Shows
Money Moves with Neil Devani024 Ashwin Pushpala on building/exiting a company before becoming a VC at EclipseIn this episode of Money Moves, host Neil Devani talks with Ashwin Pushpala about his entrepreneurial journey from founding a medtech startup to his current role as an investor at Eclipse Ventures. Ashwin shares how early entrepreneurial experiences, like stringing tennis rackets in high school, evolved into a career focused on solving real-world medical challenges. He discusses building his company around non-invasive glucose monitoring technology, raising nearly $40 million despite significant hurdles, and eventually exiting through an acquisition by One Drop. Ashwin reflects on lessons from pitching investors, handling rejection, and trusting his instincts. Finally, he dives into h...
2025-04-2952 min
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - No Assholes with Tara Roth from the Goldhirsh Foundation and Minnie Ingersoll from TenOneTenIn this episode of Money Moves, we dive into the intricacies of venture capital, honest investing, and the importance of transparency in fundraising. Join Neil Devani, founder of Necessary Ventures, as he engages with Tara Roth and Minnie Ingersoll, experienced investors with decades of expertise across VC, startups, and angel investing. Together, they explore the impact of integrity and authenticity in business, how to align investments with values, and why truly understanding a company's fundamentals matters.Tara and Minnie share insights on having strong partnerships, how they assess potential investments, and what they look for in founders...
2025-04-221h 03
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - Raising a $30M Fund 1 to Combat Cancer with Ben Freeberg of Oncology VenturesThis week on Money Moves, Neil chats with Ben Freeberg, the founder of Oncology Ventures, a venture fund dedicated to driving innovation in the oncology space. They discuss Ben’s journey from cancer survivor to founder, exploring his personal motivations, industry insights, and the challenges of building a specialized fund. Ben shares his unique approach to identifying and investing in groundbreaking startups that aim to improve cancer care and research, offering invaluable advice for founders and first-time fund managers.This episode also highlights the mechanics of fundraising, including Ben’s experience closing an oversubscribed $30 million fund...
2025-04-1540 min
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - How Mike Dempsey finds 100x+ MOIC Investments for Compound Featuring Kesar Varma from Upfront VenturesIn this episode of "Money Moves," host Neil Devani speaks with Mike Dempsey, Managing Partner at Compound, and Kesar Varma from Upfront Ventures about the unique strategies and philosophies behind Compound’s investment approach. The discussion covers the firm's commitment to research-centric, thesis-driven investing in high-risk, high-reward sectors like AI, robotics, biotech, and crypto. Mike shares insights into the evolution of their investment strategy, particularly in the crypto space, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining conviction during market cycles. The conversation also delves into the differences between Compound’s first two funds, their thoughts on portfo...
2025-04-081h 36
Money Moves with Neil Devani023 Family Office Investing: Evolutions in Real Estate and Venture with Kristina Chang, CEO @ WestlakeIn this episode of Money Moves, host Neil Devani speaks with real estate investor and CEO of Westlake, Kristina Chang. Kristina describes her journey from interning at a shopping center REIT to running and expanding her family’s real estate business. She explains how she integrates institutional discipline into a family-run operation, detailing her approach to acquisitions—especially in niche areas like self-storage and industrial outdoor storage—and emphasizing how meticulous execution is often as critical as the initial buy. Kristina also candidly recalls her best and worst deals, illustrating the importance of attention to detail, and outline...
2025-04-0142 min
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - Raising $900 Million to Build a Business in AgtechREPLAY - Raising $900 Million to Build a Business in Agtech: Want to know how this entrepreneur disrupted agriculture and built a successful business?In this episode of Money Moves, Neil Devani interviews Amol Deshpande, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded Farmer's Business Network (FBN) and was the first investor in Beyond Meat. They discuss Amol's experiences raising $900 million for FBN, his early involvement with Beyond Meat, and insights on investing and scaling companies.Highlighted Topics:- Investing in Breakthrough Ideas: Amol discusses his investment in Beyond Meat when...
2025-03-251h 03
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - How Mitch Lee raised $100M+ to electrify watercraft, featuring Rob Ryan from DynastyIn this episode of Money Moves, the host is joined by Mitch Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Arc Boats, along with Rob Ryan, to discuss their experiences with startups, product development, and the challenges of raising capital. Mitch reflects on his journey from Clinkle to Penny and now Arc Boats, sharing valuable insights on executing business ideas, navigating venture capital, and the importance of solid execution over hype.Topics Discussed in this Episode:- Early Fundraising and the Clinkle Experience: Mitch and Rob share their first experiences raising capital during their...
