Shows
Spark of AgesAlien Advantage: Pattern-Breaking Innovation/Manan Mehta, Rustam Esanov - Immigrants, Unshackled, mRNA+AI ~ Spark of Ages Ep 53We explore how removing immigration friction and backing immigrant founders at day zero can produce outsized innovation, through the lens of a VC platform and a biotech founder reprogramming tumors with mRNA and AI. The conversation blends policy, venture economics, and a bold oncology thesis with practical advice and personal stories.• immigrant advantage as resilience, clarity, and risk appetite• Unshackled’s Day Zero model and economics• technical visionaries and system disruptors archetypes• turning tumors into immune allies with mRNA and AI• off the shelf approach across solid tumors• storytelling skills for technical CEOs• cur...
2025-12-1955 minSpark of AgesThe 50% Miss: Why AI Faces a Power Crisis/Dan Kalafatas - Prices, Scope 3, Green-Hushing ~ Spark of Ages Ep 52We confront the collision between AI’s soaring compute needs and a grid unready for 50% peak expansions, then map a practical path to build clean, firm power fast without losing sight of affordability. Dan shares candid insights on markets, permitting, contracts, and how 3Degrees tackles Scope 3 at scale.• AI demand growth outpacing efficiency gains• Wartime mobilization mindset for energy buildout• All-the-above strategy across renewables, storage, and firm power• Price pressures from supply constraints and who pays• Additionality and siting clean power abroad• Permitting and transmission reform progress and limits• Financial governance: minimum revenue...
2025-12-0556 minSpark of AgesThe Security Gap When AI Agents Have Access/Chithra Rajagopalan, Vamshi Sriperumbudur - Governance, NRR, Buyer Groups ~ Spark of Ages Ep 51We weigh the promise and peril of the AI agent economy, pressing into how overprovisioned non-human identities, shadow AI, and SaaS integrations expand risk while go-to-market teams push for speed. A CMO and a CFO align on governance-first pilots, PLG trials, buyer groups, and the adoption metrics that sustain value beyond the sale.• AI adoption surge matched by adversary AI• Overprovisioned agents and shadow AI in SaaS• Governance thresholds before budget scale• PLG trials, sandbox, and POV sequencing• Visualization to reach the aha moment• Buying groups, ICP, and economic buyer alignment• Post‑sales usa...
2025-11-211h 03Spark of AgesWhy You Can't Build Sovereign AI Alone/David Keane, Akash Agarwal, Abhi Ingle - SCX.ai, SambaNova, Australia ~ Spark of Ages Ep 50Australia needs control over its intelligence layer, not just its data. We explore SCX’s sovereign AI cloud, Project Magpie’s cultural reasoning, and why inference economics and time-to-market beat hype-driven buildouts.• sovereign AI as control and context, not just security• SCX’s inference cloud and partnership with SambaNova• Project Magpie fine-tuning the reasoning layer for Australia• training vs inference split to optimize cost and speed• tokens per kilowatt as the core unit economics• open source vs closed models in enterprise adoption• retrofitting existing data centers with pre-assembled racks• moving pilots to production t...
2025-11-071h 08Spark of AgesRevenue Culture That Survives the Boom/Jeff Perry - Carta, Cap Tables, Private Capital ~ Spark of Ages Ep 49We sit down with Jeff Perry, CRO at Carta, to explore how growth leaders redefine success when capital tightens, buyers get smarter, and AI reshapes cost structures. We unpack how growth has changed, why IPO-ready now means post-IPO durable, and how Carta scaled from a cap table tool to an ERP-like platform for private capital while staying efficient and customer-first. Jeff shares concrete tactics for moving upmarket, using AI wisely, and building teams that perform under pressure.• redefining fast growth and IPO readiness in private markets• evolving from SMB velocity to enterprise endurance• expanding from cap tab...
2025-10-241h 02Spark of AgesHow to Finance a Law That Saves Women's Lives/Bhairavi Parikh, Richard Arney - 2%, WHIC, Voter Initiative ~ Spark of Ages Ep 48We map the data, policy, and funding failures that created the women’s health gap and lay out a California-led plan to fix it with research built for women, agile AI governance, and voter-backed capital. The goal: better outcomes, lower costs, and a template to repair healthcare at large.• two percent venture funding and underpowered trials• AI amplifying bias without sex-specific datasets• misdiagnosis, adverse drug reactions, and cost burden• why subgroup analysis must be mandated• ballot initiatives as a research funding engine• learning from California’s stem cell model• WHIC’s scope: basic science...
