Shows
The Innovation SeriesWhat VCs Look For: Startup Traits, Market Opportunities, and Risk Management InsightsIn this AMA episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Mike Kelly, Jacob Schpok, and Ben Pidgeon break down what it really takes to succeed in early-stage venture capital—especially for students and aspiring founders. The conversation kicks off with each speaker’s personal journey into VC, highlighting different career paths from software development to entrepreneurship and fund management. They then dive into the fundamentals of evaluating startups at various stages, unpacking what makes a company truly “venture backable.” Key factors such as market size, strong founding teams, product-market fit, and timing are explored with plenty of candid examples. ...2025-05-261h 15
UNHIREDWhat VCs Look for When Making an Investment (with Michael Kelly)Michael Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Developertown, joins us for a deep dive into his 15+ year journey building businesses in Indianapolis. From consulting solo at age 13 to managing a portfolio of over 60 companies, Mike shares how he’s navigated the highs, lows, and chaotic middle of entrepreneurship. We talk about everything from why equity-for-services is a trap (don't do it), to how venture studios actually work, to what he looks for in early-stage founders when investing through Start Something Ventures. If you’re thinking about raising capital or building a portfolio of your own, this one’s packed with perspe...2025-03-3144 minThe Innovation SeriesFuture of Automotive Aftermarkets: Insights from ZF’s Digital Innovation Leader Anuj GuptaIn this installment of our Innovation Series, we dive deep into the transformative power of technology in the automotive aftermarket world. Join our host, Mike Kelly, as he chats with Anuj Gupta, head of digital business at ZF Aftermarket, with a special cameo from Sam Koch. If you're curious about how AI, blockchain, and IoT are shaking up the way we look at vehicle maintenance and repair, this episode is for you!Anuj opens up about the enormous potential of these technologies to tackle stubborn industry issues. He shares insights from ZF's approach, where they either leverage...2025-01-3055 min
The One PercentEntrepreneurial Insights with Michael KellyIn this episode of Redefining Resilience, Chris and Kiley sit down with Michael Kelly. Michael Kelly is co-founder and CEO at DeveloperTown, an Indianapolis based software agency that focuses on financial services and healthcare digital transformation. In addition to DeveloperTown, Mike is involved in a number of other companies. He’s President and co-founder of FullStack (a regional PEO), the founder of Tenant Tracker (SaaS for CRE), a co-founder of Waterly (SaaS for water and wastewater), a co-founder of OpsStitch (AI for small business governance), a co-founder of 1919 Ventures (a new Carmel-based spirits company), and a co-founder of...2025-01-271h 24
Venture DeclassifiedEffective Cash Flow Management and Financial Literacy Tips for StartupsEpisode SummaryIn this episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Mike Kelly and Jacob Spock, along with special guest Nick Wangler, co-founer and COO of Orthodontic Details, delve into the intricate dynamics of venture capital and startup fundraising. The episode offers invaluable advice for founders navigating the challenging VC landscape, focusing on practical strategies to enhance their pitch and financial planning.Key TopicsChallenges founders face with discounted estimatesVarious financial reports: pro forma vs. financial forecast.Importance of accurate pipeline coverage and cost management.Red flags in founder behavior: overpromising and...2024-11-111h 01The Innovation SeriesThe Business of Well-being: Ryan Larcom's Journey in Entrepreneurship and HealthIn this episode, we're joined by Ryan Larcom, an entrepreneurial expert with an impressive track record of launching over 40 businesses with High Alpha Studio & High Alpha Innovation and investing in countless more through High Alpha Capital. Ryan opens up about the personal side of entrepreneurship, sharing his commitment to self-care and the disciplined regimens that fuel his productivity.But this episode isn't just about the grind—it's a holistic look at life. From debunking holiday weight gain myths to exploring the nurturing role of curiosity in personal growth, Ryan keeps us engaged with stories that inspire....2024-07-2245 minThe Innovation SeriesRevolutionizing Ideas: David Wong’s Guide to Transforming Organizational Innovation and GrowthWelcome back to another enlightening episode of The Innovation Series, where host Mike Kelly had the pleasure of hosting David Wong, the Executive Director of Innovation and New Growth at CME Group. This episode offers a comprehensive exploration of the innovation practices that drive successful product development.David begins the conversation by giving listeners a glimpse into his role at CME Group, where he leads the innovation lab. His responsibilities include steering the company’s focus towards exploring new territories such as bitcoin and blockchain, as well as addressing complex internal challenges. The discussion illustrates how strategic in...2024-06-1754 minThe Innovation SeriesRethinking Patient Experience with Dr. Justin SchragerThe Innovation Series with Host Dr. Luke Pittmantheinnovationseries.com In this episode, I (Dr. Luke Pittman) interviewed Dr. Justin Schrager, emergency physician, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Vital Software. We dive deep into the crucial role of software in enhancing patient care and communication post-emergency department visits. Dr. Schrager sheds light on the varied challenges providers face and how trust plays a significant role in patient interactions.Our conversation explores Vital Software’s expansion into inpatient and outpatient care and examines healthcare economics, illustrating how tech can bridge gap...2024-03-251h 24
