Shows
inTheir20s#80 - Mayor Francis Suarez - Mayor of MiamiStream on SpotifyStream on AppleWatch on YouTubeMayor Francis Suarez is the 43rd Mayor of Miami in Florida. He assumed office in 2017 and is also the first Miami-born Mayor in the city in over 125 years. Suarez was recently elected to serve as the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.Mayor Suarez is most known for his vision to make Miami a top Crypto, VC, and startup hub in the U.S. Accomplishments under his leadership include: Miami becoming #1 in the country in tech-job grow; Miami voted the healthiest...2022-01-1719 min
inTheir20s#79 - Amanda Richardson - CEO of CoderPadAmanda Richardson is the CEO of CoderPad, which is a platform for conducting technical interviews. Most of the engineers that get hired in Silicon Valley use CoderPad. In the past, Amanda was the Head of Product at Prezi, VP of Product at HotelTonight (AQR by AirBnB), and the CEO of Rabbit. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2022-01-1714 min
inTheir20s#78 - Benjamin Grubbs and Jonathan Shambroom - Co-Founders of Creator+Happy New Years!Benjamin Grubbs and Jonathan Shambroom are the co-founders of Creator+, which is a studio and distribution platform that produces feature-length films in partnership with digital creators and monetizes through their existing audience and beyond across mobile, web and connected-TV. In addition to streaming feature films, the Creator+ platform provides a new user experience for engaging with content, commerce, Creators and community in one place. They recently raised $12M.Benjamin formed Next 10 Ventures in March 2018 to pursue incubating and investing in startups focused on working with content creators. He’s worked in media for a...2022-01-0424 min
inTheir20s#77 - Sean Mendy - Co-Founder of Concrete Rose CapitalSean Mendy is a co-founding Partner of Concrete Rose. He is a Bay Area native who has spent his career working to close opportunity gaps in Silicon Valley. Prior to Concrete Rose he was an executive at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula and an Advisor to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. As Venture Partner at Next Play Ventures and Entrepreneur in Residence at Sixth Street, Sean has experience building meaningful connections across the venture ecosystem. Sean earned his BA from Cornell University, where he played soccer, then advanced degrees in business and policy from Stanford and USC....2022-01-0324 min
inTheir20s#76 - Brett Goldstein - Co-Founder of Launch HouseStream on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyBrett Goldstein is the Co-Founder of Launch House, which is a community built to connect and support the world's most ambitious entrepreneurs and creators. Launch House brings together emerging leaders in the startup and entertainment worlds to live in illustrious mansions around the world. In May 2020, a trio of friends rented a home in Tulum, Mexico and invited their internet friends. The project was dubbed The Launch House, and the 18 entrepreneurs who came to live there had to do the following: pay rent, launch projects and build their company in...2021-12-1325 min
inTheir20s#75 - Will Allen - NFL Veteran and Co-Founder of Magarac Venture PartnersStream on Spotify and Apple PodcastsWill Allen is a former NFL safety turned prominent venture capitalist. He was drafted to the NFL in 2004 and played for the Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Steelers, where he served as the team co-captain. In total, he had a 12 year playing career. He’s now the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Magarac Ventures Partners, an early stage VC firm based in Pittsburgh that invests in the Mid-West’s best companies. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi...2021-12-0629 min
inTheir20s#74 - Mark Suster - Partner at Upfront VenturesMark Suster is a Partner at Upfront Ventures, one of Los Angeles' leading and largest venture firms with a portfolio including the likes of Bird, GOAT, and Ring.com. Before joining the world of venture, Mark was the founder & CEO of two successful enterprise software companies, the most recent of which was sold to Salesforce.com where Mark became VP of Products. Thank you to our sponsors Upkey and Seedscout. Check out Upkey’s free career resources at www.Upkey.com/inTheir20s Get connected to hundreds of investors at www.Seedscout.com 2021-12-0232 min
inTheir20s#73 - Khaled Naim - Co-Founder and CEO of OnfleetListen on Spotify and Apple PodcastsKhaled Naim, is the co-founder and CEO of Onfleet, a last mile delivery platform. Khaled and his co-founders started working together during grad school at Stanford University where they initially came together solve a problem that plagues delivery businesses in emerging markets: lack of functional street addresses. They went through Stanford’s accelerator program, StartX, before realizing they needed to pivot their business to a more crucial problem facing online retailers and delivery services: lack of technology. Most companies were using archaic systems, primarily pen and paper, spreadsheets, phone calls, and text messages...2021-11-2423 min
