Shows
The Drafting TableHow Merge Landed the World’s Biggest Bank, with Shensi Ding, Co-Founder of MergeCan a startup go straight to enterprise and survive? Shensi Ding, Co-Founder at Merge, shares how they scaled from zero to 25,000+ customers by starting enterprise-first, rebuilding their go-to-market team, and why founders should skip SMBs entirely.⏱️ Timestamps3:00 – Merge's origin story and why they wish they started with enterprise sooner8:34 – The case for starting enterprise-first vs selling to startups13:30 – Rebuilding go-to-market: hiring new CRO and team18:00 – Rethinking B2B marketing beyond LinkedIn vibes...2025-06-1044 minThe Drafting TableThe Hidden Cost of Shipping Fast: How to Prioritize Without Burning Out Your TeamIt’s easy to keep saying yes to new features. It’s a lot harder to say no, especially when the customer is dangling a big contract.In this episode of The Drafting Table, Danielle Leong (CTO at FireHydrant and former engineering leader at Twilio and GitHub) breaks down how to scale product and engineering without running your team into the ground.We dive into the practical tradeoffs every founder faces between building what customers want and maintaining a healthy, high-functioning product team.Together with...2025-06-0448 minThe Drafting TableHow Do You Find Product-Market Fit When No One Cares Yet? With Kevin Wang, Chief Product Officer at BrazeMost founders think they’ve hit product-market fit. Kevin Wang wants you to prove it.As Chief Product Officer at Braze (NYSE: BRZE), Kevin joined the team in 2012 as an early engineer and helped build the company from near-zero to 2,200+ customers and $500M+ in revenue. In this episode of The Drafting Table, he sits down with Jessica Lin to unpack the messy, unsexy reality of what PMF actually feels like—and why most early teams get it wrong.Together, they break down:The difference between poli...2025-05-2846 minThe Drafting Table12 Years, 12 Lessons: The Unfiltered Playbook for Emerging VCs, with Jonathan Lehr, Co-Founder/GP at Work-BenchWhat does it really take to raise and run a venture fund from scratch?In this special episode of The Drafting Table, Work-Bench co-founders Jessica Lin and Jon Lehr pull back the curtain on their 12-year journey building one of New York’s most respected enterprise seed funds. They share the lessons they wish someone had told them before they ever raised their first fund—and the painful, tactical, and often hilarious moments that shaped Work-Bench along the way.From getting cold-shouldered by LPs to standing by a tea tabl...2025-05-1457 minThe Drafting TableHow Great Startups Build Pipeline From Day One, with Alex Rosemblat, Advisor and Former CMO at DatadogMost founders think if they build a great product, the pipeline will magically appear.It won’t.In this episode of The Drafting Table, Alex Rosemblat (Advisor and Former CMO at Datadog) joins us for a tactical breakdown of how startups should actually think about marketing — especially in the early days.We cover:Why “knowing your customer” is a cliché…until you realize you really don’tHow Datadog thought about scoping, focus, and qualifying customers outWha...2025-05-0758 min
Hot Takes & Deep Dives“Rent” & “Hamilton” Power Producer is a Theater Kid (w/ Jeffrey Seller)Jess is joined by 4x TONY Award winning Broadway producer JEFFREY SELLER, best known for “Hamilton,” “Rent,” “In the Heights” & “Avenue Q.” Topics — his review of “Sunset Blvd,” being the creative nurturer and critic to Jonathan Larson & Lin Manuel Miranda, inventing the Broadway lotto system, crippling anxiety of opening night reviews, renovating his dream Upper West Side townhouse & more! Jeffrey Seller's memoir THEATER KID is available now! Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island: Finding Fire Island IG: @jessxnyc 2025-05-0556 min
Emerging Tech UnpackedOlympic Swimming Tech: How Australia Dominates with AI, Wearables & DataSend us a textHow does Australia, a nation of just 26 million, consistently dominate Olympic swimming?In this episode of Emerging Tech Unpacked, host Lucy Lin sits down with Jess Corones, General Manager of Performance Support and Olympic Campaign at Swimming Australia, to reveal the tech and teamwork powering Australia’s swimming success.Discover the latest innovations-from AI-driven computer vision and wearables in training, to real-time race analysis and cloud-powered decision-making on competition day. Jess shares exclusive insights on how technology is shaping elite athlete preparation, the culture of high performance, and what re...2025-05-051h 02The Drafting TableConferences Aren’t a Vibe. They’re a Sales Channel. How to Actually Make Them Worth It, with Amy Holtzman, CMO at CHEQMost founders don’t realize it, but they could be wasting thousands of dollars attending conferences — and getting very little pipeline to show for it.In this episode of The Drafting Table, Amy Holtzman (CMO at CHEQ and former marketing leader at Splash, AlphaSense, and Conductor) breaks down the exact prep, playbook, and post-event tactics her team uses to turn conferences into real revenue.