Shows
Value DriversThe Humanly Story: AI, Growth, and the CEO's Journey The podcast interview features Prem Kumar, founder and CEO of Humanly, an AI-powered recruiting platform. We delve into Prem's journey, the origins of Humanly, its business model, market positioning, recent funding, and the ethical integration of AI in recruitment. Prem's inspiration for Humanly stemmed from his personal experience as a job candidate in 2006, where he observed a lack of communication and inconsistent interview processes in high-applicant-volume roles. Later, working at Microsoft's HR Solution delivery team, he recognized that hiring teams lacked the technology to engage with candidates at scale, often only reviewing 5% of applicants. Humanly w...
2025-08-0436 min
Value DriversScaling with Intent: UrbanSitter's Prescriptive Funding Strategy, M&A, and Evolution in the Care MarketLynn Perkins, founder and CEO of UrbanSitter, discussed her journey in building a trusted care platform. Her inspiration for UrbanSitter stemmed from a personal need for childcare and the idea to leverage social connections to replicate word-of-mouth trust online. Unlike many marketplaces, UrbanSitter operates on a subscription model for families and providers, which helps to maintain high-quality interactions and prevent disintermediation. Trust and safety are paramount in their high-trust business, ensured through annual background checks, identity verification, and by highlighting "repeat family" bookings as a key objective measure of a caregiver's reliability. Regarding capital allocation, Perkins emphasizes...
2025-07-1536 min
Value DriversCracking the Glioblastoma Challenge: A CEO's Journey in Brain Cancer Treatment John Climaco, Chairman and CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals, elaborates on his company's dedicated mission in the research and development of new cancer treatments for the brain and the central nervous system. Climaco, an experienced entrepreneur, was drawn to the immense challenge of glioblastoma, referring to it as an "uncrackable nut" and "the toughest of the tough". He explains that glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and deadly primary brain cancer, which is "essentially uniformly fatal" and often degrades a person before their body succumbs. The standard of care for this disease has remained largely stagnant for the p...
2025-07-0938 min
Value DriversAI in Healthcare: Cuezen's Approach to Driving Behavioral Change Sunil Shinde, a product leader and co-founder at CueZen, was the guest on the Value Drivers podcast. He shared insights into CueZen's mission, its innovative use of AI in healthcare, and his professional journey, which includes past roles at Microsoft and Harman. Sunil began his career in India with Microsoft before migrating to the United States. He spent a significant portion of his early career helping customers build IP using cost-effective offshore models. In 2016, he made his first foray into AI and healthcare by joining his current CEO, Ankur, at an earlier startup called KenSci, w...
2025-07-0125 min
Value DriversManifesting Real Estate: Blockchain's New FrontierVal Lee, co-founder of Manifest, transitioned to entrepreneurship after over a decade in management consulting at Deloitte, where he focused on economics and business. He realized his increasing draw to entrepreneurial projects, which large consulting firms are not structured to support, necessitating a "decompression period" to rewire his brain from high-pressure deliverables to long-term learning and strategic thinking. Manifest's core mission is to unlock access to private equity real estate investment via blockchain, originating from an exploration of value creation in the crypto space. With his co-founder Nathan, Val focused on homes as a significant area for...
2025-06-2635 min
Value DriversAI's Impact on Insurance Claims: Insights from Voltaire Founder Yo Sub Kwon Voltaire is an AI-powered program founded by Yo Sub Kwon, designed to help insurance carriers by making claims correspondence faster, more accurate, and cheaper. Kwon, a technologist who started programming at 12 and launched his first company at 16, has a background in founding multiple companies, including Launchkey and one of the earliest US-based crypto exchanges. His entry into the P&C insurance industry was sparked by the rise of ChatGPT, leading him to discover an unrelated AI software being used for claims letters and eventually partnering with Bryan Layne, who brought crucial insurance industry expertise, to start Voltaire.
2025-06-1139 min
Value DriversAutomating Professional Services: Caddi CEO Alejandro Castellano on Using AI to Tackle Admin WorkPeter Ho welcomed Alejandro Castellano to the podcast to discuss how he uses technology to make operations and businesses work smarter. Alejandro shared his background, starting with a childhood dream of being an inventor in Lima, Peru, leading him to study electrical engineering. He pursued entrepreneurial ventures early, starting an EdTech company in college where he learned the basics of running a business. This first company connected him with business people, leading to an opportunity to join a family office, which he described as his "on the streets MBA," where he learned how businesses grow from one to ten...
2025-05-0635 min
Value DriversBuilding the Zillow for Small Business: An Interview with Baton Founder Chat Joglekar This podcast episode features an interview with Chat Joglekar, the founder and CEO of Baton, a company aiming to be the "Zillow for small business". Chat, an experienced executive with previous roles at Google and Zillow, was inspired to start Baton after a friend's frustrating experience trying to buy a small business, highlighting the lack of transparency in valuations. The market for small business transactions is substantial, estimated to be north of one trillion dollars annually. Baton seeks to address the illiquidity and opacity of this market by providing transparent valuations based on comparable sales data and r...
2025-04-2841 min
Value DriversDemocratizing Franchise Ownership: Inside Franzy with Co-founder Alex SmereczniakIn this episode, we interview Alex Smereczniak, a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Franzy, a franchise discovery and acquisition platform, and former CEO of 2 U Laundry and Laundry Lab. Alex shares his journey of growing 2 U Laundry/Laundry Lab to over 30 locations and his decision to hire a CEO and move to a board position. This transition allowed him to focus on his idea for Franzy, which he describes as the "Zillow for franchising," aiming to solve the gap in how people discover and research franchise opportunities. The franchise market is massive, accounting for 6-8% of...