2025-10-1059 minSpark of AgesThe Moneyball of Go-To-Market (GTM)/AJ Gandhi, Omar Akhtar - Benchmarker, B2B Recession, Coachella ~ Spark of Ages Ep 47The B2B SaaS market is experiencing a significant slowdown with growth rates dropping, while traditional marketing channels deliver diminishing returns in an increasingly saturated landscape.• Marketing benchmarks show companies growing faster than 20% spend 10-15% of revenue on marketing, while slower-growing firms spend only 7-9%• Digital channels like SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay per click), and email are seeing declining performance metrics despite increased spending• Today's B2B buyer completes 80% of their journey independently, yet companies still allocate 70% of go-to-market resources to sales• "What's old is new again" – smaller, intimate events and personalized interactio...
2025-09-251h 06Spark of AgesAEO Fundamentals: Moving to Content for Machines/Rishi Mallik, Eric Nalbone - SEO, Author of Truth, FAQs ~ Spark of Ages Ep 46We explore the monumental shift from SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) as AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity become the new front doors to the internet, fundamentally changing how customers discover businesses online.• Traffic patterns are transforming as users get answers directly from AI without clicking through to websites• Content optimized for AI interpretation requires different approaches than traditional keyword-focused SEO• Organizations must shift from optimizing for keywords to building comprehensive topic frameworks• Users coming from AI platforms are more informed and show higher conversion rates despite lower overall traffic• Measuring success requires n...
2025-09-121h 19Spark of AgesProduct Launches in Minutes Not Months/Position2 - StudioX, 3d Democratization, Biryani ~ Spark of Ages Ep 45Position Squared introduces StudioX, an innovative 3D rendering platform designed specifically for marketers in consumer electronics, computing, and automotive industries who need high-quality product visualizations without technical expertise or lengthy production cycles.• Purpose-built to address the speed, accuracy, and consistency demands of product marketers• Democratizes 3D rendering by consolidating complex workflows into a single browser-based platform• Enables marketers to generate product angles, zoom into details, and create exploded views without specialized skills• Eliminates dependency on external design teams and multiple software platforms• Creates photo-realistic renders that properly showcase product design details, textures, and materials
2025-08-291h 05Spark of AgesFlipping the Information Game Banks Play/Brad Stroh - Achieve, Recession, Lacrosse ~ Spark of Ages Ep 44Brad Stroh, co-CEO and co-founder of Achieve, shares how he's built one of the most impactful fintech companies by taking a completely different path from the typical Silicon Valley playbook. Through bootstrapping rather than chasing venture capital, Brad and his co-founder have created a mission-driven business that has served over 1.5 million people and resolved $18 billion in debt since 2002.• Understanding the information asymmetry in financial services that disadvantages consumers making major financial decisions• How Achieve flips traditional asset management by focusing on liability management for the underserved• The evolution of consumer debt over two decades through multip...
2025-08-141h 03Spark of AgesHow a CMO Transforms a SaaS Brand/Mandy Dhaliwal - Nutanix, Team Alignment, Perfect Pairings ~ Spark of Ages Ep 43Mandy Dhaliwal, CMO at Nutanix, shares her journey transforming a technical infrastructure company into a leader in hybrid multi-cloud solutions, driving market value from $5 billion to $20 billion through strategic marketing and positioning.• Simplifying complex technology messaging from "hybrid multi-cloud" to the customer-friendly "run anything anywhere"• Implementing agentic AI on the Nutanix website to provide 24/7 global customer support and real-time market feedback• Building credible brand identity by standing out with bold visual choices while focusing on substance and customer value• Aligning marketing with broader business objectives through cross-functional collaboration and shared revenue goals• Empowering internal t...
2025-08-011h 00Spark of AgesThe Freemium Formula: Converting Fear Into 10X Growth/Bill Macaitis - Slack, PLG, Pivots ~ Spark of Ages Ep 42Subscribe now to get more insights delivered to your inbox from today's most innovative business leaders and marketing pioneers who are redefining how companies grow in the digital age.Bill Macaitis shares his expertise on Product-Led Growth (PLG), revealing insights from his time as CMO at Slack, Zendesk, and SVP of Marketing at Salesforce where he helped drive remarkable growth through customer-centric strategies.• PLG is about recognizing that people spend more time in products and infusing marketing, sales, and support directly into the product experience• Enterprise software often fails because it prioritizes features over usab...
2025-07-181h 02Spark of AgesThe Ecosystem Growth Playbook Designed for Canva/Indy Sen - Cha-Ching, Zen, Batman ~ Spark of Ages Ep 41Indy Sen, ecosystem marketing lead at Canva, shares his journey through tech giants like Salesforce, Box, MuleSoft, Google, and now Canva, where he's applying his unique "messaging as an API" philosophy to build an ecosystem that serves as a powerful multiplier for the entire company.• Canva's mission of empowering the world to design has evolved from consumer beginnings to enterprise solutions• The ecosystem functions as a multiplier, helping source innovations from third-party developers and technology partners• Growth from zero to approximately 700 apps in just two years demonstrates the platform's appeal as a distribution mechanism• Design p...
