This week on the Startup Savant podcast, we dove deep with Ken Gavranovic into scaling businesses that stand the test of time. We uncovered the essence of product-led growth – shining light on the user experience as a catalyst for organic expansion. Ken shared the riveting journey of Interland; from equity hurdles to a triumphant IPO, emphasizing t…

Curtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods, joins the podcast to share the story and learnings of growing his company from its humble origins launching inside his garage. Curtis shares tales about convincing his girlfriend to leave her job and trust in his now wildly successful company and living at a Zen monastery. Portland Leather Goods…

Author Chris Matthews joins the podcast to share his experience in the startup world and how it led him to write his new book Start Telling People. This episode we dive into how to create superior product demos, mistakes you might be making when showcasing your products, and how to bridge the gap to create a better startup culture in your business.…

This week we are joined by Aravinda Seshadri founder of Venturous Counsel, a startup law firm specializing in helping diverse-led startups and their allies navigate the legal complexities of entrepreneurship. The pair chat about the insights and advice on the basics of startup legal, covering topics such as equity distribution, founder shares, fund…

Kori Estrada, founder of Risewell, joins the podcast. Kori shares the story behind her fluoride-free toothpaste brand, the problematic nature of fluoride in oral care products, and how the brand found the replacement ingredient, hydroxyapatite. With a background in finance, Kori didn't foresee a career in better-for-you products, the founder discus…

Wissam Tabbara, founder of Truebase, discusses how to build and scale startups, focusing on developing the right go-to-market strategy and not just the product. He emphasizes starting with identifying the problem you want to solve first, rather than starting with a solution looking for a problem to solve. Tabbara shares his experience founding mult…

Devo Harris went from grammy award winning producer and founder of GOOD Music alongside Kanye West to successful tech startup founder. Harris founded Adventr to introduce interactive video marketing to the mainstream and to create valuable experiences for consumers. On this episode of the podcast, we chat with Devo about how his background influenc…

What is a weighted pillow and why did the founders of YouTube and GoPro invest in the company behind it? Mikey Goldman, founder of Quiet Mind, joined the Startup Savant podcast to discuss the creation of the first-ever weighted pillow. Diagnosed with ADHD and math dyslexia, Mikey was overprescribed a litany of medications to manage his symptoms dai…

#77. Tiffany Yang, the co-founder of Sweety, shares her journey from taking her family’s small shaved ice cream shop and creating a nationally distributed brand in stores like Walmart and Costco. She shares the wild tale of landing Walmart as Sweety’s first retail customer and the challenges the startup faced along the way. Tiffany also highlights …

What caused the rise of clickbait? This week we are joined by Sivani Babu, co-founder of Hidden Compass, to discuss the rise of clickbait or ‘junk food media,’ its role in the devolution of journalism as we know it today, and how Hidden Compass is turning the tides to create a better tomorrow for media. Hidden Compass Links: https://hiddencompass.n…

This startup shaped the ready-to-drink coffee aisle we know today. This week we are joined by Jash Mehta, co-founder of Pop & Bottle. You’ll probably recognize Pop & Bottle from your local refrigerated drink section, however, achieving nationwide distribution was no stroke of good luck. Jash discusses carving out a niche early on, building based on…

Are you undervaluing PR as an IPO-strategy? Paul Wilke, founder of Upright Position Communications joins the podcast to discuss the relationship between PR and exiting. Paul also provides valuable advice on evaluating PR firms, identifying your internal PR person, representing yourself as an executive during an IPO, and the importance of clear comm…

#73. Are low-ABV beverages here to stay? The co-founders of Libby, Grant Hemingway and John Green, are on a mission to create a better-for-you wine experience that scales. John and Grant emphasize the need for transparency and authenticity in marketing, and they share their journey of creating Libby as a response to the demand for refreshing, low-a…

Could your hiring and firing strategy be hurting your startup? This week on the Startup Savant podcast, Ethan is joined by Karn Saroya, founder of Re a blockchain-based reinsurance startup. The pair discuss Karn’s evolution as a leader from his first startup to now, how performance management and hiring (or firing) employees can make or break your …

#71. In this episode of the Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Melissa and Lee, the co-founders of Frame, a fitness company specializing in Pilates reformers. They discuss their journey from closing their brick-and-mortar studio due to the pandemic to creating a home version of the reformer. The couple delves into the challenges of designing,…

#70. Lucas DiPietrantonio and Jackson Corey, co-founders of Darkroom, join the podcast. DiPietrantonio and Corey discuss their three-year roadmap, which includes building their own educational resource, Darkroom University. They also delve into their unique perspective as entrepreneurs and investors, their focus on customer satisfaction and bottom-…

#69. In this episode of Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Rachel Krupa, founder of The Goods Mart. Rachel shares her experience of reinventing the beloved convenience store by offering better-for-you products. She discusses the importance of location in the retail and food industry and trusting your gut as an entrepreneur. Rachel also talks …

