Shows
Building Fires#20 Carl Copeland | CEO - Möbius AirCarl is one of the brightest engineers there is and he's been building a game-changer of a product that's going to reflect just how talented he is. Carl & his team are representing the good 'ol US of A in the launch of the new Formula One Electric Air Race! It's going to be the world's first electric air race and Carl's team is the only team competing for the USA.
The electric motor he built will be powering the USA plane and in the podcast, we have the breaking news on who the pilot will be.
2020-12-1451 minBuilding Fires#19 Paul Yacoubian | Co-Founder - Copy.aiAngel investor, startup mentor, and now founder himself - Paul Yacoubian has done basically everything in the startup world at this point. After gaining access to a powerful AI (artificial intelligence) software, GPT-3, Paul and his Co-founder Chris decided they wanted to do something powerful with it.
They set out to make the world's greatest copy-generator and they have done just that. Personally, Farhaj and I use Copy.ai at least once a week for our own companies. It's a mind-blowing software and you should definitely check it out after listening to the episode.
2020-11-3000 minBuilding Fires#18 Yash & Puneet | AevusYash Santani & Puneet Chadha are the founders of aevus.ai and they are absolutely changing the world. They are both Johns Hopkins grads who are actively trying to improve the lives of diabetics around the world.
"We are building an AI-powered prescription guidance platform for treating Type-2 diabetes - Precision Rx. All it does is give a doctor a second pair of clinical eyes"
They discovered that health systems have been accumulating health data for 30+ years and it basically just sits there. Now, they are taking that data to help doctors more accurately prescribe...
2020-11-2300 minBuilding Fires#17 - Martin Lien | Founder @ Respond FlowMartin Lien has one of the coolest startup stories out there. His story begins in Norway, where he was born and raised...and then he ends up attending the University of Oklahoma (just a bit of a culture shock, no?). After college he found himself working at a company and noticed a problem. The solution to this problem would end up becoming Respond Flow. He was trying to help grow the company through texting and he just couldn't find a single solution that would help him send mass texts to customers.
Going with the, "I can't be...
2020-11-1600 minBuilding Fires#16 Greg Hallman | Founder @ OcupathGreg Hallman is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and he's also an extremely successful entrepreneur. A few years ago, he wanted to get into the OKC Thunder Startup accelerator, Stitch Crew, (the same accelerator Farhaj & I have done) but he didn't have a company. He went through his list of company ideas and Ocupath was born.
After a lot of hard work, his company was able to win multiple grants, one of them being a $1 million contract with the US Navy...so awesome! Ocupath is a VR product for Corporate Training. They...
2020-10-1900 minBuilding Fires#15 Jordan Walker | Founder @ YacJordan Walker has been successful in the startup world for a while now. Yac started with an idea and a very successful ProductHunt campaign. After getting thousands of companies on their waitlist, Jordan and his team knew they were onto something big.
Yac is voice messaging for teams and, personally, I’m a huge fan. You can only text so much to your team members and phone calls are mostly unnecessary. Being able to send a quick voice message whenever you want to speak your mind is exactly what the world needs.
Their team has al...
2020-10-1200 minBuilding Fires#14 Vincent Dorrian | Co-Founder $350M ExitVincent Dorrian never expected to be the co-founder of a company that exited for $350 Million. When his business partner approached him with the idea for EcoAtm in the early 2000's, the future success was something he could have only dreamed of.
EcoAtm is a company that provides a kiosk that allows you to exchange your old cell phones for cash. Over the past 10+ years they've collected/recycled over 25 million phones and they exited to the parent company of RedBox several years ago.
Throughout the episode, Vincent emphasizes the importance of IP, setting a roadmap, and...
2020-10-0500 minBuilding Fires#13 Garrett Scott | CEO - Pipedream LabsGarrett Scott and his co-founder gave his company the name Pipedream because what they're trying to accomplish sounds just like that...like a dream. Their goal within the next several years is to take advantage of the tunnel systems in cities to deliver goods, supplies, etc. to homes through underground tubes. I'll let Garrett's website blurb explain:
"Pipedream is a network of underground tubes that offers near-instantaneous delivery of objects to and from homes and businesses." BOOM! They are going to shape the future of delivery and we couldn't be happier to have him on our show...
2020-09-2841 minBuilding Fires#12 Adelle Archer | CEO - EternevaI first heard about Adelle while watching Shark Tank years ago. Despite the bright spotlight of being on national television (and having millionaires yell at you), she remained composed and very well-spoken. They even landed a deal with Mark Cuban! Now, years later, their company is growing even faster than they were before and they also just raised a massive funding round!
At Eterneva, they help with your grieving process by turning the ashes of your lost loved ones into diamonds. Adelle and her team do an incredible job of helping individuals through such a terrible event...
2020-09-2147 minBuilding Fires#11 Russell Wilde Jr. | COO - Front Office SportsRuss Wilde and his business partner started working on a simple sports blog years ago...they never could have imagined what it would become. Most people write a few posts and then quit. Only a few can stick around creating quality content for years and years until they finally find their big break.
After multiple funding rounds, countless staff hires, and 1000's of articles, Front Office Sports is now one of the most successful sports new platforms on the planet. Their articles reach massive news networks on a daily basis and are read by millions. Join us...
2020-09-1446 minBuilding Fires#10 Nathan Butorac | CEO - PiñatagramsNathan Butorac is a true entrepreneur down to his core. He started his entrepreneurship journey at just three years old and he hasn't stopped since. After working in several startups, he decided to get one going himself. He's run Better Than a Letter (Parent company) for a few years now and underneath that is his flourishing company, Piñatagrams.
If we skip past all the struggles of a typical early-stage entrepreneur, we'll end up with Piñatagrams absolutely blowing up in sales this past March. As soon as the pandemic began, Nathan took a shot with some in...
