whose job is to depict that future, what advice would you have for them based on the history of the internet?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“We live in the world where entrepreneurs are rock stars”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
50 Episodes Later, Ramphis Castro Returns To Talk About Investing In Hard-Tech & Life Science Startups
Ramphis is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of ScienceVest, a venture capital fund for hard-tech and life science companies. He is an experienced technologist and product strategist that has led and supported venture-backed teams from idea to exit. He is a Kauffman Fellow and co-Chairs the NYC chapter of the Society. As a Fellow, his research focused on the funding gaps for radical science companies in the U.S., collecting interviews of over 200 stakeholders across the research & commercialization ecosystem in the U.S.
Ramphis Castro
Reminiscing on my first podcast is my guest, Ramphis Castro. We sat down for my very first podcast in August of 2015 and he has watched it grow over the years. It was great to have him here with me again. Ramphis is a serial entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist that has impacted several companies across 40 countries. His quote sums him up very well, “I am a Computer Engineer and Lawyer by training, serial entrepreneur by experience, and grass-root ecosystem builder by conviction.”
A Puerto Rican Native, Ramphis grew up by the beach with his dad, mom and three siblings. He is close to his family and had his mom instilling entrepreneurship in his mind from the beginning. The family always had little ways to make some extra spending money outside of their jobs, which taught Ramphis investing and ways to make money from a young age. He was fortunate enough to go to a school that taught English and went to an Engineering school for college. From there he was hired as a Microsoft, which was the hot company to work for at the time. He then started a consulting service company, had to learn from a few mistakes, and get back up. He has now owned several companies and has helped multiple companies by investing. Listen in to hear more about Ramphis and his path to success:
World happenings from Episode 1
Life in Puerto Rico
Early Entrepreneurial experiences
Working for Microsoft
Starting his own company
Learning from bad experiences in owning a company
Joining Kauffman Fellows
Seeing different Ecosystems around the world
NYCIC
Venture Capital
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
Where is the future of Venture Capital is going?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“You don’t know what you don’t know”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Understanding Your Habits To Become Indistractable, With Nir Eyal
Author, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Teacher, Investor, and Consultant, also known as our next guest, Nir Eyal. Well known for his blog, Nir & Far, Nir writes about “behavioral design” the intersection of psychology, technology and business. He helps companies with techniques to motivate and manipulate users.
Nir Eyal, Author of “Indistractable”
Author, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Teacher, Investor, and Consultant, also known as our next guest, Nir Eyal. Well known for his blog, Nir & Far, Nir writes about “behavioral design” the intersection of psychology, technology and business. He helps companies with techniques to motivate and manipulate users. He has successfully founded and sold two businesses in the tech industry and now has his book “Hooked” on the market, with his newest book, “Indistractable” coming in September.
Nir, originally born in Israel, moved to the US when he was just three years old and grew up in Orlando, FL. He received his MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he has since then taught. He is also an active angel investor as he believes in putting his money where his mouth is and invests in habit forming products. Listen in to learn more about Nir:
Growing up in Orlando
How Nir knew he would become an entrepreneur
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Nir & Far – the meaning behind the name of his blog
“Hooked”
Types of Manipulation
Creating Habit Forming products
His new book, “Indistractable”
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
“What are your thoughts on iPhone addiction? How do we protect ourselves from them?”
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“It is not the best product that wins, it is the product that captures the monopoly of the mind.”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Byron Reese Believes Technology Will Bring About A New Golden Age Of Humanity
Fascinated about how things worked and technology from a young age, today’s guest, Byron Reese, makes you question, are you a machine?
Byron Reese, Gigaom
Fascinated about how things worked and technology from a young age, today’s guest, Byron Reese, makes you question, are you a machine? Today, he puts his fascination into good use as the CEO and publisher of Gigaom, an industry-leading technology research company. Bryon is also an award-winning public speaker and author of “The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity.”