Glasslab PodcastEpisode 19: Building Your Way To Building Great Products with Mike Kelly0:00-1:08 - Intro
1:09-3:03 - The Start of Developertown
3:04-23:30 - Taking Equity for Services
23:31-32:05 - Pros and Cons of the Studio Model
32:06-36:44 - Sharing Risk as a Solution to Common Studio Pitfalls
36:45-39:11 - Software Development vs. Hardware Development
39:12-40:27 - OutroSpecial Guest: Mike Kelly.2024-03-2040 minThe Innovation SeriesBuilding Technology to Make a Bad Day Better with Brian PoppeWhen people are filing an insurance claim, it’s typically not a good day for them. So it’s important to make the customer’s experience as pain free as possible. With the emerging blockchain and AI technology, there are both opportunities and challenges to work toward smoother processes. To explore this some, I (Mike Kelley) interviewed Brian Poppe, SVP of Income and Wealth Planning at Mutual of Omaha. Among other thoughts, Brian shared some of the areas in which new technology is being refined to make the customer experience faster and less intimidating, while still maintaining privacy...2023-12-0132 minThe Innovation SeriesTreating the Whole Person and Their Caregivers with Dustin ZieglerAs technology has progressed care in the medical field, there has been a simultaneous advancement in the understanding and application of whole health care. Seeing conditions as more than only a set of physical symptoms has led to a more holistic approach to the health and well being of patients. Through this evolution, the medical community has engaged individuals more fully, as well as begun to take the health and well being of caregivers, and even communities, into account as well.To discuss all this, I (Dr. Luke Pittman) interviewed Dustin Ziegler, the Program Director of Elevance...2023-08-1858 minThe Innovation SeriesAI / ML Business Impact with Alex Billingsley, Joe Christman, and Brian RoweThe Innovation Series theinnovationseries.com AI / ML (artificial intelligence and machine learning) is having a big impact in our lives, our work, and our businesses. So what should we be looking out for? And how should we be preparing? To explore this topic, I (Alex Billingsley) was joined by fellow DeveloperTown tech experts, Data Practice Leader, Brian Rowe and Senior Software (Data) Engineer, Joe Christman. Together, we discussed how terms have changed, news in large language models, examples of existing AI / ML models,and much more. As we talked, the co...2023-07-1752 minThe Innovation SeriesLeveraging Data to Meet Social and Physical Health Care Needs with Dr. Joshua VestThe Innovation Series with Host Dr. Luke Pittmantheinnovationseries.com Leveraging Data to Meet Social and Physical Health Care Needs with Dr. Joshua Vest, PhD, MPHAs technology increases and social awareness improves, health care is stepping up as well. Providers are looking to leverage data to not simply react to needs but to identify them earlier and proactively address them with the right resources and solutions. This ability involves not only accessing data but properly and carefully analyzing the results to avoid biases. In this episode with Dr. Jo...2023-06-271h 21The Innovation SeriesProduct Accessibility to Put Customers First with Helen RobbThe Innovation Series with Host Ben Hiatttheinnovationseries.com Product Accessibility to Put Customers First with Helen RobbPutting the customer first through ease of product accessibility influences every product management decision. Without it, you don’t have an intuitive product or service people want. So getting it right is paramount. To discuss the philosophy and the practicality of all this, I interviewed Helen Robb, a Director of Product Management for the mobile banking app, Spruce Money by H&R Block. Helen related how smart UX desig...2023-05-0339 minThe Innovation SeriesIS: Carrie DavisConnect with DeveloperTownDeveloperTown is a multi-faceted software consultancy for today’s IT and Business Leaders. They create world-class digital experiences to help businesses succeed in a competitive digital world. LinkedinTwitterFacebook Hear more inspirational and motivational interviews like this one at TheInnovationSeries.com, brought to you by DeveloperTown.2023-01-1644 min
Agencies That BuildIs Self Care Overrated? - Michael Kelly - Episode #38Michael Kelly is the Managing Partner at Developer Town that works with established companies to create software aimed at key business problems or opportunities.