2025-04-2132 min
Value DriversScaling Startups and Building Finance Teams: Insights from CFO Julian LangePeter Ho welcomes Julian Lange, an experienced CFO who has guided companies from startup to IPO, including scaling Marley Spoon and leading VC fundraising for Aiven. Currently CFO at Upvest, Julian brings strategic financial leadership and a passion for team development. Julian's Career Journey: Julian shares his background, starting with 10 years in the corporate world at General Electric (GE), where he held various finance roles and learned the importance of finance helping to run the business. He gained exposure to corporate FP&A among other important finance functions. After GE, Julian transitioned to the startup and scale-up...
2025-04-1553 min
Value DriversAI and Accounting: Enhancing Efficiency and Upleveling AccountantsThe interview with Alex Lee, CEO of Truewind, explores how his company uses artificial intelligence to streamline accounting processes for accounting firms. Truewind is presented as a "digital staff accountant" that utilizes AI to perform accounting tasks with greater efficiency and predictability. Lee's background is in aerospace engineering, having worked at Boeing on the 777X program. He transitioned to venture capital after obtaining an MBA. His experience supporting portfolio companies exposed him to the inefficiencies in finance and reporting, which led him to start two technology companies, including Truewind. Inefficiencies exist across the entire accounting...
2025-03-1136 min
Value DriversBuilding Beyond the Black Box: Nate Helbach on Differentiated Multifamily DesignNate Helbach, founder and CEO of Neutral, discusses his company's mission to redefine real estate development through sustainable practices and a focus on tenant wellness. Neutral aims to construct mixed-use and multifamily developments that achieve carbon neutrality. Inspiration and Background: Nate was inspired to start Neutral by the lack of differentiation and sustainability in typical multifamily projects. He saw a need for buildings that prioritize wellness, longevity, and environmental responsibility. Neutral is vertically integrated, with development, construction, and architectural arms. Neutral's Strategy and Projects: Neutral focuses on creating unique living experiences with a holistic approach...
2025-03-0342 min
Value DriversThe Strategic CFO: Insights from Dan Hilton of BluMetricIn this episode of Value Drivers, we welcome Dan Hilton, the CFO of BluMetric (Ticker: BLM), a Canadian environmental consulting and water technology company. Dan shares his extensive experience spanning over 30 years in both startup and established technology firms. He discusses his varied career, which includes serving on both public and private company boards, involvement in the Canadian artificial heart program, running the Conservative Party of Canada, and numerous successful M&A transactions. Dan delves into the role of a strategic CFO, emphasizing a balance between risk-taking and financial prudence, the importance of understanding and storytelling in finance, and...
2025-02-2639 min
Value DriversAI or Not: Protecting Against Generative AI Risks Anatoly (“Toly”) Kvitnitsky, founder and CEO of AI or Not, an AI detection startup, was interviewed on the Value Drivers podcast. Kvitnitsky's background includes a decade in fraud and KYC protection, followed by a stint as a VC at a major financial institution, which ultimately led him to start AI or Not in late 2023. His motivation stemmed from the realization that generative AI, while beneficial, could be exploited by bad actors. He felt there wasn't enough being done to protect individuals and companies from these risks and wanted to help people enjoy AI while maintaining safety and trust...
2025-02-1837 min
Value DriversCleerly's Vision for a World Without Heart Attacks: A Conversation with CEO Dr. James MinDr. James Min, founder and CEO of Cleerly, is interviewed about his journey from a medical background to entrepreneurship. Dr. Min, a cardiologist by training, spent 15 years at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Cornell Medical College. He discusses the development of the coronary CT angiogram, a tool that allowed his team to learn about vascular biology and the causes of heart attacks. This led to a clinical program called Heart Health, which, through a personalized approach to disease evaluation using imaging, saw no heart attacks in its patients over several years. Dr. Min realized that scaling this approach would...
2025-02-1037 min
Value DriversUnlocking Value in Mining: A CEO’s Perspective on Leadership and Growth This interview with Brodie Sutherland, CEO of Tocvan Ventures (Ticker: TOC), provides insights into the company's operations, the mining industry, and Sutherland's leadership philosophy. Tocvan Ventures is a publicly traded natural resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. Sutherland, a geologist by training, shares his journey from a field geologist to leading an exploration company. His career has taken him around the world, giving him experience with various mineralized systems. This experience has given him insight into what makes a project go from exploration to production. A key takeaway from t...
2025-02-0442 min
Value DriversEnterprise Grade Contract AI: Insights from Pramata CEO Praful SaklaniThe podcast features a conversation with Praful Saklani, the CEO of Pramata, a company focused on simplifying contract management using AI. Saklani shares his extensive entrepreneurial journey, beginning with his early involvement in the internet world in the mid-1990s after graduating from Swarthmore College with a degree in Economics and Political Science. He describes how he saw the potential of the internet and became a consultant and then an entrepreneur, starting a travel technology company in 1998. He then engaged in impact investing, working on water purification in the Philippines and India. Saklani founded Pramata in 2006 after identifying a...
2025-01-2946 min
Value DriversFrom Social Media to AI Compute: The Piotr Tomasik Story Piotr Tomasik, co-founder and COO of TensorWave, was interviewed on Value Drivers. Tomasik discusses his journey into AI, his entrepreneurial background, and the founding of TensorWave. He grew up in the Bay Area, and moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV for computer science. He was drawn into the startup world after being recruited by a professor into a green energy company. He then worked for a prepaid debit card processor before co-founding a social media startup called Activeside. He also co-founded a company called Influential, a social media influencer marketing platform, which was sold to Publicis f...