2025-03-181h 05
Money Moves with Neil Devani022 From Wall Street to Startups with Gene Munster @ DeepwaterIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil talks with Gene Munster, co-founder and managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management. Gene shares his path from his 20-year career as a top Wall Street analyst, best known for his coverage of Apple, to launching his own venture firm. Gene opens up about the emotional shift from a stable career to the high-stakes world of venture capital, including what it felt like to walk into the office on day one knowing the weight of building something new was entirely on his shoulders.Gene discusses what it took to raise Deepwater’s...
2025-03-1147 min
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - Raising Capital and Building a World-Changing Business with Charles FisherIn this episode of Money Moves, host Neil Devani interviews Charles Fisher, founder of Unlearn, an AI-driven company revolutionizing clinical trials. Charles discusses his recent transition from CEO to Chief Scientific Officer to focus on his passion for scientific research. He delves into the origins of Unlearn, the challenges of raising venture capital for deep tech startups, and emphasizes the need for ambitious, world-changing ideas over incremental innovations. Charles also shares candid insights on hiring practices, team building, and his critical views on traditional management structures. The episode concludes with a lightning round where Charles answers personal questions about...
2025-03-0455 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani021 Mike Annunziata @ Also Capital on Building and Investing in Deep TechIn this episode of Money Moves, host Neil Devani sits down with Mike, a seasoned investor and entrepreneur, to discuss his journey from institutional investing to launching his own venture firm, Also Capital. Mike shares his early career experiences, starting at the Soros Family Office and later working at the Cornell Endowment, where he gained deep insights into different asset classes and investment strategies. He reflects on the pivotal moments that led him to take the leap into entrepreneurship, co-founding a hard-tech startup, and ultimately transitioning into venture capital to support other deep-tech founders.The conversation dives...
2025-02-2545 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani020 Ariana Thacker on being a VC founder vs. startup founder and back-to-back $10M+ raisesIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil Devani sits down with Ariana Thacker, a venture capitalist turned entrepreneur, to discuss her journey from launching a VC firm to founding MoldCo, a healthcare startup tackling mold-related illnesses. Ariana shares the highs and lows of raising her first fund, her relentless hustle to secure investors, and the lessons she learned from hundreds of rejections. She also provides insights into her investment selection process, the common mistakes she’s seen founders make, and how she pivoted from venture capital to launching a mission-driven company.Ariana’s transition to MoldC...
2025-02-1845 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani019 Malcolm Robinson on raising $5B+ and pioneering distressed debt in Asia with Avenue CapitalIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil talks with Malcolm Robinson, an investor with a remarkable career spanning multiple asset classes, geographies, and market cycles. Malcolm talks about his journey from discovering his passion for investing in college to leading billion-dollar funds in Asia. He offers invaluable insights on raising capital, navigating venture capital and private equity, and the key differences in investment strategies across asset classes. Malcolm also discusses the importance of building trust and competence when fundraising, the lessons he learned from scaling a fund from $20 million to over $5 billion, and his commitment to training the next...
2025-02-111h 01
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - Building and Investing in the Future of Biotech with Shahram Seyedin-NoorThis week’s episode of Money Moves is not to be missed. Host Neil Devani gets to know Shahram Seyedin-Noor, founder of Civilization Ventures. Shahram shares his evolution from a Harvard-trained lawyer to a biotech entrepreneur and successful venture capitalist. He reflects on the unique challenges and opportunities in the life sciences sector, recounts the lessons learned while raising multiple funds, and offers valuable and encouraging advice to investors and founders. From raising his first $1 million fund to managing over $150 million today, Shahram’s story is a testament to resilience, strategic thinking, and embracing mentorship. The discussion highl...
2025-02-0442 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani018 Jeff Seibert on exiting Crashlytics for $100M in 1.5 years and raising $100M for DigitsIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil talks with Jeff Seibert, and a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, to share his incredible journey from building startups to angel investing in over 100 companies. Jeff takes listeners back to the sixth grade when he developed his passion for coding, how he co-founded and sold Crashlytics to Twitter for over $100 million, the valuable lessons learned from raising capital and scaling businesses to his most recently founded company, Digits. He reveals his approach to product development, which for Digits involved learning everything possible about accounting, the importance of long-term thinking, an...