Michael helps corporate leaders and founders craft a vision for new products by working with them to put together strategies, teams, and funding to help launch, validate, and grow those products and businesses.
Discussion Points:
What myth or bogus strategy do you want to bust? 2:27
How do you find outlets for energy on harder days: 8:00
Agencies talk about impacting society with their culture and environment. What does this mean to yo...2022-04-2953 min
Savage to SageThe Evolution of Sage while Staying Savage with Mike KellyAs our lives and businesses change, so often our approach does as well. Savage to Sage was started to explore the topics of self-care, self-awareness and multiplication as business owners. In this episode, I chat with Mike Kelly about what it means to remain savage while going through sage evolution both as business owners and individuals.For the first half of this podcast, I interview Mike and then he flips the script and interviews me in the second half. You’ll learn what compelled Mike onto a path he could not have foreseen, why I took a br...2022-03-0941 min
My STEM CareerProduct Designer - DeveloperTownWhat does it take to make a website or app both beautiful and practical? Explore the role of Product Designer with Lisa Sangiorgio of DeveloperTown. Learn more about Lisa helps companies solve big problems with good design. MORE Learn more about DeveloperTown: https://developertown.com/ Learn more about ClusterTruck: https://www.clustertruck.com/2022-01-1818 min
Powderkeg - UnvalleyPITCH: BOS Framework | Nashville, TNBeing able to launch a tech product can always be a difficult step for startups. The technical issues in the first product are common, and user feedback during the early days of rollout often more focused on the problems than the product's actual features. This can make it difficult for teams to focus on what's working and what isn't. Luckily, in today's episode of Powderkeg Pitch, we brought on someone focused on eliminating this massive headache for startups.
In today’s pitch episode of the Powderkeg Podcast, you’ll hear from Sashank Purighalla, Founder and CEO of BOS Framework. BOS Fram...2020-07-2415 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep8 - .Net Maui And What It Means For Your Xamarin ProjectIn this episode we take a look at .Net Maui, Microsoft's next-generation cross-platform application sdk, We will discuss how it will affect the Xamarin ecosystem, and what lays on the horizon for your Xamarin project.2020-07-2209 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep7 - Note - Taking 201- Beyond Simply Writing Things DownMelissa walks through her note-taking process from before the meeting starts to writing during the meeting to sharing out the notes afterward with action items called out for members of the team.2020-05-2005 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep6 - Design Ops What Is It And Why Do I Need It To Be Successful?Adam shares: What is Design Ops and how does it integrate into my company? We’ll take a quick look at the 4 main areas of Design Ops and give you some ideas on how you might optimize your design team workflow.2020-05-1206 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep5 - Frontend Pull Requests And Code Review DemystifiedEllie shares DeveloperTown's frontend team goals for pull requests, things to think about while reviewing code, and general code review tips.2020-05-0505 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep4 - How Should This Table Work By Julie DeSutterIntroduction a series of checklists used to capture detailed requirements for common features and components like tables, models, and inviting users.2020-04-2804 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep3 - Building Web Applications with StorybookAlex Billingsley shares how DeveloperTown uses Storybook to build web apps that are responsive, ready for internationalization and accessible to all users.2020-04-2105 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownSB - New Apple Sign-On Requirements by Jacob Van BruntApple's newest store guidelines have introduced a requirement for all iOS applications using third party or social media authentication to use Apple Sign-On. Learn More2020-04-1000 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep2 - Webkit Full Third-Party Cookie BlockingMindMeld Ep2 - Webkit Full Third-Party Cookie Blocking by MindMeld by DeveloperTown2020-04-0304 min
MindMeld by DeveloperTownMindMeld Ep1 - Being an Online Teacher while Working from HomeKat Howenstein from our business development team shares her insights from being an online teacher and what you can do to support eLearning while working from home.2020-03-2711 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#105: The Innovator’s Guide To Pitching, Startup Funding, And Hiring A PlayersFor today’s episode, we’re going back to where Matt spoke with Chris Heivly who is currently the VP of Innovation at Techstars. Chris is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and startup founder. And was one of the original Co-founders of MapQuest, a free Web and mobile mapping service that empowers consumers to engage with and navigate the world around them.