2025-01-2734 min
Value DriversFrom Layoff to Launch: An Entrepreneur's Journey to Creating a Startup in the HR Tech Space In this episode of Value Drivers, Peter Ho sits down with Andy Hamilton, a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and co-Founder of When, a company revolutionizing the employee offboarding experience. Andy shares his journey from real estate tech to founding When after personally experiencing the challenges of navigating health insurance and limited support during a layoff from Expedia. The conversation explores When's approach to offboarding, highlighting the company's use of AI and concierge support to help exiting employees find affordable alternatives to COBRA and access essential resources like outplacement services and 401k rollover guidance. Andy d...
2025-01-0641 min
Value DriversBeyond the Leasing Office: How Tour24 is Empowering Renters and Property Managers with Self-Guided ToursWelcome to Value Drivers, the podcast exploring the forces driving value creation in today’s business landscape. Today’s guest is David Cohen, CFO of Tour24, a proptech company transforming the multifamily rental market with its self-guided tour platform. About David Cohen: David Cohen has over 35 years of experience in finance and investment. Before Tour24, he held leadership positions in investment banking, private equity, and public market investing. David leads the finance team at Tour24, Inc, a growing proptech company serving the multifamily residential real estate market. He joined Tour24 in late 2022 after bein...
2024-12-1641 min
Value DriversFive Cards, One Payment: The Kasheesh SolutionSam Miller, founder and CEO of Kasheesh, shared his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the company's payment solution. After studying economics at the University of Maryland, Miller embarked on a career path in the startup world. Miller has a rich history of success in the startup world, having founded and exited two companies before taking a position at Dreamit Ventures. His experience at Dreamit provided him with insights into the investment landscape, which would prove crucial in his later endeavors. This experience laid the groundwork for Kasheesh, a company born out of a simple observation - the difficulty a fr...
2024-12-1032 min
Value DriversFrom Ukraine to Silicon Valley: Vlad Panchenko's Entrepreneurial JourneyVlad Panchenko, the founder of Portal AI, joins Peter Ho this week and shares his journey from his roots in Ukraine to the heart of Silicon Valley, highlighting his four companies and his evolving entrepreneurial vision. The discussion explores Panchenko's entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of the gaming industry, the impact of AI on businesses, and the vision behind Portal AI. Panchenko's Entrepreneurial Journey From Ukraine to Silicon Valley: Panchenko details his journey from founding his first two companies in Ukraine, both in the video game industry, to his third company, DMarket, which he bu...
2024-12-0243 min
Value DriversFrom Big 4 to CFO: Conor Tierney's Journey to Leading a Lidar Tech CompanyConor Tierney, CFO of AEye, a lidar sensor company, discusses his career journey, the lidar technology and market opportunity, AEye’s business model and financial strategy, and his advice for those starting their careers. Originally from Ireland, Tierney began his career working for PwC in the Silicon Valley during the early 2000s. He gained valuable experience working on IPOs, carve-outs, and financial due diligence for private equity companies. He credits his time at Big 4 accounting firms for providing him with a solid foundation and accelerating his learning trajectory. Tierney joined Glu Mobile, a mobile gaming com...
2024-11-2038 min
Value DriversLeveling the Healthcare Playing Field: A Conversation with PayZen's Itzik CohenIn this episode, we speak with Itzik Cohen, CEO of PayZen, a fintech company transforming healthcare affordability. Drawing on his experience as a professional basketball player, Cohen shares how teamwork, leadership, and focus are central to both sports and business. PayZen’s mission is to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for patients while solving revenue challenges for healthcare providers. Key Themes: Shifting Payment Responsibility in Healthcare Over the last two decades, healthcare costs have increasingly fallen on patients due to rising deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Cohen highlights this shift, describing how...
2024-11-0639 min
Value DriversStreamlining Retirement Planning: Innovations and Insights with 401Go's Daniel BeckEpisode Summary In this episode, Daniel Beck, founder and CEO of 401Go, discusses his approach to simplifying retirement planning for small businesses. Drawing on his diverse experience across industries, Daniel explains how 401Go automates 401(k) plan setup, making it easier for small businesses to manage compliance and offer competitive employee benefits. The conversation highlights how automation can help small businesses reduce administrative burdens and remain competitive in attracting talent. Daniel also shares insights into scaling 401Go, focusing on investor relationships, in-house product development, and building a strong company culture. He reflects on balancing the challenges...
2024-10-1837 min
Value DriversBeyond the Spreadsheet: Modernizing Maintenance Management with Patricia SagastumePatricia Sagastume, the head of Finance at Limble, shares her entrepreneurial journey with us. Rooted in a family of entrepreneurs, Patricia’s story is one of grit and growth, as she recalls her early days at a software escrow company that prepped her for greater ventures. Alongside her brother, she co-founded Limble, a computerized maintenance management software powerhouse that has grown from a bootstrapped startup to an industry contender. Patricia unpacks the financial evolution of startup life. From bootstrapping to building structured financial systems, she offers insights on managing cash flow, budgeting, and forecasting. With a dual ro...
2024-10-0838 min
Value DriversUnlocking the Power of Graphene with Kjirstin BreureJoin us for a conversation with Kjirstin Breure, the President and CEO of Hydrograph, as she takes us through the journey of Hydrograph from its early phase at Kansas State University to becoming a publicly traded entity with operations in the US and UK. Kjirstin shares her path from working in various tech startups to becoming the founding team member at Hydrograph. She elaborates on the properties of graphene, discovered in 2004, and its diverse applications in semiconductors, composites, lubricants, and energy storage devices, emphasizing its potential to enhance material properties and promote sustainability. Listen in as we...