2025-01-281h 04
Money Moves with Neil Devani017 Shruti Gandhi of Array Ventures on Raising $150M Across 3 Funds and Hitting 15 Exits as a Solo GPIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil talks with Shruti Gandhi, a seasoned venture capitalist with a background in engineering and entrepreneurship. Shruti shares her path beginning with immigrating to the U.S. in 1999 through founding her own VC firm. Shruti worked at IBM prior to leading venture funds. She provides invaluable insights into transitioning from engineering to entrepreneurship, navigating the complexities of raising a venture fund, and supporting immigrant founders who have transformed their lives and businesses. Shruti discusses what sets great founders apart, the nuances of decision-making, and the lessons she's learned from both successes a...
2025-01-2136 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani016 Danielle Strachman of 1517 Fund on going from Educating to Investing in Dropouts and Working with Peter ThielIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil interviews Danielle Strachman, co-founder of 1517 Fund and a trailblazer in venture capital, to explore her journey from founding a charter school to launching a venture firm rooted in supporting nontraditional entrepreneurs. Danielle shares the story and excitement behind her successful investments, including Luminar Technologies and Loom, as well as her experience with Peter Thiel’s fellowship program, which inspired 1517’s focus on dropout founders and frontier tech. Danielle discusses the challenges and rewards of raising venture capital funds, adapting to market shifts such as the downturn in 2008, and foster...
2025-01-1449 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani015 How David Rusenko Built and Sold Weebly to Square for $365M Before Founding Leap Forward VenturesIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil sits down with David Rusenko, the founder of Weebly and seasoned venture investor, to discuss his journey from launching a company in his college dorm to successfully navigating a $365 million acquisition by Square (now a part of Block, Inc.). David shares invaluable lessons on raising capital, finding product-market fit, and building capital-efficient businesses. They explore the dynamics of Weebly’s early days, its strategic growth amidst fierce competition, and the cultural nuances of integrating into a larger public company post-acquisition. David also offers insights into his transition to inve...
2025-01-0755 min
Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - On Building and Selling Rupa Health with Tara ViswanathanIn this episode of Money Moves, we sit down with Tara Viswanathan, co-founder of Rupa Health, to explore her journey from startup founder to health tech innovator. Tara brings a unique perspective on building a memorable company culture, sharing how costumes, humor, and spontaneity have helped shape Rupa’s identity and connected with audiences in unexpected ways. She explains how these personal touches became central to the Rupa Health brand, even influencing how they stood out at industry conferences.We also dive into Tara’s unconventional approach to fundraising, discussing her path from the early pre-seed days thro...
2024-12-311h 12Money Moves with Neil DevaniREPLAY - How Jay Desai built and sold PatientPing for $550MIn this replay episode of Money Moves, we sit down with Jay Desai, an experienced entrepreneur and investor, to delve into his journey of building PatientPing, a healthcare coordination platform, and navigating the challenges of fundraising. Jay shares the pivotal moments that defined his role as CEO, including the creation of a "user guide" for working with him, which helped him align expectations and set a clear vision for his team. He reflects on the process of raising venture capital, securing early customers, and scaling his company, ultimately leading to a successful exit. Jay also provides insights o...
2024-12-2455 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani014 Raising a $30M Fund 1 to Combat Cancer with Ben Freeberg of Oncology VenturesThis week on Money Moves, Neil chats with Ben Freeberg, the founder of Oncology Ventures, a venture fund dedicated to driving innovation in the oncology space. They discuss Ben’s journey from cancer survivor to founder, exploring his personal motivations, industry insights, and the challenges of building a specialized fund. Ben shares his unique approach to identifying and investing in groundbreaking startups that aim to improve cancer care and research, offering invaluable advice for founders and first-time fund managers.This episode also highlights the mechanics of fundraising, including Ben’s experience closing an oversubscribed $30 million fund...