inTheir20s#72 - Corey Kossack - Founder and CEO of AspireshipListen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Corey Kossack is an expert in his field having gone from eBay entrepreneur out of college to serial entrepreneur with his latest edtech and SaaS sales reskilling business, Aspireship, dedicated to helping people land new jobs in the emerging field of tech sales. Corey has 15 years of sales and leadership experience specific to technology sales, education technology, and recruiting. In his experience, Corey witnessed firsthand how the skills gap was creating a hiring crisis. Inspired to make a greater difference and help overlooked candidates get into software sales, Corey launched Aspireship. Corey an...2021-11-2225 min
inTheir20s#71 - Kean Graham - Founder and CEO of MonetizeMoreYou can also listen to this episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Hi friends 👋, Welcome to the latest episode of the InTheir20s Podcast.Before we get to it, if you you’ve been enjoying our content, the best way to show your support and always stay in the loop is with your email.Kean is the Founder & CEO of MonetizeMore. He started MonetizeMore in 2010 with the goal to build a bootstrap business that would dramatically increase ad revenues for publishers. Over the years, Kean has perfected the proprietary MonetizeMore ad optimization model...2021-11-1822 min
inTheir20s#70 - Jason of Beverly Hills - World's Best JewelerJason Arasheben, aka Jason of Beverly Hills, is the go-to creative genius for spectacular custom designed jewels for high-profile individuals. He's most known in the luxury market for his outrageous and over the top diamond pieces. A few of his notable clients include Drake, Michael Jackson, LeBron James, Matthew McConaughey, A$AP Rocky, and NBA teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks. Special thank you to this interview's official sponsors: Glewee and Collectable.Glewee is the first exclusive marketplace that bridges the gap between Brands and Creators like y...2021-11-0823 min
inTheir20s#69 - Stefan Henriquez, Co-Founder and CEO of Mayk.ItStefan Henriquez is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mayk.it, which is a social music creation app that wants to help people easily produce, own and share music that they can create using just their phone. Users can upload their own beat or select an existing beat from another user, then add vocals. His company recently announced its $4 million seed round from investors including Greycroft, Chicago Ventures, Slow Ventures, and T-Pain.Prior to founding Mayk.it, Stefan worked at companies like YouTube, Google, Cameo, and TikTok in many marketing executive roles. This episode is sponsored by Glewee, which i...2021-11-0120 min
inTheir20s#68 - Jasmine Crowe, Founder of Goodr CoJasmine Crowe is a social entrepreneur and founder and CEO at Goodr Co. Goodr is a sustainable food surplus management company that leverages technology to reduce food waste and feed the hungry. ... So far, the company said it has diverted about 900,000 pounds of surplus food to community groups in the Atlanta area. This episode was sponsored by Unstoppable Wallet, which is a investor-oriented asset management tool with a focus on privacy, open economy, and decentralization. In a complex world of crypto, Unstoppable Wallet tries to make crypto easier and more accessible. Launched in 2019, Unstoppable has over 20,000 downloads, and the youngest...2021-10-2712 min
inTheir20s#67 - Thomas Knoll, Former Community Architect at Zappos.comThomas Knoll started building online communities back in 1996. He was the Community Architect at Zappos.com. He built 5 startups but only sold 2 of them. He has been an advisor for a dozen of my friend’s companies and mentors hundreds of founders through 500Startups, TechStars, and local communities. While he has a technical background, he prefer to speak in gardening and architecture metaphors and is inspired by storytelling, psychology, evangelism, architectural theory, social economics, game mechanics, cultural anthropology, and compassion.This episode was sponsored by Unstoppable Wallet, which is a investor-oriented asset management tool with a fo...2021-10-2523 min
inTheir20s#66 - Aadi Bhanti, Founder and CEO of DropmintsAadi Bhanti is a 20-something entrepreneur that is an innovation machine. At the age of 15, he started a social media agency. This quickly gained attention in Central Illinois, where he had numerous clients in different industries. He used this momentum and capital to start Source to Table, which is a food startup that provides customers with a platform to buy meats at a rate which provides them with profit while making the process transparent, and providing customers with premium level meats with no warehousing.His latest venture, Dropmints, is creating a new way for fans, brands, and influencers to...2021-10-1833 min