2024-10-0234 min
Value DriversNavigating the Semiconductor Frontier: Jessica Gomez on MEMS, Federal Grants, and Industry InnovationsJessica Gomez, the founder and CEO of Rogue Valley Micro Devices, takes us on a journey from Long Island to Southern Oregon, where she and her husband carved out a niche in the competitive semiconductor industry. We unpack the world of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) and their broad applications in consumer electronics, automotive, and defense sectors. Jessica sheds light on what it means to be a pure play MEMS foundry and shares how Rogue Valley integrates seamlessly into the local community, making it a cornerstone of their business model. Navigating the complexities of federal grant applications...
2024-09-3042 min
Value DriversBuilding the Future: Ernest Popescu on Revolutionizing Data Centers in Urban MarketsErnest Popescu, the founder and CEO of Metrobloks, shares his career trajectory from the worlds of automotive and aerospace to pivotal roles at AWS and Facebook. Ernest's expertise in data center development offers invaluable insights into capacity planning and the drive behind Metrobloks. Metrobloks is on a mission to revolutionize urban, underserved markets by delivering scalable and standardized computing solutions where tech giants like AWS, Google, and Microsoft have yet to venture. We unpack the strategic intricacies of data center development, from securing prime land and power sources to meeting stringent conditions such as proximity to airports...
2024-09-2342 min
Value DriversThe Entrepreneurial Leap - Fran Brzyski's Path to Building HarkWhat drives someone to leave the corporate world and embrace the uncertainty of startups? Hear Fran Brzyski 's story from his days at JP Morgan, where he felt boxed in, to his thrilling adventures across multiple startups like Rocket Trip. Fran shares the highs and lows of founding Hark, a platform transforming customer engagement with asynchronous video and audio communication, drawing inspiration from the success of Instagram and TikTok. Expect an honest discussion on betting everything, including taking a second mortgage, and the intricate dance of raising venture capital. Shifting gears, we tackle the complexities of the...
2024-09-1731 min
Value DriversAdrienne Prentice on Empowering Employees with Care SolutionsAdrienne Prentice, the founder and CEO of Keep Company, joins us to share her transition from attorney to leadership coach and entrepreneurship. Through her personal journey, Adrienne provides deep insights into the significant challenges faced by working parents and caregivers, highlighting the tough choices between career aspirations and family obligations. Drawing from her experiences at law firms and Hewlett Packard, she delves into the disconnect in organizations, where top talent often feels compelled to sacrifice personal well-being for professional success. In our discussion, Adrienne introduces the innovative Care Census tool and the Signature Group Learning Experience, designed...
2024-08-1938 min
Value DriversFrom Ukraine to Silicon Valley: Lesya Arnold on Recruiting A Players for StartupsLesya Arnold, the founder and CEO of A Players Recruiting, walks us through her career journey that began at the tender age of 12 in Ukraine. By 17, she was already a tech recruiter, and her move to the US only amplified her impact. Lesya shares her experiences navigating cultural differences between Ukrainian and American recruiting practices, emphasizing the importance of personalized candidate feedback and the drive to recruit passionate, high-quality junior talent that can lead companies to success. Our conversation underscores the vital role of hiring A players for leadership roles in startups. Lesya explains how top-tier talent...
2024-08-0834 min
Value DriversNavigating the Future of Consulting: AI, Digital Transformation, and Career Insights with Mayank MittalCan smaller consulting firms ever compete with the giants like BCG and McKinsey? Today, we dig into the unconventional paths and creative approaches that smaller firms leverage to carve out their own space in the consulting world. Join us as we welcome back Mayank Mittal, a tech industry executive and the author of "The Art of Building Great Products," who shares his journey from a large consulting powerhouse to his current role at Consulum, a government advisory firm focusing on digital transformation. Mayank provides candid insights into the contrasting work environments, highlighting the benefits of creative flexibility within smaller...
2024-07-2244 min
Value DriversAtomic Financial: Empowering Consumers through Seamless Account Switching and AI-Driven FinanceJordan Wright, CEO of Atomic Financial, provides insights into the company's evolution and strategic focus. Atomic emerged from Wright's previous venture, Unbill, with a mission to revolutionize consumer banking. Central to their business model is a per-transaction fee structure aimed at facilitating seamless account switching for major banks, ensuring they become primary financial providers by automating paycheck and bill transfers. This service, while currently niche, holds significant growth potential, especially as Atomic expands into payment switching and subscription management. The conversation also underscores the transformative impact of AI in fintech. AI plays a pivotal role at Atomic, p...
2024-07-1837 min
Value DriversNavigating the Evolving Landscape of the Space Industry In this episode, Jeff Thornburg, founder of Portal Space Systems, shares insights on revolutionizing the space industry. From the shift towards commercial space companies like SpaceX to the importance of aligning with customer needs, Thornburg emphasizes the value of strong relationships and operational efficiency. He discusses the need for maneuverable spacecraft in a crowded space environment and delves into the unique propulsion system being developed by Portal Space Systems to address challenges like orbital congestion and debris while supporting military operations in space. Thornburg's discussion on the changing landscape of the space industry, strategic planning, and embracing t...
2024-07-1137 min
Value DriversAI-Driven Athlete Marketing: Navigating NCAA Rule Changes Ayden Syal, CEO of MOGL, discussed his transition from finance to running a startup focusing on influencer marketing for athletes. He explained the impact of NCAA rule changes allowing athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) since July 2021. Athletes can now engage in sponsorships, endorsements, and more to leverage their audience and receive compensation. The landscape is evolving rapidly, benefiting both well-known and up-and-coming athletes. College athletes are a powerful subset of influencers targeted by brands to reach Gen Z consumers. They have high engagement rates on social media platforms like Instagram and T...