2024-12-1740 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBuild What the World Needs, Not GratuitouslyNeil Devani, founder of Necessary Ventures, shares his journey from healthcare and healthcare policy to venture capital, focusing on mission-driven startups tackling societal challenges. He discusses his investment strategy, offering insights into evaluating startups for transformative potential, talent retention, capital efficiency, and impactful storytelling. Neil highlights the importance of customer empathy and avoiding gratuitous technology. He also advocates for quality over speed during venture deals, emphasizing the importance of long-term founder-VC alignment. With a thoughtful approach to impact and innovation, Neil provides actionable advice for navigating the VC landscape.In this episode, you’ll learn:[01:49] How Ne...
2024-12-1034 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani013 High Volume Investing and 1000x Returns with Jenny Fielding of Everywhere VenturesIn this episode of Money Moves, Neil is joined by Jenny Fielding, co-founder of Everywhere Ventures, a trailblazing fund that’s redefining the venture capital playbook with its community-driven, high-cadence investment approach. Jenny shares the journey of raising and scaling her funds, starting with her first $5M in 2018 to her latest $25M fund closed in 2022, all while navigating complex markets and building a founder-centric legacy.Jenny delves into what makes a great pitch, emphasizing the importance of conciseness, human connection, and storytelling to stand out. She discusses the critical skills founders need for successful fundraising and offers ac...
2024-12-1040 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani012 Building and Investing in the Future of Biotech with Shahram Seyedin-NoorThis week’s episode of Money Moves is not to be missed. Host Neil Devani gets to know Shahram Seyedin-Noor, founder of Civilization Ventures. Shahram shares his evolution from a Harvard-trained lawyer to a biotech entrepreneur and successful venture capitalist. He reflects on the unique challenges and opportunities in the life sciences sector, recounts the lessons learned while raising multiple funds, and offers valuable and encouraging advice to investors and founders. From raising his first $1 million fund to managing over $150 million today, Shahram’s story is a testament to resilience, strategic thinking, and embracing mentorship. The discussion highl...
2024-12-0341 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani011 Running a Concentrated VC Portfolio with Dan Kimerling at DeciensIn this episode of Money Moves, we dive deep into the world of venture capital with Dan from Deciens Capital. We explore the journey from entrepreneur to venture capitalist, discussing the lessons learned, challenges faced, and philosophies developed along the way. Dan shares the story of building and eventually selling Standard Treasury, the intricacies of raising multiple venture funds, and the importance of trust and integrity in building long-term relationships with both founders and investors.We also tackle themes of alignment versus integrity, the role of venture capital in empowering founders, and what it means to take...
2024-11-2642 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani010 Marty.com on Building/Selling 4 Companies Before Agree.comIn this episode of Money Moves, we dive into the journey of startup success, effective fundraising, and entrepreneurial insights with Marty Ringlein, a seasoned founder, and investor. Marty shares his experiences raising capital, building and scaling companies, and eventually selling them to prominent organizations like Eventbrite and Twitter. With a unique philosophy on capital efficiency and an impressive investing track record, Marty offers actionable advice for founders, whether they’re just starting out or ready to take their ventures to the next level. He stresses the importance of embracing failure as a path to improvement, building strong rel...
2024-11-1959 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani009 No Assholes with Tara Roth from the Goldhirsh Foundation and Minnie Ingersoll from TenOneTenIn this episode of Money Moves, we dive into the intricacies of venture capital, honest investing, and the importance of transparency in fundraising. Join Neil Devani, founder of Necessary Ventures, as he engages with Tara Roth and Minnie Ingersoll, experienced investors with decades of expertise across VC, startups, and angel investing. Together, they explore the impact of integrity and authenticity in business, how to align investments with values, and why truly understanding a company's fundamentals matters.Tara and Minnie share insights on having strong partnerships, how they assess potential investments, and what they look for in founders...
2024-11-121h 03
Money Moves with Neil Devani008 On Building and Selling Rupa Health with Tara ViswanathanIn this episode of Money Moves, we sit down with Tara Viswanathan, co-founder of Rupa Health, to explore her journey from startup founder to health tech innovator. Tara brings a unique perspective on building a memorable company culture, sharing how costumes, humor, and spontaneity have helped shape Rupa’s identity and connected with audiences in unexpected ways. She explains how these personal touches became central to the Rupa Health brand, even influencing how they stood out at industry conferences.We also dive into Tara’s unconventional approach to fundraising, discussing her path from the early pre-seed days thro...