🎙️ Covered live in this episode:How to decide which conferences are worth itCreative ways to show up if you don’t have a booth2025-04-3056 minThe Drafting TableWhat Founders Don’t Know About QBRs, with Rose Kozar, VP of Client Solutions at Courier HealthMost founders think the sale ends with a signed contract. But according to Rose Kozar, that’s just the beginning.In this episode of The Drafting Table, Rose Kozar—VP of Client Solutions at Courier Health—makes the case that post-sales is the most overlooked growth lever in SaaS. She breaks down how to run high-impact QBRs (Quarterly Business Reviews) that retain customers, unlock expansion, and turn champions into megaphones.We cover:What a QBR actually is (and why most teams get it wrong)2025-04-2257 minThe Drafting TableThe Tactical Things You Can Do To Amp Up Your Seed Pitch, First Meeting, Data Room, and More, with Daniel ChesleyIn this episode of The Drafting Table, Jess sits down with her teammate, Work-Bench investor Daniel Chesley for a rare behind-the-scenes look at how early-stage VC decisions actually get made.If you’re a pre-seed or seed-stage founder, this is the real talk you’ve been craving—but rarely get from investors.We break down:What separates a great wedge from a forgettable oneWhy your “champagne problem” might not be a real marketHow to package your pitch to stand out in a saturated category2025-04-1658 minThe Drafting Table“Don’t Hire an SDR Until You’ve Done This” – Alexandra Kane on Founder-Led Sales, Cold Emails & Outbound That WorksMost founders want to hire an SDR as soon as they’ve closed a few deals. Alexandra Kane (VP of Revenue at Chalk) says that’s a massive mistake.In this episode of The Drafting Table, we dive into the tactical truths no one tells you about early-stage sales: how founders should approach cold outbound, when to actually hire an SDR, and why your cold email probably sucks.Alexandra has led GTM at B2B startups across cybersecurity, infra, and dev tools—and she’s seen firsthand what separates real pip...2025-04-0949 min
CulturefulS1E10: Denetra, Part 2: Black American - I have to know my purposeSend us a textJoin Jess Lin in Part 2 of her conversation with Denetra, as they discuss her son DeAndre's life journey from high school graduation to battling cancer. Denetra opens up about DeAndre's work and love life, his fight with osteosarcoma, and the impacts of his illness. She also shares her own experience with grief, healing, and how she channels her energy into projects like Smiley Connections LLC to support other parents who have lost children. Listen to Denetra's story and learn about her efforts to pass a bill for more bereavement leave in Georgia, as...2025-04-0454 minThe Drafting TableThe Hidden SaaS Metrics That Actually Predict Startup Success, With Michaela LehrMost seed-stage enterprise software founders obsess over topline growth. But the smartest ones? They dig deeper.In this episode of The Drafting Table, Jessica Lin sits down with Michaela Lehr, seasoned CFO and startup finance leader, for a tactical breakdown of the non-obvious SaaS metrics that actually matter.Whether you’re building your first model, navigating messy margins, or just trying to understand what your numbers are really telling you—this is the financial playbook every founder needs.We cover:✅ Why termination-for-convenience clause...2025-04-0249 min
CulturefulS1E9: Denetra, Part 1: Black American - DeAndre always had the biggest smileSend us a textIn honor of Women's History Month, host Jess Lin sits down with Denetra Smiley, a 54-year-old African American medical coder from the Gullah Geechee community, now living in Acworth, Georgia. Denetra shares her personal story, her son DeAndre's story, and her path through grief and healing after DeAndre’s passed from cancer. Denetra speaks candidly about her childhood, the importance of her cultural roots, the example of her parents’ marriage, her experiences raising two sons, and the founding of her support group- Parents who have lost a child/children support group on Facebook, and h...2025-03-2949 minThe Drafting TableProduct Marketing Magic: Launch Strategies That Actually Drive Adoption with Natalie MarcotullioMost SaaS founders get product launches wrong. They think it’s about blasting their features everywhere on Day 1—but the best launches don’t happen in just one day.In this episode of The Drafting Table, I sit down with Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth and Product Marketing at Navattic, to break down how to run a product launch that actually works.We cover:✅ Why you shouldn’t launch the day your product is released✅ How to build momentum with a multi-week launch strategy✅ The right way to test messaging before launch day(s)✅ Why your launch should focus on end users, no...2025-03-2653 minThe Drafting TableHow Founders Can Establish an Effective Operating Rhythm That Scales, With David PolitisYour startup’s biggest risk isn’t running out of money—it’s running out of alignment.In this episode of The Drafting Table, I sit down with David Politis, founder of BetterCloud, to unpack one of the most underrated yet critical skills every founder needs: building an effective operating rhythm.We cover:✅ Why every startup needs a structured operating rhythm (even at 5 people!)✅ How to run all-hands meetings that actually keep teams aligned✅ The CEO’s job as the Chief Repeat Officer and why repetition matters✅ Why investor communication should happen every 2 weeks—not just at board meetings✅ How a single company-w...2025-03-1953 min