2020-09-0848 minBuilding Fires#9 Nathan Hirsch | CEO @ Outsource SchoolThis is the 2nd time that Nathan has been interviewed on our Podcast (Episode #31).
Nathan started off his entrepreneurship journey by selling things online. It started with re-selling college textbooks and led to selling millions of dollars on Ebay. After that, he ran one of the best Freelancer businesses on the planet, Freeeup.com. The best part? He ran his freelancer business...with freelancers. Since Episode 31 was recorded, Nathan has actually sold Freeeup and now runs Outsource school (congrats Nathan)
Throughout the podcast, he takes us through how he got to where he...
2020-08-3139 minBuilding Fires#8 Ara Ghougassian | Co-Founder @ FluentThis week we had the privilege of interviewing Ara Ghougassian with usefluent.co. His website is beautiful and the product itself is even better. Every language platform on the planet focuses on teaching you a new language by using the same, worn-out methods. With Fluent, you're constantly learning words that you actually care about and want to use for your daily life.
They are currently available in French as a Chrome Extension and plan on expanding to other languages in the near future. Ara did an incredible job of seeing a problem and then solving it. Throughout...
2020-08-2449 minBuilding Fires#7 Brian Leonard - CTO @ TaskRabbit, CEO @ GrouparooBrian Leonard was the first employee and Co-founder of a company you’ve definitely heard of…Task Rabbit. He and his Co-founder basically pioneered the ‘task’ or ‘local freelance’ market.
By definition, “TaskRabbit is an American online and mobile marketplace that matches freelance labor with local demand, allowing consumers to find immediate help with everyday tasks, including cleaning, moving, delivery and handyman work”.
After years of success and growth, their team had a successful exit and Brian has since moved on to build his own company, Grouparoo. Grouparoo is an open source data infrastructure to keep customer da...
2020-08-1751 minBuilding Fires#6 Dr. Eric Cole - Cyber Security LegendDr. Eric Cole is one of the "OG's" in Cyber Security. After raising his hand in a CIA meeting 25+ years ago asking the simple question, "How do we know if these systems are defensible", his life was changed forever.
Eric was one of the first hackers at the CIA and spent his life figuring out how to make our country's online defenses more defensive. He's worked as a 'cyber bodyguard' for the likes of Bill Gates, The Obama Administration, and so many more. Listen in to hear about how the face of Cyber Security has changed over...
2020-08-1042 minBuilding Fires#5 Shrevan Marath | CEO - Work SimplrShrevan started off his career as a Sound Engineer in the UK. After going through a tough situation where his years of working as a Sound Engineer were considered 'invalid', he decided to do something about it. That's when he created Work Simplr.
"Work Simplr is a virtual co-working platform for students, businesses, and professionals to network and collaborate with each other. We aim to create a centralized and professional gig working economy that is fuelled by local communities."
Throughout the episode, we do a deep dive into the growing pains of a startup and...
2020-08-0352 minBuilding Fires#4 Yoann Bohbot | Founder - dots SPACE Co-workingYoann Bohbot is the founder of dots SPACE, a higher-end co-working space that operates in Beverly Hills and Culver City, California (Los Angeles area). Early in his career, he was a critical piece of an IT company whose biggest clients included Honda, Adobe, Nestle, as well as several high profile real estate companies, doctors, lawyers, celebrities such as Seal, the Fugees, Lindsay Lohan, and more.
He later managed the e-commerce department for Christian Audigier, a French fashion designer known for the Ed Hardy and Von Dutch clothing lines. There, he directed 40 people including purchasing, marketing, and...
2020-07-271h 00Building Fires#3 Hirbod Bigvand | Founder - SurfboardHirbod is the CEO and founder of Surfboard, a geo-location app platform that allows you to explore your community. In this episode, we talk about his experience immigrating to America as a young adult who barely knew how to speak English, what got him into the startup scene in college, and the state of diversity in venture capital today.
Be sure to subscribe and tune in every Monday to hear more amazing interviews #FireTeam
2020-07-201h 01Building Fires#2 Dillon Breslin | CEO - Round2Dillon Breslin is the CEO of Round2, an AI-powered sporting goods platform connecting youth athletes to affordable gear and equipment. Previously, he spent 6 years doing B2B sales at prominent startups in the NY tech scene. He was inspired to launch Round2 after being snubbed on OfferUp during a trade of Jordan 11's.
Be sure to subscribe and tune in every Monday to hear more amazing interviews #FireTeam
2020-07-1358 minBuilding Fires#1 Steve Young | CEO - AppMasters.comFarhaj and I want to welcome you to the brand new Building Fires Podcast (originally called WeStrive). For our first episode, we have the incredible Steve Young.
Steve is the CEO of AppMasters.com and he is just that...an App MASTER. Steve knows everything there is to know about the app store, ASO, getting featured, and tons of hidden tips/tricks. Throughout the episode, we cover his early life in startups, what it was like dealing with the App store back in the early days of smart-phones, and Steve MAYBE gives our audience a few...
2020-07-0655 min2020-06-1700 min
Building Fires#70 CEO @ Bouqs | John TabisJohn Tabis has been at the top of the floral industry for quite some time now...but it wasn't always that way. After moving on from his first startup, John started working at Disney (not the worst career move lol) and after several years he decided he wanted to get back into the startup world.
John felt like he could take the floral industry by storm and he did just that. After years of steady growth and hard work, he appeared on Shark Tank (where I first saw him). He didn't get a deal on the show...
2020-05-2654 min
Building Fires#69 CEO @ Boundless Labs | Chase DimondFirst off, I want to congratulate Chase on having his first kid 👶Chase started off by being a key part of a business that scaled to 300,000 students. After this accomplishment, he created one of the most successful 'email travel series' lists in existence and he did it all from scratch. This is when he realized that he had become a master email marketer. Fast forward to today and he runs an email marketing agency, focusing on e-commerce brands, called boundlesslabs and they are working with some of the top brands from around the world. If you're looking to par...