This interview is from all the way back in November 2016, and we’re bringing it out of the archives because later this month on October 16th, we’re hosting a VIP event at the Industrious location in Raleigh, North Ca...2019-10-0131 min
The IBJ Podcast with Mason KingAvoiding the icebergs that can sink your startupHusband-and-wife team Kim and Todd Saxton, both professors at the IU Kelley School of Business at IUPUI, have spent a lot of time inside and outside the classroom serving as mentors to startup founders trying to make their way through the choppy waters of entrepreneurship.
So they recently teamed up with Michael Cloran, a local entrepreneur and partner at DeveloperTown, to write a book of advice about what NOT to do when you're starting a company. The book—“The Titanic Effect: Successfully Navigating the Uncertainties that Sink Most Startups”—uses the tragedy of the Titanic as its outline...2019-07-2225 min
Liquid FutureReflections with a Liquid Democratic Candidate for US SenateAs a 30-year-old Indiana native, Nathan Altman has built a career on being an artist, maker and adventurer. When you see him in the community he’ll likely blend in with the hard-working people across our state, wearing a t-shirt and jeans—and the occasional layer of saw dust when he’s not in the office. Born and raised in Carmel, Indiana, Nathan grew up like many Indiana boys—playing and watching sports, getting his hands dirty building projects out in the barn, and spending a lot of time exploring the neighborhoods. The Altman family has been in India...2019-04-1200 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#79: How Successful Startup Teams Avoid Startup FailureOne of the most valuable experiences that entrepreneurs can learn from is the mistake that cost another entrepreneur their dream. Whether you’re building your first company or your tenth, entrepreneurship is full of uncertainty. And while success is always the goal, there are a thousand valuable lessons in startup failure. On today’s episode of the podcast you’ll hear from three serial entrepreneurs about the biggest mistakes to avoid when building a startup.
First, you’ll meet Michael Cloran. This guy started his career on a bumpy road. His first hand in success was making a kid-safe internet venture...2019-04-0243 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley# 62: How to Build Turnkey HR Processes with Dawn Lively of Fullstack & Mike Kelly of DeveloperTownWhen you’re busy building an innovative tech company, your time is at a premium. Crucial concerns like developing your product and finding customers usually take center stage, making it easy to put off the more mundane matters of payroll and benefits for your employees. But ignoring these HR issues for too long could seriously hurt your startup when it comes time to scale up.
Our two guests today have years of experience dealing with HR processes in startups and fully understand how important they can be. The first is Mike Kelly, a serial entrepreneur, investor and co-founder of DeveloperTown, wh...2018-11-0851 min
An Indianapolis Business Podcast: Off the CircleFullstack PEO: What and Why Your Business Might Use a Professional Employer OrganizationA professional employer organization (PEO) is a firm that provides a service under which an employer can outsource employee management tasks, such as employee benefits, payroll and workers' compensation, recruiting, risk/safety management, and training and development.