inTheir20s#65 - Anthony Tamras and Drake Roberts, Founders of DeoBlockAnthony Tamras and Drake Roberts are the twenty-something founders of DeoBlock: a reusable deodorizer that will take over the market. DeoBlock was created to solve bad odors once and for all. DeoBlocks deodorize spaces with the use of a plant-based refill pod infused with essential oils that lasts for 30 days. After you have a DeoBlock, all you need are the refills.Their journey to create this product began when they were seniors in high school. As active individuals, they realized that there were no solutions to odor emitting equipment and gym bags. They were tired of u...2021-10-1120 min
inTheir20s#64 - Laurence Capone, Chief Financial Officer of PipedriveLaurence Capone is a seasoned financial executive with a wealth of experience of over 25 years in operational finance, accounting and leadership roles. Founded in 2010, Pipedrive is the first CRM platform developed from the salesperson's point of view. Today, Pipedrive is used by sales teams at more than 95,000 companies worldwide. Before joining Pipedrive, Capone worked in ADP where she served as CFO across multiple business units and functions over the last 20 years. Her roles included CFO of the Global Enterprise Organization, CFO of Worldwide Sales and Marketing and CFO of Small Businesses Services.This episode was sponsored...2021-10-0416 min
inTheir20s#63 - Tony Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of MusicBreakrTony Brown is the Chief Executive Officer of Breakr. Tony comes from the financial services background, having worked as a principal at Acumen Fund and both J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs. MusicBreakr is a new and exciting company that connects artists & creators to break new music through compelling content. The company has fostered collaborations with about 50,000 creators across 133 countries. MusicBreakr recently raised $4 million in seed money, with an impressive group of investors including hip-hop artist Nas, Salesforce Founder Marc Benioff, retired NBA All-Star Baron Davis, and TikTok Star Josh Richards. Today's episode is sponsored by G...2021-09-2731 min
inTheir20s#62 - Mat Sherman, Founder of SeedScoutMat Sherman is an entrepreneur, podcast host, and extraordinary 20-somethings. He is the Host of Forward Thinking Founders, which is a show that’s recorded over 730 episodes with pre-seed founders. Through his podcast, Mat discovered that he wanted to find a better way to connect founders in his network with investors. He created Seedscout, which is a pre-seed startup database that allows investors to get better data on potential investment opportunities. Seedscout collects team information, company progress, fundraise details and other pieces of data that help investors decide who to meet with. Through Seedscout, you can also request introductions to an...2021-09-2020 min
inTheir20s#61 - Eric Bahn, Co-Founder and GP of Hustle FundEric Bahn is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Hustle Fund, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco. Hustle Fund invests in software startups at the pre-seed and seed stages, backing founders who exhibit great execution and high velocity (aka, hustle). A child of immigrants, Eric’s family settled in the Midwest, where he was raised. He ventured West where he attended Stanford University receiving his BA in Political Science and MA in Sociology. As a college student, Eric thought seriously about attending law school, but abandoned that idea after learning more about the profession through speaking wi...2021-09-1329 min
inTheir20s#60 - David Sacks, Founding Chief Operating Officer of PayPalDavid Sacks is the co-founder and general partner at Craft. He has been a successful founder and investor for over two decades, building and investing in some of the most iconic companies in tech. David has invested in over 20 unicorns, including Affirm, AirBnB, Bird, ClickUp, Eventbrite, Facebook, Houzz, Lyft, OpenDoor, Palantir, Postmates, Reddit, Slack, SpaceX, Twitter, Uber, and Wish.David first got involved in the technology industry in 1999 when he joined early-stage startup Confinity, later renamed PayPal. Serving as the company’s first product leader and then as COO, David built and ran many of the company’s key team...2021-09-0929 min
inTheir20s#59 - Zeb Evans, Founder and CEO of ClickUpZeb Evans is a serial entrepreneur that's started several software companies with over $75 million in revenue. Currently, he's founder and CEO at ClickUp, a productivity platform where people plan their work. ClickUp is a Unicorn company, which means its worth over $1B.We spoke about why he founded @clickup, the best traits for aspiring entrepreneurs, managing mental health, and Zeb's plans for the future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2021-09-0621 min