2020-05-1844 min
Building Fires#68 Co-Founder @ StitchCrew | Erika LucasErika Lucas is the Co-Founder of the StitchCrew Accelerator program based out of Oklahoma City, OK.
Growing up in Mexico with 'bootstrapping' entrepreneurial parents, Erika learned early on what it takes to be successful. After moving to Oklahoma, she realized there were so amazing startups in her area that were leaving for big cities like LA, San Fran, and NY. She and her partner created StitchCrew to help fight this problem. They have already made a huge impact on their state through their investment/effort/time and their partnership with the Oklahoma City Thunder,
2020-05-1151 min
Building Fires#67 Lead Investor @ Luma Launch | Laurent GrillThis week I had the privilege of interviewing Laurent Grill with Luma Launch and I'm excited to tell his story. Laurent has been involved with the startup world for years. When the opportunity to become the Lead Investor at Luma Launch presented itself, he took full advantage. He now runs one of the best early-stage VC's in California out of their office in Santa Monica. Keep in mind, the beginning of this interview was included in last week's episode involving Pitch Decks. We dive into pitch decks, what it's like to be a VC, his early life, and all...
2020-05-0450 min
Building Fires#66 Pitch Deck Mastery | Laurent Grill, Vik Sasi, Farhaj MayanPitch Decks, Pitch Decks, Pitch Decks...that's pretty much all I've heard since I entered the entrepreneurial world years ago. How they look, what pages go where, what investors like what...it goes on and on. That's why I wanted to have an episode to pull three unique perspectives from three incredible entrepreneurs/investors. Farhaj Mayan is the founder of Kanna and has won several pitch competitions with his amazing presentation skills and pitch decks. Laurent Grill is the lead investor at Luma Lunch, has been involved in several startups of his own, and has years of pitch deck...
2020-04-271h 14
Building Fires#65 Founder/CEO BANDWAGON | Harold HughesShortly after graduating from Clemson, Harold realized he wanted to rewrite the ticketing space. He was upset that so many home fan tickets were sold to opposing teams, so many fake tickets were being sold, and he was just frustrated with the ticketing industry as a whole. After years of work, bandwagonfanclub.com is now flourishing and Harold himself has embraced the startup world. His company now has two offices in the US and he has personally invested in multiple startups (one of those startups being Farhaj Mayan - WeStrive episode #52). I hope you enjoy hearing about his journey...
2020-04-201h 02
Building Fires#64 NFL Coach/Public Speaker | Daron K. RobertsDaron Roberts has an incredible story. He went from being the Student Body President at the University of Texas (which at the time had over 50,000 students and was the biggest school in the country), to applying to Harvard Law 4 times before finally getting in, to finally getting his law degree...only to go coach at the NFL. Sounds crazy right? But as we discuss on the podcast, life isn't a straight line and when he realized coaching was his true passion, there was nothing going to stop him from pursuing his dream...plus, having a Law degree from Harvard...
2020-04-1356 min
Building Fires#63 CEO - Boardsi | Martin RowinskiMartin Rowinski is the CEO of boardsi.com (Pronounced Board-Z) which is a platform that connects top-level executives with startups looking to fill out their advisory board. Martin has spent years in the tech industry advising countless companies and founding a few of his own. Over the course of the podcast, we cover his early life, his experience with running a real estate company during the stock market crash, having an exit, and so much more.
How to get ahold of Martin & Boardsi:
schedule@boardsi.com
(916) 542-9379
...
2020-04-0656 min
Building Fires#62 Million Dollar Exit Founder - Vadi EfeVadi Efe was the co-founder and COO of Dekatlon Buzz which was based out of Istanbul, Turkey. After years of working in the media and tech industry, he decided to create his own media empire. After close to 7 years of working with some of the biggest companies in the world, they finally had an offer they couldn't refuse. Over the course of this podcast, we'll cover the companies Vadi worked for, the way they approached their multi-million dollar exit, his nomination into Fortune 40 under 40, and so much more.
WeStrive: Be sure to check out the WeStrive App...
2020-03-301h 10
Building Fires#61 Co-Founder Holistapet | Charlotte Hodgson | $6K - $500K/month in 6 monthsThis week we have Charlotte Hodgson and basically everything she touches turns to Gold. She grew up with loving parents who she later found out were addicted to hard drugs. At an early age, she was responsible for taking care of her siblings, eventually joined the army, got her Masters in Education, and eventually joined a Charter School. When she joined, the school had 250 students and by the time she left the school had over 35,000.
After seeing an opportunity with her friend's company, Holistapet (holistapet.com), she decided to invest and become a Co-Founder. The company was...
2020-03-2345 min
Building Fires#60 Founder - Surkus, Co-Founder - Groupon | Stephen GeorgeStephen George has been an entrepreneur his entire life. In his early 20's, he was one of the Co-Founders of the company Groupon and managed hundreds of employees at the age of 21. After Groupon's multi-billion dollar IPO, he decided to leave the company and traveled around the world for several years. After 3+ years of traveling, he returned to the US and became the founder of Surkus - https://surkus.com/
Surkus offers members exclusive access to paid events and offers from brands in exchange for engagement. It's an amazing app that's transforming the fan-to-brand relationship. I hope...
2020-03-1638 min
Building Fires#59 CEO - Toasty | Kevon CheungKevon Cheung grew up in Hong Kong and at just 15 years old he flew by himself to Boston so he could attend school. He ended up staying in the US for 8 years before heading back to China to pursue entrepreneurship. Kevon has been involved with countless companies over the years. He helped launch/grow First Code Academy (a coding academy that has helped over 15,000 students learn how to code) and now he is the CEO/Founder of his networking software company, Toasty (toasty.ai).