2024-07-0336 min
Value DriversInnovating Women's Health: The Daré Bioscience Leadership ApproachIn this episode, Sabrina Matucci-Johnson, CEO of Daré Bioscience (Ticker: DARE), shares insights on advancing women's health products in the biotech industry. She discusses the challenges and strategies for successful commercialization, including leveraging partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, utilizing non-dilutive funding like grants, and the unique approach of using a reverse merger for funding. Sabrina highlights the significance of addressing unmet needs, obtaining FDA approval, and ensuring patient access to innovative products. The episode delves into the importance of clear communication with investors and stakeholders in the fast-paced biotech landscape. Sabrina's journey in the biotech industry has been d...
2024-06-2741 min
Value DriversInnovations in PCB Manufacturing with FlashPCB CEO Thomas Castner The conversation sheds light on the journey of Thomas Castner, CEO and co-founder of Flash PCB. The conversation covers Thomas’ background, the company's unique value proposition, its recent funding from SBIR, and the challenges they face in the day-to-day operations. Thomas, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University, discussed his entrepreneurial journey and the founding of Flash PCB, a company specializing in fast PCB assembly services. Highlighting his extensive experience in designing hardware for startup companies, Thomas emphasized the company's focus on providing fast and reliable PCB assembly services for small and...
2024-06-2039 min
Value DriversThe Journey from Real Estate to Tech: Transforming the B2B Supply ChainPeter Ho sat down with Alex Witcpalek, the CEO and founder of Continuum. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by Continuum, as well as the strategies and values that have contributed to the company's success. Alex's background is an important starting point as it provides context for his approach to leading Continuum. He discusses his transition from commercial real estate to the technology and software industry, highlighting his vision for driving change and making an impact. His experience in leading organizations and scaling businesses becomes evident as he narrates his journey through different companies...
2024-06-1336 min
Value DriversUnlocking AI Insights for the C-suite: A Conversation with Joe Essenfeld, CEO of Fora Joe Essenfeld, the founder of Fora, and Peter Ho discussed Fora's innovative approach to using AI to make enterprise operations more efficient. The company aims to provide C-suite executives with insights from meetings and conversations, allowing them to make strategic decisions based on qualitative data. Fora's focus is on enhancing productivity and bottom-line results for companies, particularly those at inflection points in their growth. Essenfeld shared his entrepreneurial journey, starting with his first company in the HR tech space 14 years ago. He highlighted the challenges of building solutions for large global companies and navigating global security and...
2024-05-2835 min
Value DriversEmpowering Financial Wellness: A Conversation with Nav.it Founder Erin PapworthPeter Ho sat down with Erin Papworth, the founder of Nav.it, a financial wellness platform aimed at reducing financial stress for individuals and employees. Papworth, a seasoned entrepreneur with experience managing multi-million dollar programs, shared insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a startup. She discussed the transition from working in large organizations like Johns Hopkins, Doctors Without Borders, and the United Nations to starting a company focused on improving financial health. One of the main themes that emerged from the conversation was the role of financial stress and how it impacts individuals and organizations. P...
2024-05-2137 min
Value DriversAccelerating Property Claims with AI: The Digsfact JourneyNishant Tomar, the Chairman & CEO at Digsfact, shares his journey from a house fire in 2017 to launching a startup using AI for property claims. His motivation to found Digsfact stemmed from a personal experience when his home was affected by a fire in 2017, leading him to identify critical pain points in the property repair and insurance claims process. The conversation delves into Nishant's personal experiences and the triggering event that led to the creation of Digsfact. He emphasizes the time-consuming and frustrating process of dealing with property damage and insurance claims, highlighting the need for a more...
2024-05-1534 min
Value DriversBalancing Parenthood: Navigating Challenges in Paid Leave Solutions (Dirk Doebler, CEO of Parento) Balancing Parenthood: Navigating Challenges in Paid Leave Solutions Peter Ho welcomed special guest Dirk Doebler, the founder and CEO of Parento, a company that focuses on providing parental support and leave solutions for working families. The discussion delved into Dirk's diverse background and the journey that led him to establish Parento, as well as the challenges and opportunities he has encountered while trying to scale his business and convey the importance of offering comprehensive parental leave benefits to employers. Dirk's background in equity research, coupled with his experience working with CPG and helicopter companies, provides...
2024-04-2639 min
Value DriversOptimizing Healing: A Journey with MEND CEO Eziah Zaidi-SyedEziah Zaidi-Syed, CEO of MEND, discusses the company’s evidence-based approach to optimize healing with personalized nutrition and their platform's focus on enhancing patient care during and after surgical procedures. Eziah delves into the company’s unique integrated platform for precision care and the challenges and insights on fundraising, handling rejection, and leveraging connections in the startup environment. The episode highlights the importance of executing contracts and scalability in healthcare, offering a peek into MEND's entrepreneurial journey and future growth prospects. Key Lessons • Personal experiences with slow healing led to the establishment of MEND, which focuse...
2024-04-1836 min
Value DriversJeff Perlman, founder of Bright Power In a recent interview, Peter Ho sat down with Jeff Perlman, the founder of Bright Power—a premier provider of energy and water management services for real estate owners, investors, and operators. The interview provides insight into Perlman's journey, the company's services, and the challenges and opportunities in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry. Perlman introduces Bright Power as an organization that focuses on bringing renewable energy and energy efficiency together for both existing and new buildings, primarily in the apartment building sector. The company offers services such as energy scorecards, utility bill-based energy management systems, an...