2024-11-051h 12
Money Moves with Neil Devani007 How Jay Desai Built and Sold PatientPing for $550MIn this episode of Money Moves, we sit down with Jay Desai, an experienced entrepreneur and investor, to delve into his journey of building PatientPing, a healthcare coordination platform, and navigating the challenges of fundraising. Jay shares the pivotal moments that defined his role as CEO, including the creation of a "user guide" for working with him, which helped him align expectations and set a clear vision for his team. He reflects on the process of raising venture capital, securing early customers, and scaling his company, ultimately leading to a successful exit. Jay also provides insights on t...
2024-10-2955 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani006 Micah Green on Quitting Cornell at 19 and Raising $30M+ to Automate Commercial CleaningWhether you're a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply interested in venture capital, this episode offers deep insights into what it really takes to secure funding and scale a business.In this episode of Money Moves, Neil is joined by Micah Green, a founder who dropped out of college at 19 to launch his startup, raising his first $220,000 in funding. Micah shares his journey from pitching angel investors with nothing more than a prototype to now having raised over $30 million. We explore the challenges and triumphs of startup life, including navigating investor rejections, the importance of perseverance, and how...
2024-10-2245 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani005 Raising Capital and Building a World-Changing Business with Charles FisherLooking into ways to raise capital for your startup? Get insights from Charles on the dos and don'ts of fundraising, including the importance of external milestones and building relationships with investors.In this episode of Money Moves, host Neil Devani interviews Charles Fisher, founder of Unlearn, an AI-driven company revolutionizing clinical trials. Charles discusses his recent transition from CEO to Chief Scientific Officer to focus on his passion for scientific research. He delves into the origins of Unlearn, the challenges of raising venture capital for deep tech startups, and emphasizes the need for ambitious, world-changing ideas over...
2024-10-1555 min
Money Moves with Neil Devani004 How Mitch Lee raised $100M+ to electrify watercraft, featuring Rob Ryan from DynastyCurious about what it takes to turn a side project into a multimillion dollar acquisition?In this episode of Money Moves, the host is joined by Mitch Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Arc Boats, along with Rob Ryan, to discuss their experiences with startups, product development, and the challenges of raising capital. Mitch reflects on his journey from Clinkle to Penny and now Arc Boats, sharing valuable insights on executing business ideas, navigating venture capital, and the importance of solid execution over hype.Highlighted Topics:- Early Fundraising and the Clinkle Experience: Mitch...
2024-10-081h 05
Money Moves with Neil Devani003 How Amol Deshpande Raised $900 Million to Build a Business in AgtechWant to know how this entrepreneur disrupted agriculture and built a successful business?In this episode of Money Moves, Neil Devani interviews Amol Deshpande, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded Farmer's Business Network (FBN) and was the first investor in Beyond Meat. They discuss Amol's experiences raising $900 million for FBN, his early involvement with Beyond Meat, and insights on investing and scaling companies.Highlighted Topics:- Investing in Breakthrough Ideas: Amol discusses his investment in Beyond Meat when it was just an idea in a lab. He emphasizes the importance of betting...
2024-10-011h 03
Money Moves with Neil Devani002 How Sheel Mohnot raised $320M+ to invest in the Future of Fintech with Better Tomorrow Ventures, feat. Amruta GodboleHow does Sheel’s partnership with co-founder Jake at Better Tomorrow Ventures demonstrate the importance of complementary skills in building a successful venture capital firm?In this episode, Sheel Manot, founder of Better Tomorrow Ventures (BTV), and his wife, Amruta Godbole, discuss the intricacies of fundraising, both for startups and venture capital funds. Sheel emphasizes the importance of persistence, grit, and speed in navigating the challenging landscape of fundraising, sharing his personal experience of funding 500 Fintech from his own pocket before securing external capital. Sheel also highlights the value of strategic partnerships and team dynamics, par...
2024-09-241h 03
Money Moves with Neil Devani001 How Mike Dempsey finds 100x+ MOIC Investments for Compound Featuring Kesar Varma from Upfront VenturesHow does Compound's research-centric, thesis-driven approach set them apart in the world of high-risk, high-reward investments in sectors like AI, robotics, biotech, and crypto?In this episode of "Money Moves," host Neil Devani speaks with Mike Dempsey, Managing Partner at Compound, and Kesar Varma from Upfront Ventures about the unique strategies and philosophies behind Compound’s investment approach. The discussion covers the firm's commitment to research-centric, thesis-driven investing in high-risk, high-reward sectors like AI, robotics, biotech, and crypto. Mike shares insights into the evolution of their investment strategy, particularly in the crypto space, and emphasizes the...