#68: Rishi Khanna, CEO of Stocktwits, joins the podcast to discuss the trials and triumphs of user-generated communities. They discuss the recent Reddit API turmoil, how Rishi’s role as CEO helped facilitate Stocktwits’ growth to over 8 million users, and the secret behind building an activated user community you can monetize. Stocktwits Links: htt…

#67. On this episode of the Startup Savant Podcast, Ethan interviews Joe Calderon, founder, and CEO of Pelipost. Joe's mother's incarceration ignited the idea for Pelipost, a print-on-demand photo company that serves families of incarcerated individuals across the US. Joe discusses the challenges of starting Pelipost while being self-funded and fac…

#66: John Goscha, founder and CEO of Native Voice, joins Ethan to discuss how his startup harmonizes various AI assistants. John highlights how voice assistants like Siri and Alexa need to focus on quality user experience to succeed in the ambient computing era. He also predicts that devices like headphones will be integrated with voice assistants …

#65: On this episode of Startup Savant Podcast, we hear from Jesse Randall, founder of Sweater Ventures, about his journey to create a venture capital fund that is open to anyone, regardless of wealth or accreditation status. He explains how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), once created to protect everyday people from investment scams,…

#64: In this episode of the podcast, we speak with Andrew Jamison, co-founder of Extend, a platform that enables businesses to issue and manage digital credit cards. Jamison shares his journey from leaving the corporate world of American Express to embarking on entrepreneurship. He recounts his experience implementing solutions for corporate client…

#63. On this episode of Startup Savant Podcast Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE, shares her insights on business mentorship. SCORE is a nationwide network of over 10,000 volunteers that offers free one-to-one mentorship, workshops, and assistance with business plans to small business owners across the US. Weston discusses the importance of goal-setting…

#62: Ethan chats with Tristan Kalos and Antoine Carossio, the co-founders of the cybersecurity startup Escape. The main objective of Escape is to assist companies in developing secure GraphQL applications by identifying and resolving any security concerns in their API. Tristan and Antoine share how they first met and how their unique skills contrib…

#61: Adrian Fagerlund and Ethan discuss Linkby, a global two-sided marketplace connecting advertisers and premium publishers. They explore Linkby's role in facilitating this relationship and their plans for future expansion. Their conversation also touches on the other co-founders, Chris and Andrew, their roles, and the group dynamic as a team. Adr…

#60: Chen Amit joins Ethan to chat about his fintech startup, Tipalti, a global, scalable, and holistic payables automation system. Chen recalls the process of creating Tipalti and deciding to start as a one-man show. The pair discuss what factors led to Tipalti’s success and growth, how skills from Chen’s former poker career are useful for busines…

#59: Marina Martianova joins Ethan to discuss her innovative web3 digital fashion startup, Seamm, a startup that produces virtual replicas of physical fashions to be utilized in the metaverse, in tandem with fashion houses. The pair chat about the future of the metaverse, refining an investor pitch, and building Seamm as a two-sided marketplace. Se…

#58: Andy Choi joins the podcast chat about his mission-driven startup and how he found the 'why' behind his company. Andy is the founder of Do Good Points, a nonprofit and tech startup hybrid that offers a rewards system for charitable donations incentivizing people to give back to their communities. Check out the Cashing Out podcast: https://cash…

#57: James Graham joins Ethan to chat about his telecom startup, Community Phone which provides cell and landline service to users all across America. The pair have a riveting conversation about product market fit, the necessity of experimentation, and how you can generate unique startup ideas in order to disrupt the marketplace. In this episode we…

#56: Mir Hwang is the CEO and Co-Founder of GigFinesse, a platform that connects music artists with venues to the benefit of both parties. Mir is an NYU alumni who utilized their extensive entrepreneurial support system to build the startup into what it is today. In this episode we dive into: Going from app to desktop due to consumer demand The cho…

#55: Annafi Wahed joins Ethan to discuss her political newsletter and social media platform, The Flip Side, which uses “equal bias” in order to explore both liberal and conservative perspectives. The pair chat about the polarization of American politics today, cultivating an audience by utilizing incentives as well as self-created luck, and the dir…

#54: Jeremy Barnett sits down with Ethan to discuss his martech startup Rad AI. A startup that utilizes influencers or what Jeremy calls, “key opinion leaders,” and artificial intelligence to assist companies on their marketing journeys. The pair discuss the makings of a strong content marketing strategy, how AI has impacted the martech space, and …

#53: Adam Nash is the co-founder and CEO of Daffy. With an extensive background in Silicon Valley, Nash previously served as CEO of Wealthfront, VP at LinkedIn as well as Dropbox, and Director at eBay. In addition to his role at Daffy, he is also an angel investor and board member at companies such as Acorns and Shift. Visit Daffy.org/AdamNash/invi…