2024-04-1041 min
Value DriversJeff Lambert - CEO of Tiicker In a recent conversation between Peter Ho and Jeff Lambert, the founder of Tiicker, an intelligent software startup, the topic of conversation revolved around Tiicker, a platform that connects individual retail investors with publicly traded companies to offer perks and rewards for stock ownership. The discussion delved into the concept of verified stock perks and shareholder loyalty, with Jeff Lambert highlighting the importance of forming a connection between retail investors and public companies. Jeff Lambert spoke about the two-sided business model of Tiicker, where public companies desire engagement with retail investors and would like to s...
2024-04-0237 min
Value DriversJohn Ennis - founder and CEO of Neoswap Show Notes [01:14] John gave the audience a high level summary of his background. Originally, John is a mathematician. After post doc in computational neuroscience, he went into market research consulting. Five years ago, he started his first company, Agora, followed by Neoswap. [02:02] John discussed the market opportunity of Neoswap which is pioneering a new form of commerce where it is much easier to spend things that you already own. Neoswap is orchestrating trades where a network of people simultaneously buy and sell. The company's technology is particularly useful in cases where the assets are h...
2024-03-2140 min
Value DriversJon Cheney - Founder and CEO of Velocity AccessJon Cheney, founder and CEO of Velocity Access, discussed how he is building an enhanced ticketing platform by improving the overall experience of the patrons. Show Notes [01:12] Jon gave the audience a brief overview of his background. He has lived in different countries and started selling products door to door when he was 8. Before Velocity Access, he started a company called Okavu in 2016. [04:06] Jon discussed why he was attracted to entrepreneurship. It is not about money. It is more about the process of creation (music, arts and business). [07:45] The market potential of Velo...
2024-03-1454 min
Value DriversMike Starr - founder and CEO of TrackdMike Starr, founder and CEO of Trackd, discussed how he and his team help customers minimize vulnerabilities. Show Notes [01:20] Mike provided a brief overview of his background. Before launching trackd, Mike worked at the homeland security department and another startup. Most of the groups he worked in the government were mission focus (i.e. not bureaucratic in terms of execution and operation). [04:00] Mike discussed how he got the idea for trackd. Mike believes that there is better way to deal with updating routers and firewalls. Trackd is in the vulnerability and patch...
2024-03-0134 min
Value DriversKunal Agarwal - founder and CEO of Dope SecurityKunal Agarwal discussed how he and his team makes cyber security a first class experience for his customers. Show Notes [02:19] Kunal shared with the audience his interest and passion in hacking, including an incident when he was in high school. [04:43] Kunal discussed the genesis of Dope Security and meaning behind the company name. In his view, it is critically important to build the most amazing product somebody could ever use. (UX has to be absolutely beautiful, easy to use, easy to click. No user manual required.) [07:26] The market segmentation of Dop...
2024-02-2332 min
Value DriversScot Wingo - founder of Spiffy and Triangle Tweener FundShow Notes [01:18] Scot gave a brief outline of his background. Scot has a technology background and two career journeys: a serial entrepreneur and investor/enthusiast/mentor of entrepreneurship. [03:29] Scot provided a high level overview of Spiffy, a mobile car care company which is nationwide. The team is trying to build Starbucks for car care. [05:03] Scot took a deeper dive into where he got the idea of Spiffy from. Spiffy follows two important themes: services are going digital and customers want fast and seamless experience (control through an app). [08:09] Scot shared the key mar...
2024-02-1538 min
Value DriversPalash Soni Discussed his Journey of Building Goldcast and Scale it to Profitability Show Notes [01:36] Palash discussed his background and the genesis of Goldcast. He came to business school with the specific intent of starting a company. The timing was right (Covid) and the market opportunity is at a point where he wanted to launch the company rather than waiting for the completion of his MBA. [05:23] Palash walked us through the market opportunity of Goldcast. If we look at digital events as a market, it is part of both events and the content world, or the content world where B2B market operates. Three main product/market...
2024-02-0731 min
Value DriversAdam Stevenson, founder of Thatch, on solving the healthcare affordability crisis Show Notes [01:17] Adam provided the genesis of Thatch. Paying for healthcare is really painful and complex. It is painful for the business. It's painful for the employees. Thatch is founded to alleviate the pains for employees and employers. [05:17] Adam took a deeper dive on how Thatch can help employers and employees. They set a budget, use a bunch of data and visualizations to make it easy for them to know how much to budget, and then everybody on their team gets a debit card that they can use to pay for healthcare the w...
2023-12-2233 min
Value DriversElaheh Ahmadi - Founder of Themis AIElaheh Ahmadi, founder of Themis AI, discusses how she and her team plans to empower the world to create and deploy trustworthy AI. Show Notes [01:15] Elaheh provided an overview of Themis AI and the genesis of the research. [03:34] Discussion on recent developments of OpenAI and how Themis AI's product may be relevant to the industry. There's the anxiety in the AI community about the power of these applications. Themis AI may be able to help alleviate some of them. [06:14] Elaheh provided an overview of the how a machine learning may fa...
2023-12-2239 min
Value DriversPaul Barnhurst (The FP&A guy) discusses current trends, challenges and opportunities of FP&A professionalsPaul Barnhurst (The FP&A guy) discusses current trends, challenges and opportunities of FP&A professionals. Show Notes [01:28] Paul discussed his journey of FP&A and his decision to launch an FP&A consulting firm. [02:58] Paul shared the type of training services offered by his firm. [04:26] Paul took a deeper dive into various training services. [06:27] The primary target customers (and potential students) are discussed. [08:16] Paul discussed why company can see value and ROI in FP&A training services. [11:02] Paul touched on some of...
2023-11-3042 min
Value DriversThomas Kunjappu - founder and CEO of ClearyThomas Kunjappu, founder and CEO of Cleary, discusses how Cleary can help companies improve internal communication and build organization culture. Show Notes [01:30] Thomas provided the backstory of the founding of Cleary. His background has mostly been in product management throughout the career. Typically, when someone is building products, it is built for customers. In the case of Thomas, the product was initially built for internal customers (at Twitter). The mission of Cleary is to build connected company culture and being the central hub for companies. With the rise of remote and distributed work, the...