inTheir20s#58 - Dr. Meg Jay, Author of The Defining DecadeMeg Jay, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, and an Associate Professor of Human Development at the University of Virginia, who specializes in adult development and in 20-somethings in particular. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology, and in gender studies, from the University of California, Berkeley. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review and on NPR and BBC. Her TED talk “Why 30 Is Not the New 20” is among the most watched of all time. This is a pu...2021-08-3024 min
inTheir20s#57 - Roberto Aguayo, NFL KickerRoberto Aguayo is a famous football placekicker who is known as the most accurate college kicker of all time. He played college football at Florida State University, where he won a National Championship with the team. While in college, Roberto won the Lou Groza award, which is the highest honor for a college kicker. Roberto was drafted into the NFL in 2016 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his time in the NFL, he played with such teams like the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, and New England Patriots. Roberto is the founder of the Roberto Aguayo Kicking...2021-08-2531 min
inTheir20s#56 - Brittany Davis, General Partner at Backstage CapitalBrittany Davis is a General Partner at Backstage Capital, a VC firm that invests in companies led by underestimated founders, including women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ founders. So far, they've invested in 150+ companies. Brittany brings experience sourcing early-stage ventures for investment, conducting diligence, and managing an investment pipeline. Prior to working at Backstage, she has led many organizations in sourcing and evaluating early stage deal flow. Brittany was a principal for #ANGELS, where she sourced companies and contributed to the #TheGapTable initiative. She was a Manager at Village Capital where she analyzed opportunities and created investment recommendations in...2021-08-2328 min
inTheir20s#55 - Simon Squibb, Founder of Purposeful ProjectSimon Squibb is a prominent member of the Hong Kong startup ecosystem and one of Asia’s leading public speakers in entrepreneurship, business and innovation. He's also the Chief Purpose Officer at The Purposeful Project.Simon has started 19 companies, invested in over 60+ startups and has mentored hundreds of founders. Having sold his award-winning branding and digital agency, Fluid, to PwC, Simon now focuses on inspiring, motivating and guiding both budding and experienced entrepreneurs by sharing his personal experiences, insights, ideas and tips. Part entrepreneur guru, part student. This is a public episode. If you would like to...2021-08-1821 min
inTheir20s#54 - Jonathan Javier, CEO of WonsultingJonathan Javier is the CEO/Founder of Wonsulting, which is focused on turning underdogs into winners: helping hundreds of thousands who come from non-target schools/non-traditional backgrounds to get them into their dream careers. Jonathan’s story comes from when he was in college at the University of California Riverside. He was applying to hundreds of different roles expecting responses back from his dream companies but when he didn't receive responses back from any, he would always think "Is it my resume? My interview skills? My background?"However, Jonathan changed that perspective and realized that you can get into yo...2021-08-1614 min
inTheir20s#53 - Andy Dunn, Founder of BonobosAndy Dunn is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Bonobos, which is an apparel company founded with the goal of providing men with better fitting pants. The brand has grown to become a premier destination for men’s clothing. In 2007, Andy wanted to prove that the Internet was going to become the core medium for story-telling, for delivering great service, and for transacting goods.” In founding and developing Bonobos, Dunn helped define and prove a new model for vertically integrated fashion retail in the e-commerce era. Walmart acquired Bonobos in 2017 for $310 million, keeping Dunn on as Senior Vice President of D...2021-08-0921 min
inTheir20s#52 - Lainy Painter, Partner at Craft VenturesLainy Painter is a partner at Craft Ventures on the investment team, where she invests primarily in SaaS and Marketplaces and has a particular interest in complex vertical markets, such as real estate, healthcare, education, construction, and financial services. Prior to Craft, Lainy worked at Battery Ventures in San Francisco. Previously, Lainy worked at Gainsight, a B2B customer success startup where she helped lead business operations and strategy across the organization, including initiatives to grow services revenue and drive product adoption.Lainy started her career at Goldman Sachs on the technology, media and telecom investment...2021-08-0220 min