When I was first approached by someone on Kevon's team, I was...
2020-03-0938 min
Building Fires#58 Founder - First Text | Cory LevyCory Levy (@Cory on Instagram) is the founder of First Text, Internapalooza, After School, and is involved in countless additional projects. In his younger days, Cory was smart enough to start his career out by interning at incredible companies like Techstars. This is one of the best ways to enter into the tech/startup world and learn as much as you can before creating your own startup. Throughout the episode, we talk about doing things that don't scale when your company is just starting out, different types of growth marketing techniques, what it's like to run a platform...
2020-03-0228 min
Building Fires#57 CEO - Marketli | Forrest HostenForrest has been an entrepreneur his entire life. He started working on his own business when he was just a kid and now he's only 23 and has run multiple companies. He' has a great understanding of what it takes to grow a business and his current business, Marketli, is growing rapidly in the eCommerce world. He sold his first company just after his 21st birthday and he's on his way to becoming one of the world's top CEO's.
Enjoy the interview!
WeStrive: Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if...
2020-02-2445 min
Building Fires#56 Founder - Roper | Maeve GariganMaeve Garigan is an extremely successful entrepreneur who holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Her company, Roper, is Leading the development and commercialization of high-value technology for smart and sustainable beef production. In other words, they've created a high-tech ear-chip for cattle that allows ranchers to track their whereabouts and vitals. This leads to a much higher quality of beef and makes the rancher's job much easier. Over the years she has held many incredible roles including a role with the NAVY in which she was working on exoskeletons...AKA the coolest job of all...
2020-02-1747 min
Building Fires#55 Founders - Lazarus 3D | Jacques & Smriti ZaneveldSmriti & Jacques Zaneveld are two of the most brilliant minds that I've ever had the privilege of speaking to, let alone interviewing. Combined, they have about 40 awards, degrees, masters, PhD's, etc. and they have brought their powers together for the greater good. They currently run Lazarus 3D which is a 3D printing company that creates body parts (blood vessels, tissue, and all) to enable surgeons to master their surgical abilities. Right now, your surgeon more than likely practiced their surgeries in school on fruits and vegetables...it's 2020 and your surgeon practiced on FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. That's just crazy...
2020-02-101h 14
Building Fires#54 PinkDear CEO | Heather PinkFor the past 10+ years Heather Pink has worked in the world Sports and now she's moved on to create her own company. Heather spent years as a reporter and editor for Fox Sports & Time Warner until she was hired by the NFL. Heather quickly rose the ranks and became a producer for NFL Fantasy Live and was put in charge of social media for the NFL Fantasy Football accounts.
She realized she wanted to work for herself so she and a colleague left and started pinkdearllc.com
Listen in and follow her journey as...
2020-02-0350 min
Building Fires#53 CEO - SurviVR | Brian HoangBrian Hoang is a master of VR and AR technology....so much so that in college he founded the Society for VR and the Society for AR. During his college career he also got started on his first VR company and the rest is history. Since then, Brian has worked at multiple VC firms (soaking up all the information he needed for fundraising), created a new company VR company, and then pivoted to create what is now Survivr.
Survivr is the ultimate VR experience for law enforcement and first responders to train virtually in life-like scenarios to...
2020-01-2742 min
Building Fires#52 Founder - Labdoor | Neil ThanedarNeil Thanedar graduated from college and immediately got to work. His company, Labdoor, is arguably the best company on the planet when it comes to independent research of the supplement industry. I actually purchased a pre-workout off of their website before recording this interview (and if you can get a broke startup-founder like me to spend $40+ on something online, then you know you have a quality product). They have made millions of dollars, raised $7M in funding from notable investors like Mark Cuban, and have transformed the supplement industry.
Some great lessons for founders that he speaks...
2020-01-2055 min
Building Fires#51 Co-Founder @ CrossNet | Chris MeadeThe storyline for the company that was created by Chris Meade and his friends almost sounds made up. They wrote out a list of company ideas and the final thing they didn't erase was '4-way Volleyball'. They quit their jobs, moved away from home, and years later they have millions in sales. Sounds like a fantasy company, right? Well, Chris and his team have endured so much over the years and sacrificed everything to get to this point.
Throughout the podcast, we cover their years of dedication, a few viral videos, and creative marketing strategies that...
2020-01-1341 min
Building Fires#50 CEO of Kanna - Farhaj MayanThis week I interviewed Farhaj Mayan, CEO & Founder at Kanna (hirekanna.com), and their company helps people find gigs/jobs in the Cannabis industry. Farhaj is one of those stop-at-nothing-to-succeed entrepreneurs and he actually fell on this new company by accident. He previously was running a mobile app for barbers called Fade, already was thinking of transitioning in a different direction, and then he stumbled upon a huge gap in such a growing industry.
Throughout the podcast, Farhaj discusses his life growing up in Dubai, moving to the US, winning robotics competitions, his journey with RedBull...
2020-01-0646 min
Building Fires#49 Co-Founder InHouse produce | Andrew Blume & Trevor HudsonAndrew Blume & Trevor Hudson are two amazing entrepreneurs that are transforming the ag-tech industry. Trevor is a software engineer who grew up in Asia and speaks fluent Mandarin. Andrew has amassed 10,000 ag-tech hours and has worked in the ag-tech industry with companies like Microsoft, Philips, Ikea, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Southern Company, Agritecture, Square Roots, the Mayor's Office of Atlanta, LACI, Plenty, Aerofarms, and more.
What is their product? Using a combination of logistics, servicing, and smart hardware, they set up customers (restaurants) with a hydroponic edible wall that grows and preserves produce until the...
2019-12-0254 min
Building Fires#48 Cory Mckane - WeStrive FounderFor our 50th episode, I'm flipping things around and actually posting an interview of myself getting interviewed by Axel York (episode 49).