Marketing ATMPolitical Ice Cream, Balls & A $1700 DressFresh from a founders' retreat in the Whitsundays, we're back with our biggest takeaways from four days away. We're talking about Ben & Jerry's, AI hacks, a $1700 dress & picturing your audience in their underwear. A few resources from this episode: Deepseek via Hix.ai BOTIKA HealthLab Leo Lin NatV Basics See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2025-03-1740 min
CulturefulS1E8. Tina, Part 2: Taiwanese Chinese American- You water it and it growsSend us a textIn this episode of Cultureful, host Jess Lin continues her conversation with Tina, exploring her experience with intercultural marriage and raising multicultural children. Tina, a Taiwanese Chinese American woman, discusses the cultural differences between her upbringing and her Russian Ukrainian American husband's family. The episode covers how Tina navigated these differences, the challenges of blending their cultural backgrounds, and their parenting styles, which focus on positive discipline, financial literacy, and fostering a love of learning. Tina also shares insights into her family's daily routines, the influence of grandparents, and their efforts to maintain...2025-02-1149 min
CulturefulS1E7. Tina, Part 1: Taiwanese Chinese American- A cut above the restSend us a textIn this special bonus episode of Cultureful, host Jess Lin speaks with Tina, a 37-year-old Taiwanese Chinese American tech project manager from Fremont, California. The episode delves into the first half of Tina's life, covering her parents' immigration story from Taiwan, her upbringing, and the background of her family. Tina shares insights about her family's moves from China to Vietnam to Taiwan and eventually to the U.S., and discusses how her parents' cultural backgrounds influenced their lives and hers. The episode also touches on Tina's childhood, her experiences in school, navigating cultural...2025-01-2948 min
CulturefulS1E6. Angie, Colombiana - RehacermeSend us a textEsta entrevista fue grabada en octubre de 2023. En este capítulo, entrevisto a mi amiga Angie G. de Colombia. Ella es abogada y lingüista, actualmente está en un programa de doctorado cerca de San Francisco que combina sus dos carreras para hacer el lenguaje legal más accesible á la gente del común.Mientras se acerca su cumpleaños 40, reflexiona en su vida. Hablamos de su ciudad natal, niñez, viaje personal y profesional, también proyectos nuevos que empieza en su nuevo capítulo de vida. Espero que lo disf...2025-01-211h 01CulturefulS1E6. Angie, Colombian - Remake myselfSend us a textThis episode was originally recorded in Spanish in October 2023. Para la versión original de este episodio, que fue grabada en español, regresa al feed y haz clic en el título en español. To share this content with more people, this English version was created with AI tools like Eleven Labs. Though there may be differences in tone and delivery, we hope the message still resonates. In this episode, I interview my friend Angie G. from Colombia. She is a lawyer and linguist, currently in a PhD prog...2025-01-2142 min
CulturefulS1E5. Tonisha, Part 2: Black American - Serving in the United States Air ForceSend us a textKeywordsmilitary service, Iraq, personal growth, travel, advice for youth, military experiences, career transitions, life lessons, personal development, military cultureSummaryIn this conversation, Tonisha shares her journey into the military, detailing her enlistment, experiences in Iraq, and the challenges she faced during her service. She reflects on her decision to leave the military, the lessons learned, and offers advice to young people considering military service. Additionally, she discusses her current projects and aspirations, emphasizing personal growth and the importance of making informed choices....2024-12-2638 min
CulturefulS1E4. Tonisha, Part 1: Black American - Serving in the U.S. Air ForceSend us a textKeywordsidentity, heritage, family stories, military aspirations, Black woman in the military, genealogy, cultural identity, personal history, military experiences, representationSummaryTonisha, 42, explores her identity as a Black American and the rich cultural heritage of her family. She recounts fascinating stories about her grandfather, who influenced her aspirations to join the military. Tonisha reflects on her early career choices, the challenges she faced as a Black woman in a male-dominated military environment, and the importance of representation in various fields. Through her experiences, she...2024-12-2348 min