2023-11-2139 min
Value DriversNicholas Longano - Founder and CEO of Scuti Nicholas Longano, founder and CEO of Scuti, discussed the market potential of G-commerce and Scuti's business model. Nick also shared with the audience his fundraising experience and his approach to align and inspire the team to reach the company's goal. Nick is an entrepreneur and thought leader with decades of experience in launching successful companies and brands in diverse industries such as video games, cosmetic and beverages. Show Notes [01:20] Nicholas provided an overview of Scuti. First, there was brick and mortar, followed by e-commerce and now Scut created G-commerce, which is comme...
2023-11-1450 min
Value DriversAlex Furman - Founder and CEO of PerformicaAlex Furman, founder and CEO of Performica, discussed his journey from software engineering to HR, and how he developed the internal HR organization graph at Invitae, which seeded the idea of Performica. In a wide ranging discussion, Alex also shared with the audience his fundraising experience and management philosophy. Show Notes [01:19] Alex gave an overview of Performica. It connects various business systems of the customers and creates a picture of how work happens in real time (“org graph”). It helps companies understand how much time people spend together in meetings, cross functionally, all the way...
2023-11-0244 min
Value DriversJacob Bank - founder and CEO of RelayJacob Bank, founder and CEO of Relay, combines AI with Human Judgement to automate repeated tasks in modern workflow. Show Notes [01:11] Jacob provided an overview of Relay which is a workflow automation tool that aims to save you time on repeated tasks and help automate the components of repeated tasks that computers are really good at while still letting you apply human judgement and insight to the parts that need your assistance. It is essentially a modern and collaborative version of Zapier, Microsoft Power Automate. [01:59] Jacob discussed how he got the inspiration for the...
2023-10-2343 min
Value DriversAlex Smereczniak, founder and CEO of 2ULaundryAlex Smereczniak, founder of 2ULaundry discussed his journey from an entrepreneur in college to the founding of 2ULaundry. Alex discussed 2ULaundry’s strategy, fundraising history and operating philosophy. Show Notes [01:22] Alex discussed his journey from an entrepreneur in college to a brief stop at a Big 4 firm before starting 2ULaundry. [03:58] Alex took a deeper dive into the rationale and how he got involved as an entrepreneur in college. The experience gave him valuable business experience and laid the seed for launching 2ULaundry. [06:55] 2ULaundry's business model and target customers are discussed. Their bread-an...
2023-10-1636 min
Value DriversEric Martin - founder and CEO of Monstr Sense TechnologiesEric Martin shared with us his journey from the research lab at the University of Michigan to launching a hardware startup. Eric also discussed how he turned the first roadblock from NSF into a successful grant. Show Notes [01:15] Eric discussed his journey from a research lab at the University of Michigan to launching Monstr Sense Technologies. (Products were named Bigfoot, Nessie, etc.) He found out from the semiconductor industry that a potentially useful technology is imaging. [05:16] Eric took a deeper dive into the support provided by the entrepreneur ecosystem at the Univers...
2023-10-0249 min
Value DriversTim Cogan - founder and CTO of MedcogneticsDr. Tim Cogan discussed how he and his team use AI to flight breast cancer by making the screening process cheaper, faster and more accurate. Show Notes [04:53] Tim explained how AI working together with radiologists can result in quicker turnaround time for screening. [05:55] The key differentiation of Medcognetics was discussed. One thing that set the company apart is its partnership around the world. (data representing different races, ethnicities and demographics) [08:30] Tim explained the business/revenue model of Medcognetics. [09:23] Discussion on feedback from the medical community/radiologists [11:43] Continued discussion on the role of AI in medicin...
2023-09-2731 min
Value DriversAri Tulla - founder and CEO of Elo HealthAri Tulla is a San Francisco-based entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Elo smart nutrition service, transforming food from the cause of disease to medicine. Ari has a long history of turning ideas into products and businesses. In a wide ranging discussion, Ari shared with us the mission of Elo Health, his point of view on AI (and how it will help his business) and perspectives on innovation.
2023-09-1847 min
Value DriversEvan Kaylin, founder of Grilla, discussed the company’s mission and market opportunityEvan Kaylin, founder of Grilla, discussed the company’s mission and market opportunity. Evan also shared his fund raising journey and his source of inspiration to overcome challenges to scale the company.
2023-09-1130 min
Value DriversIhar Mahaniok - Managing Partner of Geek VenturesIhar Mahaniok, an immigrant engineering leader with over two decades of of experience building code and machine learning models, founded Geek Ventures in 2021, shared his view on why immigrants are great startup founders. The investment thesis and process of Geek Ventures are also discussed.
2023-09-0437 min
Value DriversJames Hamet - founder and CEO of VistimLabsJames Hamet, founder and CEO of Vistimlabs, discussed how he and his team use AI and biomarkers to help clinicians and patients predict and track cognitive decline such that early detection and monitoring is available for effective disease management.
2023-08-2937 min
Value DriversWill Nitze - founder and CEO of IQBarWill Nitze, founder and CEO of IQBar, shared his journey in building and scaling IQBar, the company behind the protein bars formulated with clean-label ingredients rich in compounds to benefit the brain and body. While studying psychology and neuroscience as a Harvard undergrad, Will became fascinated with the human brain and how it functions. IQBar's brand building and operating strategy were also discussed.