Throughout the episode, I speak about my journey to get WeStrive to where it is today, all the hurdles I've had to go through, the different lessons I've learned along the way, and so much more.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or train...
2019-11-2551 min
Building Fires#47 CEO - Qloud Sherpas | Axel YorkAxel has been ambitious and adventurous all his life so it makes that when his boss brought up expanding into Asia, he was the first one to raise his hand to volunteer. Moving a business, getting office space, hiring employees, and growing a company may be one of the most difficult things a human being can do...now imagine doing that all in the Philippines. After years of doing this in the Phillippines for another company, (and a successful ongoing career at V3 Electric) he decided it was time to start his own company out of the Philippines. Introducing...
2019-11-181h 00
Building Fires#46 CEO - JetCet Lifestyle Backpacks | Nick OrdoñezNick Ordoñez was introduced to me by a previous interviewee, Brodi Nicholas (episode #35), since Nick's company does a lot of work with Brodi's Cancer charity, campaignoaat.org. Nick runs an amazing travel/lifestyle backpacking company called Jetcet that he started several years ago. His passion for travel and hard work are what forged his company and those ambitions all started as a little kid. Nick's best friend/brother has down-syndrome and that had a big impact on how Nick lived his life. After heading off to college, Nick wanted to make his brother proud and that's when he s...
2019-11-1141 min
Building Fires#45 Kanye's CTO, CEO - Number 5 | Adam Ayers - Part 2Adam Ayers is a legend in the tech world. He's lead tech teams all over the world and this week he sat down with WeStrive to tell his story. From an early age, Adam was obsessed with technology and that obsession led him into the entrepreneurship world. He went from building websites in his early teens, to starting Entrepreneurs@ASU while attending Arizona State University.
Later in his career, Adam was the head developer or CTO for companies like Five Four Club and Crowdfunder.com and he's led the technology teams for brands like Paris Hilton and...
2019-11-0441 min
Building Fires#44 Kanye's CTO, CEO - Number 5 | Adam Ayers - Part 1Adam Ayers is a legend in the tech world. He's lead tech teams all over the world and this week he sat down with WeStrive to tell his story. From an early age, Adam was obsessed with technology and that obsession led him into the entrepreneurship world. He went from building websites in his early teens, to starting Entrepreneurs@ASU while attending Arizona State University.
Later in his career, Adam was the head developer or CTO for companies like Five Four Club and Crowdfunder.com and he's led the technology teams for brands like Paris Hilton and...
2019-10-2854 min
Building Fires#43 SEO Legend, CEO-GoPure Brands | Alex KeyanAlex is actually the former Co-Founder of David Levich's (Episode #1) earlier company before SunStaches. David introduced me to Alex and told me that Alex is not only one of the best guys he knows, but he's also a wizard with SEO...so, of course, I wanted to get him on the podcast.
After years of helping grow the company (now called Sunstaches), Alex decided he wanted to go off on his own. He launched GoPureBrands back in 2006 and he hasn't looked back since. As the CEO/Founder, Alex takes us through his day-to-day operations, the ups and...
2019-10-2133 min
Building Fires#42 Top Angel Investor | Christopher GreyAfter founding/selling multiple companies, Christopher Grey decided to get into Angel investing. Now, he has one of the best angel rates there is with only 3 out of 40 of his investments failing. Typically, around 50-90% of Angel investments end up failing so his rate of only 7.5% is insane.
Throughout the episode, we cover his company CapLinked, what it's like to be an angel investor, how to properly vet companies, and what it takes to succeed in the entrepreneurial world.
For more information in his company, check out https://www.caplinked.com/
2019-10-1441 min
Building Fires#41 Founder Instasteam | Ari HirschAri was traveling through Europe when he realized that his closed were constantly wrinkled. He thought to himself, "why isn't there a portable solution for steeming your clothes?". Well, after he got back to the United States, he started working on just that. In just a few months he already had a prototype ready to go and a few months after that his product was featured on HSN. Tune in this week to hear his story on how he created Instasteam and how he's going to change the world of steaming.
Check out their...
2019-10-0737 min
Building Fires#40 COO/Co-Founder @ FitSpot | Sammy CourtrightSammy Courtright and her Co-Founder have taken FitSpot from nothing and transformed it into one of the top Corporate Fitness Platforms on the planet. They recently raised their Series A funding (Congrats to them) and are in the process of revamping FitSpot. Listen in to hear about what it takes to grow a company, how/when to pivot, and where FitSpot is going in the next few years.
Check them out at https://fitspotwellness.com/
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer...
2019-09-3048 min
Building Fires#39 Founded 15+ Companies | Gabriel SteinGabriel Stein has been around the block a few times. This guy has started more than 15 successful companies and he isn't slowing down anytime soon. Basically, he finds a problem in the world and then he solves it. At the core of entrepreneurship, this is exactly what you're supposed to do.
A few of his companies, Helpful Systems (https://www.helpfulsystems.com/) and Pure Web Services (https://www.purewebservices.com/) have been around for years and have helped countless entrepreneurs/business-owners grow their business.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive...
2019-09-2336 min
Building Fires#38 Over $200M Ad Spent | Jack PaxtonJack Paxton has been involved in the marketing world for years. After gaining almost a decade of experience, he decided it was time to open his own shop. His marketing company, including his own experience, have spent nearly 200 Million Dollars on ads amongst Google, Facebook, Instagram, and more.....200....Million....Dollars. That's a lot of coin, so I think Jack knows what he's talking about.
In addition to spending 1/5 a billion on ads, Jack also runs RGrowth, a Software company with multiple ventures beneath it including Vyper.io and Hyax.com
I hope you enjoy the...