The Holistic Life with Jess Martinez, CHN | For Women in Their 30s & 40s Who Want To Balance Their Hormones, Live Holistically, Build Resilience, & Develop A More Loving Self-ImageS1 E14: Build Inner Confidence & Self-Trust One Step at a TimeSend me a message!In today's episode we dive into the topic of inner confidence. You will:Understand how your thoughts can significantly impact your confidence levels.Learn about the key building blocks that contribute to inner confidence. Discover techniques for shifting your mindset, practical tips, and actionable steps that help you grow your self-confidence. Enjoy!JessReferencesBriñol, P., Petty, R. E., & Wagner, B. (2009). Body posture effects on self‐evaluation: A self‐validation approach. European Journal of Social Psycholo...2024-08-2113 min
TruthWorksBreaking Silence with Elaine Lin HeringJoin hosts Patty McCord and Jessica Neal as they chat with author Elaine Lin Hering all about how vital breaking silence is and the power of using your voice. Find out more about Elaine and her book Unlearning Silence here.Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here.TruthWorks is hosted by Jessica Neal and Patty McCord. The show is edited, mixed and produced by Megan...2024-07-0947 min
Bird & Bird PodcastsProgress through pride: Episode 1Vincent Rezzouk-Hammachi and Jess Lin talk about navigating the world of business as members of the LGBTQ+ communities – how they overcame their fear of being open at work, what has helped them along the way, and the progress they’d still like to see.2024-05-3011 min
Double P Podcasts3 Body Problem - 1st Season Review of the Netflix sci-fi showWe Are Bugs, and we're breaking down the final 4 episodes of 3 BODY PROBLEM: Netflix's adaptation of Cixin Liu's THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by the Game of Thrones creators. Like Wallfacer Saul, we may not understand all that's happening. We're barely scratching the surface of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy - will we get season 2? We have more Science Riddles, Double M Matt Murdick talks the muiscal score, plus we read the "original script" for secrets! Episode 5 Judgment Day: As threat levels rise, a secret mission to retrieve enemy intel ventures into dangerous territory. An ominous message reaches Ea...2024-04-0159 minDouble P Podcasts3 Body Problem - 1st Season Review of the Netflix sci-fi showWe Are Bugs, and we're breaking down the final 4 episodes of 3 BODY PROBLEM: Netflix's adaptation of Cixin Liu's THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by the Game of Thrones creators. Like Wallfacer Saul, we may not understand all that's happening. We're barely scratching the surface of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy - will we get season 2? We have more Science Riddles, Double M Matt Murdick talks the muiscal score, plus we read the "original script" for secrets! Episode 5 Judgment Day: As threat levels rise, a secret mission to retrieve enemy intel ventures into dangerous territory. An ominous message reaches Ea...2024-04-0159 min
Double P Podcasts3 Body Problem - Midseason Review of first 4 episodes of the Netflix sci-fi showPodcast hosts Bubba & Catfish prove they're not rocket scientists breaking down the first 4 episodes of 3 BODY PROBLEM: Netflix's adaptation of Cixin Liu's THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by the Game of Thrones creators. A fateful decision made in 1960s China reverberates in the present, where a group of scientists partner with a detective to confront an existential planetary threat. Episode 1 Countdown: Unsettling events put a group of brilliant friends on edge as a mystery unravels with origins tracing back to China during the Cultural Revolution. Episode 2 Red Coast Auggie's countdown jeopardizes her nanotech work. Jin becomes engrossed in a...2024-03-2551 minDouble P Podcasts3 Body Problem - Midseason Review of first 4 episodes of the Netflix sci-fi showPodcast hosts Bubba & Catfish prove they're not rocket scientists breaking down the first 4 episodes of 3 BODY PROBLEM: Netflix's adaptation of Cixin Liu's THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by the Game of Thrones creators. A fateful decision made in 1960s China reverberates in the present, where a group of scientists partner with a detective to confront an existential planetary threat. Episode 1 Countdown: Unsettling events put a group of brilliant friends on edge as a mystery unravels with origins tracing back to China during the Cultural Revolution. Episode 2 Red Coast Auggie's countdown jeopardizes her nanotech work. Jin becomes engrossed in a...2024-03-2551 minCulturefulS1E3. Steve, American and Italian of Chinese descent - Dating and relationshipsSend us a textThis interview was recorded on June 1, 2022.Steve is a 36 year-old photographer who lives in New York City. He was born in China, raised in Italy, and now lives in the United States. He takes us through his early dating history, reflects on challenges he faced as an Asian male, and shares observations and what he learned along the way.Check out Steve’s photography at Stevegongphoto.com and follow him on instagram @stevegong.If you are interested in a follow-up part two episode with...2024-02-171h 14