2024-09-181h 36
Emotionally FitSunk Cost Fallacy with Founder at Necessary Ventures, Neil DevaniHave you ever finished a book you didn’t like because you had already put time into it? Or stayed at a job that wasn’t right for you because it was hard to imagine starting over? In today’s Emotional Push-Up, Neil Devani, founder and managing partner of Necessary Ventures, joins Dr. Emily to talk about the decisions and situations we hold onto, even if they’re not right for us, because of the time, money, or resources we’ve invested into them. Listen in to practice approaching these situations a little differently.Thank you for listening...
2022-10-0612 min
The OperatorsS2E10: Healthcare and Education for All: Eren Bali on creating Carbon Health and UdemyMany founders and investors talk about being mission-driven, but Eren Bali truly walks the walk. He's created two separate companies that have had a dramatic impact on increasing access to vital services. He co-founded and served as the CEO of Udemy, a $3B+ online education company, before creating Carbon Health. Carbon Health makes world-class healthcare personal and accessible by bringing technology into the workflow of digital and in-person primary care.
Carbon Health just recently closed on a Series C funding of $100 million after expanding from seven states to twenty-seven states in under twelve months. In this episode...
2020-12-2240 minThe OperatorsS2E9: How Ruben Harris "Broke Into Startups" and Raised Career Karma's Series ARuben Harris wants you to succeed. Like other guests on The Operators, he left behind a successful career in finance to build a company that helps people. For Ruben, this came in the form of Career Karma, the #1 destination for career advice, and the easiest way to find a job training program. Bridging the gap between education programs that need candidates and prospective students that don't know where to start, Career Karma makes education accessible practically and effectively.
Ruben is also the host of the wildly successful podcast Breaking Into Startups, a show about getting into tech...
2020-12-1729 minThe OperatorsS2E8: How Modern Health Founder Alyson Friedensohn Watson Raised $95M to Make Mental Health MainstreamOn The Operators, we talk a lot about aligning passion and strategy. Alyson Friedensohn Watson embodies this alignment. Alyson knew that she cared deeply about de-stigmatizing mental health and increasing access to it, but she found a way to turn this passion into a multi-million dollar company: she founded Modern Health, which today announced their Series C funding of $51M dollars led by Battery Ventues with other investors including Felicis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and Founders Fund.
By implementing mental health resources as a health benefit and preventative measure in corporate settings, Alyson's work has revolutionized the way...
2020-12-1544 minThe OperatorsS2E7: Rohan Pavuluri on creating Upsolve, one of TIME's "Top 100 Inventions of the Year"Rohan Pavuluri isn't even 25, but he's a CEO, one of Forbes' "30 under 30" in Law & Policy, and the creator of a TIME 2020 "Top 100 Inventions of the Year." From his endearing start in local politics while in high school to developing his now-famous nonprofit during a summer off from Harvard, Rohan is a rising advocate for important societal change. He created Upsolve with a specific goal in mind: help low-income Americans navigate bankruptcy without the burden of hiring a lawyer. In its 4 years, Upsolve has already relieved almost $300 million dollars in debt, allowing struggling people earn a fresh start. Rohan's company...
2020-11-1950 minThe OperatorsS2E6: Expensify CEO David Barrett on Telling 10 Million Customers to Vote for Joe BidenOne week before the presidential election, Expensify founder and CEO David Barrett made a decision that ultimately landed him in the headlines of Bloomberg, CBS News, Business Insider, etc. He sent an email urging all Expensify customers to vote for Joe Biden, stating directly that a vote against Biden is a 'vote against democracy.'
Given that Expensify sells expense management software, it was a shock for customers and investors alike when 10 million people received emails with such an overtly political message. On election day last week, Neil sat down with David to talk over this bold de...
2020-11-1250 minThe OperatorsS2E5: It's Personal: Addiction, Sobriety and Multi-Million Dollar Entrepreneurship with Tempest CEO Holly WhitakerOn this week's episode of The Operators, Neil sits down with Founder & CEO of Tempest Holly Whitaker. Holly never planned on starting her own company, but out of her battle with addiction came her calling to create Tempest. Breaking the typical rules of both entrepreneurship and sober living, Holly details her complex journey of raising almost $20M in venture capital for Tempest, ultimately helping so many in their battles with addiction.