2019-09-1642 min
Building Fires#37 Celebrity Trainer/Founder- Zoned | Phil CatudalPhil Catudal is many things. He's a father of three, has his MBA, is a celebrity personal trainer, he survived cancer, he created and exited a nutrition company, and he still finds time in life for friends & family. This podcast takes you on a journey through Phil's life and how he got to where he is today. The most important things in Phil's life are his family, friends, and helping people achieve their goals.
Read more about Phil and purchase his new book - Just Your Type - https://trainedbyphil.com/
Be sure...
2019-09-0949 min
Building Fires#36 Former SEO Lead AirBnb/PayPal | Tommy GriffithTommy ran SEO for both AirBnb & PayPal so he obviously knows what he's doing when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Several years ago he decided to branch off on his own and create the company ClickMinded. To date, ClickMinded has helped 1000's of entrepreneurs and business owners dominate SEO rankings over the years.
On this podcast, Tommy takes us through his journey going from a high-end job at AirBnb to all of a sudden being on his own. How will he do in the entrepreneur world? Let's find out.
Link to the...
2019-09-0355 min
Building Fires#35 | $800K Indiegogo/PrepDeck Founder | Alexander EburneAlexander created Prepdeck based on his love for cooking and the need he found for more organization/tools in the kitchen. After a long creation/design/building process, they decided to launch an Indiegogo. To date, they've raised over $800,000 for prepdeck and are one of the most sought after cooking tools on the planet. I hope you learn a lot from this podcast and if you want to learn more about prepdeck you can visit the link below!
https://www.prepdeck.com/
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS...
2019-08-2639 min
Building Fires#34 CEO of Vinder | Sam LillieAfter hiking from Mexico to Canada, Sam found himself in Port Orchard, WA. During a Town Hall meeting, he noticed that people in his city had a very difficult time getting fresh fruits and vegetables. On his way home he asked a guy with an apple tree if he could sell the apples for him. After speaking with dozens of people at the gym, Sam found a buyer and Vinder was born. What started off as Sam on his bike running his neighbor-made produce buy/sell/trade platform turned into a viral sensation that spanned across over 15 states. Sam...
2019-08-1954 min
Building Fires#33 Cancer Charity CEO | Brodi NicholasBrodi Nicholas is a wonderful human being who runs a company that helps kids with cancer and other deadly diseases. It all started when he noticed that the girl who lived across the street from him, who used to play Basketball outside everyday, all of a sudden just wasn’t outside. Brodi discovered that she was diagnosed with leukemia and he was determined to do what he could to help. All she wanted to do was swim with her friends, ride a bike again, and learn to play the drums. He rallied his friends together and was able to gr...
2019-08-121h 01
Building Fires#32 CEO of RARI Nutrition | Sean KellyAfter spending years in the fitness industry, Sean noticed that none of the supplements he was taking were doing the trick…so he decided to create his own. What started off as mixing certain BCAA’s together has now become one of the most up-and-coming nutrition brands out there. Sean has his products in hundreds of stores on the east coast and is on track to get a 3000 store deal (minimum). In addition, they are all over Amazon and selling around the world.
Dive into this episode to learn what it takes to start and grow a nutr...
2019-08-0527 min
Building Fires#31 CEO FreeeUp.com | Nathan HirschNathan started off his entrepreneurship journey by selling things online. It started with re-selling college textbooks and led to selling millions of dollars on Ebay. Now, he runs one of the best Freelancer business on the planet, Freeeup.com. The best part? He runs his freelancer business...with freelancers. Throughout the podcast he takes us through how he got to where he is today and how he runs such a dominant company day-to-day.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freeeupmarketplace
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/realnatehirsch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com...
2019-07-2926 min
Building Fires#30 Accelerator/CEO Alum | Tom JacksonTom has been a powerful force in the entrepreneurial world for years now. His previous company, Locus Insights, got accepted into two of the top accelerator entrepreneur programs in the country. After only a year of work from company inception, both TechStars & Quake in Austin accepted his company into their program. Throughout the podcast, he touches on his journey as an entrepreneur, what the top accelerator entrepreneur programs are like, and shares advice on truly growing a business.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a...
2019-07-2232 min
Building Fires#29 Music Industry Leader | Jerry DeiferAfter finishing his time with the marines, Jerry set off to become a part of the music industry. After standing outside of MTV, he befriended an employee there and that led to a lifelong business partnership and friendship. The pair have since opened up several music venues around the world, created (and sold) a round-up-your-change-for-charity app, and have hosted parties for some of the most successful people in the music industry. Jerry is now the CEO/Founder of FIX, a music fan's rewards app and they've already had over 600,000 downloads in just seven months. Download the app below...
2019-07-1553 min
Building Fires#28 Famous to Homeless to Millionaire | Garrain JonesStarting from a rough childhood, homelessness in his 20's, close to three years in a French prison, signing with Ludacris's label, and all the ups and downs of life...Garrain has been through it all. Now, he's at the top of his game and wants to help transform your life.
Garrain is a human being who has seen every low and every high of life. At a young age he was on the cover of magazines and found him self featured in several famous music videos. Things took a turn for a worse and he found...
2019-07-081h 16
Building Fires#27 Number One NightLife App Founder | Ian ChenIan Chen runs the number one nightclub app on the planet, Discotech. Discotech dominates the nightlife market & Ian is at the forefront leading his team to now feature over 900 clubs worldwide. Ian started off by wanting to solve a problem in the clubbing industry, and years later Discotech is solving that problem on a huge scale. Him and his team are living the dream and growing their company from a beautiful home/office in the Hollywood Hills.
Also, he has a best man speech that went viral and you can check it out at the...