2025-07-031h 21Spark of AgesHow US Defense Could Fight at Machine Speed/Matt Bigge - DefenseTech, X-Bow, F.I.R.E. ~ Spark of Ages Ep 40Matt Bigge, partner at Crosslink Capital and former 10th Mountain Division infantry officer, shares his unique perspective as a venture capitalist, military veteran, and deep tech investor on the revolution happening in defense technology & how modern defense technologies are evolving to meet today's security challenges. His MIR framework—modular, interoperable, responsive—offers a blueprint for effective military innovation in an era where asymmetric threats and machine-speed warfare are becoming the norm.• Using low-cost expendable systems like drones against expensive platforms as demonstrated in Ukraine• Building defense tech that's modular (plug and play), interoperable (communicates across systems), and respo...
2025-06-201h 08Spark of AgesBuilding a Growth LM That Actually Gets Your Business/Position2 - Arena, Calibrate, LSTM ~ Spark of Ages Ep 39In this eye-opening conversation, join host Rajiv Parikh as he unveils Arena AI – their revolutionary platform that's transforming how marketing campaigns are planned, executed, and optimized. Sajjan Kanukolanu (VP of Global Operations) and Vikrant V.(CTO) walk us through how their team has embedded 20 years of marketing expertise into a system that combines project management, unified analytics, and AI agents that execute real marketing work.• Arena includes project management specifically designed for marketing workflows• The Calibrate interface provides unified dashboards pulling data from 130+ platforms• RPA technology connects even to custom platforms without APIs• AI co-pilot p...
2025-06-0556 minSpark of AgesThe Agentic Revolution Transforming Go-to-Market/Chandar Pattabhiram - Workato, AI Agents, Onlyness ~ Spark of Ages Ep 38Chandar Pattabhiram, marketing maestro and Chief Go-to-Market Officer at Workato, shares his expertise on the agentic economy and the revolutionary impact of AI on go-to-market strategies.• The rise of AI agents brings productivity without pause, enabling organizations to shift from reactive to proactive approaches• Current AI implementation remains largely experimental and edge-focused rather than addressing core business processes• Workato's approach focuses on cross-functional processes versus siloed applications to prevent agent sprawl• Traditional go-to-market principles still apply – win more, win bigger, win faster – but AI provides unprecedented efficiency• Enterprise context is crucial for AI effectiveness...
2025-05-231h 04Spark of AgesThe Contrarian Thinker of Digital Entertainment/Marc Hustvedt - YouTube, Mr. Beast, Creators ~ Spark of Ages Ep 37Marc Hustvedt shares insights from helping to scale Mr. Beast to 350 million YouTube subscribers and building a global creator brand, revealing the unique combination of traits that separates extraordinary creators from everyone else. Check out Contrarian Thinking and Codie Sanchez to learn more about Marc's current work helping people buy and grow small businesses.• Creator-led businesses eliminate the power imbalance found in traditional media• The most successful YouTube integrations feel natural and appeal to the global audience• Small, targeted audiences of 10,000 engaged followers can build lucrative businesses• The future of media belongs to individual creators...
2025-05-091h 03Spark of AgesBootstrapping a Community Wildfire Response/Sandeep Parikh - Altadena, Crowdfund, EffinFunny ~ Spark of Ages Ep 36Sandeep Parikh shares his journey of resilience after being displaced by the LA wildfires, discussing how the disaster tested his strength as a father, husband, and creator while inspiring new approaches to filmmaking and community building.• Surviving the devastating LA wildfires that destroyed over 9,000 structures and left countless homes uninhabitable due to toxic contamination• Co-founding Eaton Fire Residents United to map toxin spread through affected neighborhoods when official support fell short• Maintaining creativity despite compounding challenges to Hollywood from pandemic, strikes, and now natural disasters• Pioneering crowdfunding success with culturally authentic projects like DesiQuest and the...
2025-04-251h 25Spark of AgesThe Playbook for Courageous Marketing/Udi Ledergor - Gong, Super Bowl Commercial, Magic ~ Spark of Ages Ep 35Udi Ledergor, Gong's Chief Evangelist and former CMO, reveals how courageous marketing strategies helped propel Gong from startup to multi-billion dollar company status while redefining the B2B marketing playbook.• Creating bold B2B marketing that stands out requires courage and rejecting "boring practices" that yield ordinary results• The "punching above your weight" strategy helped Gong appear much larger than it was, allowing early access to enterprise customers• Gong's Super Bowl commercial hack: buying regional ads in tech hubs for under $350K instead of spending $20M on national spots• The 95-5 rule: most marketers only tar...