2020-10-2940 minThe OperatorsS2E4: How Andrew Sutherland Created an Ed Tech Unicorn with Quizlet (and saved your GPA)Where would we be without Quizlet? If you've gone to school in the last ten years, this tool has probably saved your life. In this episode of The Operators, we hear how Andrew launched this iconic startup when he was just 15 years old, the early days of the company, and his passion for education reform. Take a listen to hear how one of only a handful of $1B+ educational technology startups has been built from the ground up.
With the election coming up, we will be taking a break for the next two weeks. We'll see you i...
2020-10-2251 minThe OperatorsS2E3: How Shivani Siroya Raised $200M+ to Change Her Customers' LivesShivani Siroya built her first career as a strong performer in high-end finance job, but some part of her was craving a more impactful path. In an industry that errs on the side of caution - especially when it comes to lending to low-income borrowers - Shivani began asking, "how can we better extend trust to more people?"
With almost half of the global population unable to participate in the formal financial system, Shivani realized that so many people were left behind simply because of where they were born. She came up with a brilliant solution to a...
2020-10-1549 minThe OperatorsS2E2: From Raising Over $100M to Change Healthcare to Empowering Workers with Blockchain: learning from Adam Jackson @ BraintrustAdam Jackson has founded multiple successful companies, including Doctor On Demand with Jay McGraw (the Executive Producer and Creator of The Doctors) and Phil McGraw aka Dr. Phil. He's also a successful investor with investments like SuperHuman, Zenefits, and Bolt.
Despite all his success and experience, Adam believes that how we work is broken. Current structures inhibit employees from having enough control over their own work. Adam shares with us his journeys through entrepreneurship and how his company Braintrust is giving control back to workers. Take a listen to hear about how Adam created the world’s fir...
2020-10-0849 minThe OperatorsS2E1: Endorsed by Bernie Sanders, the New York Times, and Elizabeth Warren: Who is Mondaire Jones?Mondaire Jones is not your typical politician. Despite being raised in Section 8 housing and on food stamps by a single mother working multiple, Mondaire made it to Stanford for college and Harvard for law school before working for President Obama and the Legal Aid Society. Since then, he's decided to run for Congress, winning his party's nomination as a young, gay, black progressive in a mostly white and wealthy district in New York. As he heads toward the general election next month, Mondaire sat down with Neil to talk about his "dialing for dollars" fundraising, winning endorsements from Bernie...
2020-10-0143 min
The OperatorsS1E10: Hustle CEO Sam Parr & SmartNews Chief Journalist Rich Jaroslavsky on the Future of MediaIn this episode, you’ll hear from Sam Parr, the co-founder and CEO of The Hustle, one of the fastest-growing email newsletters, along with Rich Jaroslavsky, the Vice President of Content and Chief Journalist at SmartNews, a news aggregation startup that recently achieved a unicorn valuation.
Our discussion touched on some of the most important questions in digital media:
What opportunities are there for new media entrants
How it is impossible to start a successful media company today without having a strong grasp of how technology can be leveraged
How the hardest problems in media today cen...
2020-02-2355 min
The OperatorsS1E9: Growth - What It Is and How To Get ItIn this episode, we’re talking about growth. Growth means different things at different companies, but correctly identifying avenues for sustainable and scalable growth is a priority for almost all companies. On this topic, we’ll cover:
Defining growth and being good at it
Managing growth without losing sight of the big picture
How companies should approach growth
To learn more, we spoke with two experts in the field of growth:
Isaac Silverman began his career as an entrepreneur before joining the team at Zynga to work on growth development. At Zynga, Isaac focused on some...
2019-11-2056 min
The OperatorsS1E8: Recruiting Your First HiresIn this episode, we’re talking about hiring and recruiting, including why people take the risk of working at early-stage startups, when and how to work with recruiters, and how to make your first hires.
A company’s first hires are often the hardest. Money is usually too tight to pay competitive salaries. There’s no recognizable brand or reputation yet, and people more often want to work at a company that their friends and family have heard of before. There’s also fair presumption of risk and unviability. Who wants to take a job that might not be ar...