2019-07-0145 min
Building Fires#26 SEO Wizard, Google Alum | Mac FrederickMac started an entrepreneurship club, a tech startup, a repair company, and even a party bus all while at Penn State. After getting recruited by Google and working there for a year, he decided to start a digital agency and another repair business. Through hard work the past 4 years, he’s been able to scale those roughly 5000%, while traveling the world and having fun.
If your small business needs help growing visit https://needmomentum.com/ and let Mac and his team help you grow.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive Ap...
2019-06-2431 min
Building Fires#25 Filmocracy Founder | Paul JunPaul has entrepreneurship in his blood. His father has successfully purchased 20+ run-down businesses, rebuilt them, and sold them for a profit. After years in the film industry, Paul decided he wanted to help films that don't have as much cash or connections as some of the blockbuster movies do. Through this, he created Filmocracy. Filmocracy is an online platform that hosts thousands of movies from filmmakers around the world. Filmmakers with smaller budgets can now utilize a platform to gain viewership, generate revenue, and potentially be aquired by a larger film festival or platform...all thanks to Filmocracy.
2019-06-1735 min
Building Fires#24 Entrepreneur Legend | Nancy CoblenzNancy is one of the most incredible entrepreneurs on the planet. She breaks down what it's like hosting a festival for the first time, growing a business, managing dozens of interns, and much more. She is the founder of Rebel Role Model & Female Founders of Dallas. Nancy has impacted hundreds of people over the years and continues to do so through her RebelCon conferences.
Check out https://www.rebelrolemodel.com/ to learn more about Nancy and her business.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if...
2019-06-1047 min
Building Fires#23 European Fitness Giant | James GoldenJames Golden AKA TheFitnessPro has dominated the fitness industry in Europe for the past several years. He's trained some of the biggest European celebrities you can think of and currently is building a unique startup of his own. Him and his team run Yolo Retreats outside of London and provide an incredible way to get outdoors and get back to your true self.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your...
2019-06-0330 min
Building Fires#22 Changing The Hotel Industry | Yannis MoatiYannis is actively changing the hotel industry by filling in the gaps of a typical hotel schedule. If you aren't checking into a room until 11 PM then what's happening to your room from that 11 am checkout time until 11 at night? Absolutely nothing. Yannis and his team at HotelsByDay.com are capturing those time gaps, bringing more profits to hotels and adding convenience to travelers. Now, instead of sleeping at the airport for your layover, you can crash at a nearby hotel for a few hours and relax! Listen close to this episode and discover how this shark tank veteran...
2019-05-281h 04
Building Fires#21 Lord of Tech | Yannick LordYannick is a tech guru and an incredible human being. He's run multiple tech companies, traveled around the world, and currently is in Denver building an incubator to help combat global warming. At one point, he was hired by Toyota to run a 60+ person tech team to revolutionize how they run their business. Any company would be lucky to have him and we're lucky to have him on the WeStrive podcast.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see...
2019-05-2037 min
Building Fires#20 SAT Prep. Mark Cuban Deal | Shaan PatelVery few people make in on Shark Tank, even less get their episode aired, and a much smaller percentage of people can land a deal with Mark Cuban. Shaan Patel has done all of those things. Shaan is the founder of Prep Expert, one of the nation's largest test prep providers.
His company has authored eight different #1 bestselling SAT & ACT prep books. Aside from helping thousands of students ace the SAT's, he also co-published a book with Mark Cuban...and he's doing all of this while going through his residency to become a doctor. I...
2019-05-1544 min
Building Fires#19 Shark Tank Advisor | Richard LofgrenRichard has founded and advised for countless companies throughout his career. He currently is an advisor for one of the original Sharks on Shark Tank, Kevin Harrington. Richard discovered that he was incredible at making connections and finding potential through early-stage companies. We cover his rise in the business world and show WeStrive listeners what it takes to become a personal advisor to a Shark Tank Shark.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you...
2019-05-1334 min
Building Fires#18 Ukrainian Tech Guru | Andrew VasylykAlex has started a handful of dominating companies over the past several years. He's sort of a tech/entrepreneur guru. Him and his brother, Alex, are Co-founders of the Tech company StartupSoft.org and they are my favorite people on the planet. Without them, I wouldn't have the app/website that I have today (currently re-branding before our big launch in September as WeStrive). Alex previously started a Facebook-esque company in Ukraine that got up to over 400,000 users before they shut it down due to low retention. He shut down the operation because he knew he could make a...
2019-05-0644 min
Building Fires#17 All 5 Sharks Deal, Drone CEO | JD ClaridgeTake a tech nerd who's passionate for creating and building...and definitely doesn't want the spotlight. Now, take that same techie and put him on Shark Tank in front of millions of people. How do you think he'll do? If you guessed he would do poorly then you're wrong. JD Claridge is one of only two people to ever leave Shark Tank with a deal from all five sharks...and for $1 Million Dollars! His Drone company, XCraft, is revolutionizing the way Drones operate and they are absolutely dominating the field. Also, we might touch on flying cars a bit...
2019-05-0141 min
Building Fires#16 Pentatonix Social Manager | Jake UpdegraffJake started off wanting to be a part of radio and ended up going in a completely different direction. When you move to LA it's always hard to find work and get started on your dream. Jake started by interning with Ryan Seacrest and rose the ranks from there. After a few years he opened his own social media management business and currently manages Pentatonix, David Archuleta, and so many more famous artists/entertainers.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out...
2019-04-2440 min
Building Fires#15 Badass Tech Lawyer | Jessica VittorioWho's Jessica V? Oh, I don't know, she's just one of the best lawyers in the game. Jess brings an exciting twist to the boring world of law. She left her corporate & government jobs so that she could start her own practice. She primarily focuses on working with Startups and constantly gives back to the startup world.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or train...