2025-04-1153 minSpark of AgesModern Sales Skills For a Digital Buyer/Elay Cohen - SalesHood, Enteprise, Taylor Swift ~ Spark of Ages Ep 34Elay Cohen, CEO and co-founder of SalesHood, shares his journey from Salesforce to pioneering the sales enablement category through his AI-driven platform.• Built SalesHood to address the unmet need for scalable sales enablement solutions• Pioneered sales enablement at Salesforce, helping scale revenue from $300M to $3B• Created a direct connection between sales ramp time and company performance• Focus on leading indicators (meetings booked, pipeline created) vs lagging indicators (quota attainment)• Essential modern sales skills: curiosity, storytelling, communications, and effective meeting management• AI role-playing driving 231% more enablement activities with 45% fewer enablement staff• Digital sales...
2025-03-211h 05Spark of AgesNetwork Like a Ninja (How to Grow Your Career)/Susan Hailey, Jean Kovacs, Shannon Lundgren - Jobs, Mentors, Old Boys Club ~ Spark of Ages Ep 33We share transformative insights on leveraging your network for career growth. Our guests Susan Hailey (CHRO @ Enable), Shannon Lundgren (Founder & CEO @Shannon's Circle) and Jean Kovacs ( share how to navigate personal branding effectively and develop meaningful connections that elevate your career potential.• Networking should focus on building relationships, not just asking for favors• Strategies to engage your network authentically without asking for jobs• The distinction between mentorship and sponsorship, emphasizing sponsorship importance• Tactics for making positive first impressions during networking events• The importance of giving more than you take in networkingDiscover t...
2025-03-0753 minSpark of AgesHow Podcasting Leads to Growth/Simon Chou - Personal Branding, Community, Hot Sauce ~ Spark of Ages Ep 32Building a personal brand through podcasting can be a game changer for marketers looking to connect authentically with their audience. Simon Chou, host of @marketingonmars shares strategies for growing a podcast, engaging communities through unique events, and leveraging technology to streamline marketing efforts.• Insights on the current podcast landscape and listener demographics• The significance of consistency in podcasting• Steps to cultivate a powerful personal brand online• Importance of building community both digitally and in-person• The transformative role of AI in enhancing marketing strategiesEver wondered how the perfect blend of hot sauces and...
2025-02-241h 04Spark of AgesThe Innovation Leap that's happening in India/Kumar Ganapathy ~ 3iPartners, Deep Tech, Impact - Spark of Ages Ep 31This episode with Kumar Ganapathy "dives" (yes we know AI loves this word) deep into the realm of deep tech in India, exploring impactful investment strategies and the entrepreneurial spirit necessary for success in this complex landscape. Listeners gain insights into the challenges faced by founders, the importance of resilience, and the unique opportunities that lie within the Indian market.• Introduction of Kumar, his background and 3i Partners• Explanation of deep tech and its significance• Investment strategies focusing on India as a starting point• Resilience as a key trait among successful entrepreneurs• Case studies of...
2025-02-0857 minSpark of AgesHow the US Air Force will use AI/Jason Hansberger, Tim Henderson - Great Power Competition, HAWs, Kill-Chain ~ Spark of Ages Ep 30This episode explores how technology, specifically AI, is reshaping military strategy and national defense. Colonel Jason Hansberger and Author/Entrepreneur Tim Henderson discuss the implications of AI in warfare, the ethical considerations surrounding autonomous weapons, and the U.S. military's strategic innovations.• Examining the significant U.S. defense budget and global military expenditure • Understanding the new age of Great Power Competition• Addressing the role of AI and innovation in military operations • Discussing the ethical implications of autonomous capabilities • Highlighting DAF Stanford AI Studio’s mission and objectives • Exploring practical AI applications within current military co...
2025-01-261h 12Spark of AgesDevising Investment Strategy for AI/Ashish Aggarwal, Akash Agarwal, Viral Tolat - 2024 vs 2025, IPO Market, Fake Companies ~ Spark of Ages Ep 29The episode explores the investment landscape in both public and private markets, focusing on technological opportunities and insights for 2025. Key discussions include the importance of resilience against market volatility, the impact of AI on innovation, and an outlook on the IPO market.• Highlights of recent economic performance and predictions for future growth • Role of AI and technology in shaping investment strategies • Discussion on the importance of preparing for black swan events • Diverging opinions on IPOs and their focus on early investor liquidity • Growing relevance of AI in venture capital decision-makingAI is reshapi...
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