2019-11-0634 min
The OperatorsS1E7: Getting Press for Your Startup and the True Role of Communications in TechIn this episode, we’re talking about the vast world of communications. Early on, most founders and investors focus on driving positive coverage in the press. If they’re unfortunate or mess up, mitigating negative coverage may end being a goal too. But communications also includes more broadly considering how and what information to share what inside and outside of the company. It touches on domains like management, recruiting, marketing, and business development. It’s basically everywhere. It’s also a highly optimizable domain in that the difference between using the right words and the wrong words can be the diff...
2019-09-2652 min
The OperatorsS1E6: Mo Money Mo Problems: The Role of Finance in Tech StartupsHear from two finance experts with experience from Calm, AdRoll, Morgan Stanley, Change.org, Zeus Living, and Duda as we unpack how to build a career in finance at a tech startup and how founders should be thinking about hiring and managing this function.
Our guests for this episode are:
Stephanie Hsiung is the CFO of Duda, a new and exciting enterprise website builder. Prior to taking the CFO role at Duda, Stephanie served as the VP of Finance at Calm, the leading meditation and mental wellness app and recent unicorn. She was also previously t...
2019-08-2034 min
The OperatorsS1E5: Be a Chik-Fil-A, not a Comcast: The Keys to Amazing Customer ServiceThis week’s episode features AirBnB's Global Product Director of Customer and Community Support Platform Products, Andy Yasutake, and Carta's Head of Enterprise Relationship Management, Jared Thomas.
AirBnB, one of the most valuable private tech companies in the world, has millions of hosts who trust strangers (guests) to come into their homes and hundreds of millions of guests who trust strangers (hosts) to provide a roof over their head.
Carta, a $1 Billion+ company formerly known as eShares, is the leading provider of cap table management and valuation software, with thousands of customers and almost a mil...
2019-08-0835 min
The OperatorsS1E4: Experts from WeWork and Brex Talk Marketing: Getting the Most Bang for your BuckThis week’s edition features Christiana Rattazzi, Head of Technology Marketing at WeWork, the leading coworking company with a valuation of $47 Billion and a rumored impending IPO after almost $8 billion in financing. Also joining the show is Elenitsa Staykova, VP of Marketing at Brex, another fast growing unicorn that is the leading provider of credit cards to startups and tech companies.
In this episode, Christiana and Elinitsa explain how marketing works, how to get into and succeed in a marketing career, and how founders should think about hiring and managing the marketing function. With their experiences at two...
2019-07-2440 min
The OperatorsS1E3: Understanding Your User - The Art and Science of the Design and UI/UX Behind Facebook, Google, Mint, and EdmodoThis week’s edition features Gülay Birand, UX Lead and Product Design Manager at Facebook, and Tim Rechin, Head of Design at Edmodo, the leading education technology company. Gülay and Tim share their experiences and explain design, UI/UX, how to build a career in these fields, and how entrepreneurs should think about them.
Gülay and Tim bring experience from other great companies beyond just Facebook and Edmodo, including the likes of Google, Amazon, Mint, and SAP. Having seen and grown in their disciplines from across a variety of companies and customer types, they share...
2019-07-1140 min
The OperatorsS1E2: Product Management - What Even Is It? Answers from PMs at Google and SlackThis week’s edition of The Operators features Lorilyn McCue, product manager at the recently publicly listed company Slack, the fastest growing enterprise software company ever, and Jamal Eason, a senior product manager at Google, known as a training ground for great product managers.
Lorilyn and Jamal explain what product management is and isn't, how to get good at it, and how entrepreneurs should think about product management as a discipline.
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2019-06-2556 min
The OperatorsS1E1: Enterprise Sales w/ DocSend CEO Russ Heddleston and Acceleprise General Partner Whitney SalesThis week’s edition of The Operators features Whitney Sales, a general partner at Acceleprise, the leading enterprise SaaS accelerator, and Russ Heddleston, founder and CEO of DocSend, a fast rising document management and sharing product.
Whitney brings sales experience from Loopnet, Meltwater, SpringAhead/Tallie, and People Data Labs, before starting her own sales consultancy aptly named “The Sales Method.” Russ brings experience from founding and selling his first company to Facebook, before becoming the first sales person of the second company he founded, DocSend.
If you’ve ever had to convince anyone of anything, or are int...
2019-06-1759 min