#52: Founder and CEO, Sufian Chowdhury joins the podcast to discuss his fast growing and essential startup, Kinetik. Committed to serving the underserved, Kinetik is a non-emergency medical platform which connects patients on medicare or medicaid with transportation services. Sufian dives deep into the logistics of Kinetik, including the origins of…

#51: Co-Founder and CTO, Simone May joins the podcast to discuss her innovative digital marketing freelancing platform, Clutch. Clutch connects businesses who need social media marketing and web design support to college student creators who are able to easily keep up with trends and assist clients meet their marketing goals. Simone breaks down the…

#50: Ethan is joined by founder and CEO David McFarland to chat about his cutting edge business insurance company, Coterie. Coterie is committed to providing high quality insurance policies for small businesses who may not have been approved by other companies. David discusses his impassioned decision to start Coterie, how the company is funded, th…

#49: Andrew Hollar and Max Rebarber are co-founders of the startup, Fig. After discovering their own dietary restrictions, they realized the frustration and isolation associated with not knowing what brands of foods they could eat without flaring up symptoms. Dedicated to helping others with the same plight, the pair started Fig. With the help of T…

#48: Olive oil enthusiast and startup founder Katina Mountanos sits down with Ethan to discuss her exceptional company, Kosterina. A startup that is dedicated to making quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO for short), the Mediterranean lifestyle, and its associated health benefits accessible to Americans. Kosterina is a lifestyle brand that has gai…

#47: Suki Mulberg Altamirano is the founder and CEO of Lexington Public Relations. She initially began doing PR in the beauty industry at KENZO and Elizabeth Arden, but after a period of burnout, Suki decided to go independent and start her own company. In addition to Lexington PR, Suki is also a partner at PressReady, which works to provide newer …

#46: Tony Tran is the founder and CEO of Lumanu, a company working to build the financial infrastructure needed for our modern day creative economy. Lumanu currently has over 40,000 users and has raised $12 million in their Series A. Tony studied computer science at MIT and initially began working for big name companies like Google, McKinsey, and B…

#45: David Utley, M.D. is the founder and CEO of Pivot, a digital health company helping users eliminate their tobacco use. Pivot has raised over $40 million, and David has over 100 published US patents. David is a seasoned entrepreneur and had previously been a founder at BARRX, which raised $70+ million in VC funding before being acquired in 2012…

#44: Jaideep Singh is the founder and CEO FlyFin, a VC backed startup helping automate finances for freelancers and business owners. While he initially began working as a software engineer, he later went on to become a founder of various companies and received an MBA from Wharton. One of his first startups, Spock, worked to create a database of ove…

#43: Josh Cliffords is the founder and CEO of FreeWater, the world’s first free beverage company. Josh has founded numerous companies, but in 2018, he decided to tackle the world’s water crisis and hasn’t looked back. Josh’s ‘negatively-priced’ business model leverages advertising to make goods and services pay for themselves, and while he is curre…

#42: Former NFL player turned entrepreneur Parker Graham joins Ethan to discuss his startup Finotta, which offers banks a digital platform geared towards improving their customers’ financial health. Parker details his journey from a professional athlete to a startup founder. He discusses how his first company’s initial failures shaped his approach …

#41: Kyle York is the founder and CEO of York IE. Kyle has advised and invested in 100+ startups and is a board member for several companies. Kyle initially began working in EdTech, and after developing an interest in the tech space, he became the CRO at Dyn, a software company that was later acquired by Oracle. In addition to York IE, Kyle is a co…

#40. Matt Blumberg is the Founder and CEO of Bolster, a company working to help startups scale by pairing them with executive talent and board members. In addition to running Bolster, Matt is the author of Startup CEO: A field guide to scaling up your business, and he runs a popular entrepreneurship blog, StartupCEO.com. Matt has worked with many c…

#38: Anthony Nitsos joins Annaka and Ethan to discuss startup Finances. As a fractional CFO, Anthony works with startups to build their financial systems and ensure that they have the correct figures to make informed decisions. Anthony recommends startups put in the work building a strong financial system in their early stages to help facilitate gr…

#38: Alex Song is the CEO and founder of Proxima, which helps brands boost their marketing abilities by using big data and Proxima’s AI-powered software. Alex began his career in finance, but eventually he decided to start his own business. He is no stranger to entrepreneurship and has confounded many companies over the years. While Proxima works t…

#37: Ksenia Yudina joins Annaka and Ethan to discuss her journey founding UNest, a fintech app designed to help families invest in their kids’ futures. Ksenia walks us through the problem she saw with traditional options for families, and she shares her story innovating the finance industry, an industry that is often reluctant to change. In this ep…

Shellye Archambeau serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta. She previously served as the CEO of MetricStream, a software company focused on risk management and compliance. Her book, Unapologetically Ambitious was chosen by Fortune magazine as the business book of the year. In this episode we dive into: Analyzing the…