2023-08-1636 min
Value DriversSherry Zhang - founder and CEO of GenoPalateDr. Sherry Zhang, founder and CEO of GenoPalate, discussed her journey from the academia to health tech entrepreneur. Sherry shared with us how she and her team are promoting health and wellness through science.
2023-08-0839 min
Value DriversDamon Magnuski, founder and CEO of AcceleronDamon Magnuski launched Acceleron to provide competitive foreign currency exchange marketplace for community banks and credit unions
2023-07-2628 min
Value DriversSandeep Kumar Sood - CEO and Founder of KunaiSandeep Sood discussed how he and his team at Kunai help fintech companies launch innovative products, increase customer satisfaction and profitability. Sandeep also shared his entrepreneur journey and how he bootstrapped Kunai to success.
2023-07-1823 min
Value DriversShane Bigelow - Founder and CEO of ChampTITLESShane Bigelow, founder and CEO of ChampTITLES, discussed how he and his team help government and organizations improve efficiency through technology and digital transformation.
2023-07-1233 min
Value DriversMithat Ulubay - Founder and CEO of FloraMithat Ulubay discussed the mission and strategy of Flora, one of the first technology-driven sustainable e-commerce platforms
2023-06-2833 min
Value DriversArthur Querou - founder and CEO of VibeFounded in 2021 by Arthur Quérou and Frank Tetzlaff, Vibe.co is a CTV & OTT advertising platform and the first in the market to open the platform up for self serve to companies large and small. In this episode of Value Drivers, Arthur discussed his plan to help advertisers reach their customers via CTV and OTT quickly and cost effectively.
2023-06-1630 min
Value DriversDr. Zwade Marshall, founder and CEO of Doc2Doc LendingDr. Zwade Marshall discussed how his team at Doc2Doc help physicians access capital quickly and cost effectively.
2023-06-0632 min
Value DriversCharles Yhap - Founder and CEO of CleanRoboticsCharles Yhap, founder and CEO of CleanRobotics, how he and his team combines machine learning and robotics to sort recyclable materials with 90% accuracy.
2023-05-3032 min
Value DriversDanny He, founder and CEO of Soapbox, discussed his entrepreneurial adventureDanny He, founder and CEO of Soapbox, discussed his entrepreneurial adventure and how Soapbox is helping businesses to scale with streamlined fulfillment
2023-05-2233 min
Value DriversDavid Ure - Founder and Chairman of InanovateDavid Ure, founder of Inanovate and inventor of Longitudinal Assay Screening, discussed his journey in building and rolling out next generation protein analysis and diagnostics technology for the life science industry.
2023-05-1538 min
Value DriversSam Fitzroy - Founder and CEO of DaliaSam Fitzroy discussed how Dalia, a recruitment technology company, helps employers get more qualified applicants by capturing and converting lost job seeker traffic.
2023-05-0829 min
Value DriversPaul Dudley - Founder and CEO of StreamkapPaul Dudley, founder and CEO of Streamkap, discussed how his team is building real time data pipeline tools for companies so that DevOps can start streaming data in minutes with low latency and scalability.
2023-05-0133 min
Value DriversMonica Landers - Founder and CEO of StoryFitMonica Landers, founder and CEO of StoryFit, discussed how StoryFit uses AI to help storytellers uncover white spaces for creative development and gain deeper understanding of story elements.
2023-04-2530 min
Value DriversRoss Chanin - Founder and CEO of ArtifactRoss Chanin, founder and CEO of Artifact, discussed the story behind the founding of the company, its growth strategy and his entrepreneur journey.
2023-04-1833 min
Value DriversAmy Cowperthwait, Founder and CEO of AvkinAmy Cowperthwait, founder and CEO of Avkin, discussed how simulation technology can help prepare nursing school students. She also shared with us her journey from healthcare educator to entrepreneurship.
2023-04-1035 min
Value DriversDon Muir - Founder and CEO of Arc TechnologiesDon Muir, founder and CEO of Arc Technologies, discussed the mission of the company and how startups and emerging growth companies can diversify risk and maximize return with its digital finance platform.
2023-04-0432 min
Value DriversMayank Mittal - author of The Art of Building Great ProductsMayank Mittal, product expert and consultant at BCG X, discusses his new book, The Art of Building Great Products: Combine your intuition with the best proven methodologies to build digital products everyone will love.
2023-03-2735 min
Value DriversPaul Rhynard - CEO of Wilkinson Baking CompanyValue Drivers invited Paul Rhynard CEO of Wilkinson Baking Company to discuss the market opportunity of baking automation, the company's GTM strategy and his career journey from strategy consulting to scaling and executing a business idea into success.
2023-03-1931 min
Value DriversMollie Breen - Founder and CEO of PerygeeMollie Breen, founder and CEO of Perygee, discussed her journey from NSA to the founding of Perygee which provides a lighweight and complete security platform for Internet of Things (IoT) and Operational Technology (OT).
2023-03-1328 min
Value DriversSam Sawyer - Founder and CEO of Pinnacle Realty AdvisorsSam Sawyer, Founder and CEO of Pinnacle Realty Advisors, discussed Pinnacle's mission, the opportunity to disrupt the traditional Real Estate business model and its fund raising strategy and expansion plan.
2023-03-0235 min
Value DriversAndrew Ward, author of Execute Your Tech Idea and MD of ScorchSoftValue Drivers invited Andrew Ward, author of Execute Your Tech Idea: A Step by Step Guide for Non-Techies, Professionals, Managers, and Startups on the program to discuss startup success strategies. Andrew is the Founder and MD of Scorchsoft, a software development agency. Andrew is also a three-time IPF British Champion in the Bench Press (2020, 2021 and 2022), and has been invited to represent GBR in the World Championships in Lithuania and Kazakhstan.
2023-02-2837 min