2019-04-2245 min
Building Fires#14 West LA Fitness Guru | Adam FriedmanAdam has over 30 years of personal training, nutrition, and strength coaching experience. He's trained 100's of people over the years, countless celebrities, and dozens of famous athletes. He's one of the greatest personal trainers on the planet. Listen close to find out why he's one of only two trainers on the planet to have a private studio inside Golds Gym in Venice, CA.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your...
2019-04-171h 02
Building Fires#13 Accelerator Founder/Lifetime Entrepreneur | Brian Mac MahonBrian is the founder of Expert Dojo, a Santa Monica Entrepreneur Accelerator, and stands as an industry leader for entrepreneurship. He runs one of the top accelerators in Los Angeles, he's one of the hardest workers there is,
and there are few people on this planet who find more time to help others than he does.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or...
2019-04-1540 min
Building Fires#12 NFL/Usher’s Performance Coach | Tim AdamsCoach Tim Adams is one of the greatest fitness, strength, health, mental, wellness, etc... coaches on the planet. He's coached for the Oakland Raiders, The Los Angeles Kings, and was Usher's personal coach for tours. To top it all off, he doesn't have 90% of the bones in one of his knees and still works out every day on both legs. I guess you'll have to listen in order for that one to make sense for you.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer...
2019-04-101h 21
Building Fires#11 Shark Tank & App Guru | Tim KraussIf you've watched the 'Bear Minimum' episode of Shark Tank then you've already seen Tim Krauss. Tim was the man behind the big bear costume and he's also the man behind many prominent companies. He's founded two companies, has consulted for many, and now he's on our podcast! Listen in to hear how his company exits have gone and to learn how to truly be an entrepreneur.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you...
2019-04-0840 min
Building Fires#10 World-Renowned Strength Coach | Lee BrandonLee was the first ever female Strength & Conditioning in the NFL. Throughout her career, she has accomplished so many things and broken down countless barriers. She's trained dozens of gold, silver, & bronze olympic athletes and has coached with multiple professional teams. Lee also has multiple unique rehabilitation patents for her creations. Listen close because you just might learn something.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans...
2019-04-0353 min
Building Fires#9 VR/AR CEO | Hayes MackamanHayes was homeless at 22, has worked for 3 of the 4 biggest Accounting firms on the planet, and is now the CEO of 8i. 8i is one of the world leaders in virtual & augmented reality. They have a laundry list of patented technology and are untouchable in the space. After getting to see their offices and some of the technology they've created, I'm absolutely mind blown. Enjoy the podcast and try to wrap your head around all the stuff they're building haha.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if...
2019-04-0141 min
Building Fires#8 Conscious Boss CEO | Emily GallagherEmily is a Ted-X Speaker, a connector, coach, presenter, experience creator & obsessive collaborator. She has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and is the creator of the Conscious Boss Entrepreneur network. Listen in to find out how she's changing the business world, especially for all you ladies out there.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or train privately on WeStrive.
2019-03-2742 min
Building Fires#7 200+ lbs Weight Loss | Jordan GrahmWhat is there to say? I mean this guy lost over 200 pounds and now competes in bodybuilding competitions. It takes some pretty big balls to push yourself so hard that you cut your weight literally in half. I'm still out here trying to lose 10 pounds...and I've been trying for over a year haha. This episode is great because Jordan takes us through his weight loss journey and gives a lot of tips and motivation for weight loss and overall life improvement.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and...
2019-03-2553 min
Building Fires#6 NFL VP/Creative Director | Bill McCulloughBill started off in music and worked his way to become the Vice President & Creative Director of NFL Media. Follow this crazy journey through HBO, GoPro, QVC, GoFundMe, 11 Emmys, and so much more.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or train privately on WeStrive.
2019-03-2056 min
Building Fires#5 Badass Trainer & Model | Davey FisherHe might look like a model (and is one) but there's more than meets the eye to this Santa Monica celebrity personal trainer and social media star. Davey has spent years perfecting his craft and has more certifications than I have fingers (counting my thumbs). If you want to learn how to challenge yourself, take a page out of Davey's book (or locker).
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your...
2019-03-181h 22
Building Fires#4 The Last Ship Actor | Kevin Michael MartinMoving to Los Angeles to become an actor is one of the hardest things to do on the planet. The competition in this city is endless so when you have an opportunity...take advantage. Learn about Kevin's rise in the industry and his growth into a key role on TNT's The Last Ship.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if you want to sell your fitness plans or train privately on WeStrive.
2019-03-131h 01
Building Fires#3 Reality TV & Entrepreneurship | Lauren SchwabLauren is one of the most badass people I know. She has opened multiple gyms, has trained hundreds of people, and is known in West-LA as a personal training guru. Lauren has one of the coolest life stories of all time. She's been on multiple reality TV shows and has the craziest stories to go along with them. She currently runs her own wellness program which aims to help people 'Un-Plug' from the world so they can reconnect with themselves. Listen close and enjoy...I think you're gonna like this one!
Be sure...
2019-03-1148 min
Building Fires#2 Golds Gym Challenge Creator | Blair McHaneyBelieve it or not, Blair McHaney, from the small town of Wenatchee, WA, is the reason why fitness challenges exist today. Over 20 years ago he started the Gold's Gym Challenge which eventually led to millions of gym members transforming their bodies and lives. He changed the gym industry into what it is today. He's a world-leader in customer service practices, gym ownership, and is a wonderful human being.
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to see if...
2019-03-041h 17
Building Fires#1 Shark Tank & Millions | David LevichThe first episode of WeStrive wouldn't be so great if it weren't for David. I'm so grateful he took the time to sit down with me before I even had bought the podcast microphone. David is the founder of SunStaches, a Shark Tank Success, and has seen millions and millions of dollars pass through his companies over the years. The journey this man has been on is ridiculously amazing, entertaining, and inspiring. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out the WeStrive App on IOS, Android, and if you're a personal trainer check us out at WeStriveApp.com to...
2019-03-041h 05