Fullstack PEO was born out of necessity with the technology startups launched with DeveloperTown and has now expanded to assist any technology startup in the state. (Fullstack PEO does cover 2 other states and many other industries). Services with Fullstack PEO may include payroll, administrative and operational HR support, strategic HR consulting, ancillary HR support, compliance, health, dental, vision, supplemental benefits, 401...2018-03-0129 min
Off the CircleFullstack PEO: What and Why Your Business Might Use a Professional Employer OrganizationA professional employer organization (PEO) is a firm that provides a service under which an employer can outsource employee management tasks, such as employee benefits, payroll and workers' compensation, recruiting, risk/safety management, and training and development.
Fullstack PEO was born out of necessity with the technology startups launched with DeveloperTown and has now expanded to assist any technology startup in the state. (Fullstack PEO does cover 2 other states and many other industries). Services with Fullstack PEO may include payroll, administrative and operational HR support, strategic HR consulting, ancillary HR support, compliance, health, dental, vision, supplemental benefits, 401(k) management, and...2018-03-0129 min
Scratch Entrepreneur18 – DeveloperTown with Mike KellyHave you ever had a good idea? One that was so obvious, so helpful, so ingenious that you couldn’t believe it didn’t already exist? You searched the web and couldn’t find anytime about it, you researched the patent list and it just wasn’t there. You sat in a darkroom late at night thinking “what is my next step?”. Well, if you idea has anything to do with technology, your first call might be to today’s guest Mike Kelly at DeveloperTown. Along with taking tech ideas from infancy to lauch, Mike and the DeveloperTown gang help large corpora...2018-01-0746 min
Obsessed Show87-Randy FisherRandy attended Indiana University (I won’t hold it against him) and began the first decade of his career in Chicago. Eventually, he was led back to Indy and began working as a design partner for DeveloperTown. For lack of a better way of saying it, he’s completely obsessed with design. Mentioned in this episode: Origin story DeveloperTown What makes great designers and clients You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.2017-12-0444 min
Developer TeaInterviewer's Wishes with Jason Vasquez (Part 2)Today's episode is all about the environments we work in and the skills that contribute beyond the code. Jason Vasquez, CTO at Developertown, joins me as a guest.
Today's episode is sponsored by Fuse! Build native iOS and Android apps with less code and better collaboration. Head over to spec.fm/fuse to learn more today!
New Promo Code: “dt” will give you listeners 70% off for 12 months. 70%!!! The code must be redeemed by December 31st 2017.
2017-10-3026 min
Developer TeaWorking Environment and Secondary Skills w/ Jason Vasquez (Part 1)Today's episode is all about the environments we work in and the skills that contribute beyond the code. Jason Vasquez, CTO at Developertown, joins me as a guest.
Today's episode is brought to you by Linode.
Linode provides superfast SSD based Linux servers in the cloud starting at $5 a month. Linode is offering Developer Tea listeners $20 worth of credit if you use the code DEVELOPERTEA2017 at checkout. Head over to spec.fm/linode to learn more about what Linode has to offer to Developer Tea listeners!
2017-10-2751 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#43: The Visionary and The Integrator: How Co-Founders of PERQ Work Together to Supercharge GrowthA talented co-founder can be an incredible asset to an entrepreneur, providing a second set of shoulders to bear the responsibilities of business and a second opinion to test ideas against. The right co-founder can compliment your strengths, compensate for your weaknesses and make every aspect of the company better than you could make it by yourself.
But don’t just take my word from it. Instead, listen to business partners, Scott Hill and Andy Medley, co-founders of the marketing tech company, PERQ. In the last episode of the Powderkeg Podcast (that’s episode 42 for those keeping count), I talked with...2017-09-1258 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#42: How to Develop Your Inner Visionary Superpower with Scott Hill of PERQAt Powderkeg, we believe every entrepreneur has their own personal superpower that makes them great at what they do. Scott Hill’s superpower is being a visionary—that is, being exceptionally capable of seeing opportunities that others can’t and understanding exactly how to prepare so he can seize them when the time is right.