Byron grew up in Austin, TX and became an entrepreneur at the young age of 12. He did not have entrepreneurship in his family background, but that wouldn’t stop Byron from becoming a great success today. As a futurist, a forward thinker, Byron helps you think about the good that artificial intelligence has to offer and where we are going in this age of technology. Listen in to hear more about Byron:
Growing up
Rice University
Starting his first company with a can of spray paint
Starting Knowingly
Santa Mail
Talking about Gigaom and AI
Are you a machine?
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
“450 businesses is a lot. How do you think about playing the long game vs a short one, when it comes to sticking with something for so long?”
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“What are We in the end?”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Matt Mandell Is Automating Businesses So They Can Focus On Higher Priorities
Starting out young, today’s guest, Matt Mandell, created his first company at the age of 12. Matt grew up with a supportive family full of entrepreneurs, so Matt was very comfortable with entrepreneurship from the start. He attended college in DC, where he spent the next several years developing multiple companies that were selective to college students.
Matt Mandell, GAM Payments
Starting out young, today’s guest, Matt Mandell, created his first company at the age of 12. Matt grew up with a supportive family full of entrepreneurs, so Matt was very comfortable with entrepreneurship from the start. He attended college in DC, where he spent the next several years developing multiple companies that were selective to college students.
Matt is well known for his serial entrepreneurship and has spoken all across the nation teaching students how to become entrepreneurs themselves. He has been publicized multiple times, including New York Times, has helped start up multiple companies, and now is a managing partner with GAM Payments, a payment solution provider for mid-market companies. Interviewing Matt showed that there are different ways to look at being a leader that really make you think. Tune in to hear more:
Growing up in an Entrepreneurial Family
Creating his first business at the age of 12
College experiences in DC
The many businesses Matt created while in College
Mentoring at Founder Institute
Automation and Efficiency
Investing in companies instead of creating them
Meaning and reasoning for GAM Payments
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
“How do you realize when automation is necessary or when you should just do the small task yourself?
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“If something goes wrong, it is my fault for not setting up the correct system and process for my team”
Links from this episode:
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Ambition Today Episode Sponsors:
Dr. Dileep Rao Teaches How to Create Wealth and Keep It
Entrepreneur, investor, public speaker and author are a few titles that Dr. Dileep Rao is known for. He came from India to America in 1973 for his education, and has been a success ever since. While obtaining his PhD, he started working for an Adventure Capital firm one summer that ended up changing his life. He since then has helped invest in hundreds of businesses, which includes four businesses he started himself.
Dr. Dileep Rao, Author of “Nothing Ventured, Everything Gained”
Entrepreneur, investor, public speaker and author are a few titles that Dr. Dileep Rao is known for. He came from India to America in 1973 for his education, and has been a success ever since. While obtaining his PhD, he started working for an Adventure Capital firm one summer that ended up changing his life. He since then has helped invest in hundreds of businesses, which includes four businesses he started himself. He is now a professor at the Florida International University and has been awarded numerous awards for teaching.
Dr. Dileep Rao is now a nationally acclaimed author, writing “Nothing Ventured, Everything Gained”. He was able to study many successful entrepreneurs in his time, and he came up with 7 steps that all successful entrepreneurs seemed to follow. His book dives deep into his findings. Learn more about Dr. Dileep in this episode!
· Coming to America for Education
· Working for his first Adventure Capital Firm
· Helping Fund hundreds of companies
· His experience writing his book “Nothing Ventured, Everything Gained”
· The 7 steps for Entrepreneurs
· Where growth opportunities are at
· What Dr. Dileep is doing today
Ambition Today Question of the Day™ :
“Where do you see the future of venture capital going next?”
The Single Greatest Piece of Advice:
Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list!
Quote Of The Episode:
“Numbers help you monitor where you are going”
Links from this episode:
· Amazon
· Audible
Listen to this episode now:
The A-List
Join the shows A-list backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice this guest has ever learned!
If you are already a member of the A-list then you can easily access your bonus content from right here!
Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Transcript:
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.