I met Hill at a pivotal time in my life, when I was still a college student in Bloomington, IN, and thinking about becoming an entrepreneur. Hill’s company, PERQ, was in print marketing at the time, and I was so inspired by what he was doin...2017-08-2946 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#41: Startup Fundraising 101 with Serial Entrepreneur, Investor and Innovation Expert Rachael QuallsA brief glimpse at Rachael Qualls’ resumé will convince you that she’s a true innovator in the world of venture capital and angel investing. A brief meeting with her at a Powderkeg pitch night in Kansas City, MO, convinced me that I had to invite her on the podcast to share her deep knowledge of fundraising and investing with our community of entrepreneurs.
Qualls has a decade of experience building and investing in companies, first among the flourishing tech ecosystem in Nashville, TN, and now in her hometown of Kansas City. She’s seen firsthand how difficult it is for fou...2017-08-2250 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#40: Top Finance Secrets for Overcoming Healthcare Obstacles with Susan Bratton and Stryker WarrenThe U.S. healthcare industry is in the midst of a rapid evolution to accommodate changing government legislation, market pressures and technological opportunities. The environment is ripe for disruption by innovative startups, but health tech founders face a number of unique obstacles on the road to success.
In this episode of Powderkeg: Igniting Startups, I sit down with health tech entrepreneurs Susan Bratton and Stryker Warren to learn more about these obstacles and how to surmount them. Bratton is a former Wall Street investment banker of 20 years and founder of Savor Health, a personalized nutrition solution for cancer patients. Warren...2017-08-1539 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#39: How Customer Success Can Be Your Company’s Secret Weapon with Don Aquilano and Haresh GangwaniFollowing last month’s announcement that Powderkeg has officially become a product company, my team and I have been doing some intensive planning on how to build a world-class customer experience (CX). With this in mind, I sought out Haresh Gangwani of Bolstra and Don Aquilano of Allos Ventures for this episode to get the perspective and advice of two experts in the SaaS Customer Success space.
Gangwani and Aquilano have a combined 30 years of customer success experience, Gangwani as a business operator and Aquilano as an advisor and investor. Gangwani previously served in various VP roles at the enterprise so...2017-08-0848 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#38: How to Announce and Build a Tech Product on a Bootstrap Budget with DeveloperTown PartnerLast Thursday evening, in front of an audience of more than 600 tech entrepreneurs, professionals and investors, I had the privilege of making a monumental announcement.
My company, Verge—a community of over 10,000 members in 8 cities across the country—is merging with Powderkeg and reinventing itself as a product company that will continue to serve this incredible community in new and exciting ways. Over the coming months, my team and I will be building a software product that will connect our members to Events, Exposure and Education in ways that have never before been possible for us.
In this episode of our...2017-08-0158 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#37: Time-Tested Tips for Building Winning Products from Powderkeg’s Kevin Bailey and Robert HarrisMy ongoing search for the best and brightest tech entrepreneurs outside Silicon Valley leads me to a lot of remarkable founders building incredible companies all around the world. But for this episode of Powderkeg: Igniting Startups, I decided I’d look closer to home and consult with a few gifted minds inside my very own office.
Robert Harris and Kevin Bailey are my colleagues at Powderkeg and its parent company, Verge, and they’re also two of the smartest and most talented people I know. They both have years of experience scaling tech companies and launching multi-million dollar products, and I’m...2017-07-2553 min
Powderkeg - Unvalley#36: C-Level Brand Marketing and Innovation Secrets from ExactTarget CMO Turned VC, Tim KoppWe talk a lot about the power of great mentors here on Powderkeg: Igniting Startups, and today I’m thrilled to introduce one of the most influential mentors I’ve had in my life. Tim Kopp is an experienced brand and digital marketer who’s taught me much of what I know as well as coached me throughout my evolving entrepreneurial journey.
When I first met Kopp, he was CMO at ExactTarget, the Indianapolis SaaS startup that sold to Salesforce in 2013 for $2.5 billion. Prior to his time there, Kopp spent a decade with the world-renowned marketing teams at Procter & Gamble and Co...2017-07-1844 min