inTheir20s#51 - Angel Onuoha, Co-Founder of BLK Capital ManagementAngel Onuoha is a Harvard University graduate who studied economics and computer science. He knew that Wall Street lacked diversity and decided to do something about it. Angel founded BLK Capital Management, which is a 100% black owned and student run hedge fund that focuses on educating members by exposing them to the field of active investment management. They are a long/short equity fund that employs capital across the globe delivering absolute returns seeking to outperform industry standards. Outside of BLK, he is the founder of Zuvy, a mobile app that allows college students to create and request services f...2021-07-2615 min
inTheir20s#50 - Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of AppleOn Episode #50 of the InTheir20s podcast, host Landon Campbell interviews Steve "Woz" Wozniak. Wozniak is an icon, technological genius, and philanthropist. In 1976, Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer Inc. with Wozniak's Apple I personal computer. The following year, he introduced his Apple II personal computer, featuring a central processing unit, a keyboard, color graphics, and a floppy disk drive. The Apple II was integral in launching the personal computer industry. Both the Apple I and Apple II were Apple's first line of successful products. Throughout our conversation, we reflect on the exciting moments of Wozniak's accomplished career...2021-07-1937 min
inTheir20s#49 - Ezra Levine, CEO of CollectableEzra Levine is a former Portfolio Manager at Hilltop Park, a NYC-based hedge fund in the Sports, Media, Consumer and Entertainment industries. He is now the CEO of Collectable, the #1 fractional ownership platform that is exclusively dedicated to high-end sports memorabilia. Their mission is to democratize the sports collectibles industry and make iconic pieces that have been hard to reach affordable and available to any sports collector, investor, and fan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2021-06-2820 min
inTheir20s#48 - Bushra Amiwala, Youngest Muslim Elected Official in the USBushra Amiwala is a Skokie native and daughter of immigrants who truly appreciates diversity in its many beautiful forms. As communities across our nation – the working poor, religious and ethnic minorities, and young changemakers who are ignored by political establishments – are pushed aside, Bushra is a committed voice for underrepresented citizens. As of April 2019, she is the youngest Muslim elected official in the United States. Amiwala was a Democratic candidate for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in the 2018 Illinois Primary Election. She seeks to ensure that our nation’s future is in good hands by building a compassionate, politically-engaged genera...2021-06-2122 min
inTheir20s#47 - Dan Michelson, CEO of Strata Decision TechnologyDan is the CEO of Strata Decision Technology where his focus is to ensure the company delivers on its mission to help heal healthcare. The company’s financial planning, analytics and performance platform is used by over 1,000 healthcare organizations, including many of the largest and most influential healthcare systems in the U.S. The company has been recognized multiple times as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine, as one of the best places to work in healthcare by Becker’s Healthcare and has received the prestigious “Best in KLAS” recognition for the highest customer satisfaction...2021-06-1441 min
inTheir20s#46 - Ev Williams, Founder of Blogger, Twitter, and MediumEv Williams has revolutionized the internet as we’ve come to know it. With Blogger, he made blogging easier for everyone; with Twitter, he helped people share ideas from anywhere; and with Medium, Ev has created a digital network of curious minds. Thirteen years after co-founding Twitter, Ev Williams is still trying to reinvent online conversation. The billionaire Medium founder sees the present as another big moment—and he is ready to pounce. Born in Nebraska, Ev grew up on a farm where he assisted with crop irrigation in the summer. As a young man he was so interested in f...2021-06-0728 min
inTheir20sThe InTheir20s Spring Intern Podcast (Episode 1)Welcome to the InTheir20s Spring Intern Podcast! Our 4-week internship is focused on five fundamental roles: Podcasting, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Professional Networking, and Business Development. Our unique program helps students gain impactful experience outside of the classroom; build a network of useful connections; and find work they are truly passionate about. In collaboration with Upkey, we have taken 10 students from across the globe for our Spring Program. During the duration of our program, our interns are tasked with developing and producing their own weekly podcast. On today's episode, you'll be introduced to our S...2021-06-0317 min
inTheir20s#45 - Ruben Harris, Founder and CEO of Career KarmaRuben Harris is a Bay Area Entrepreneur from Atlanta, Georgia where he served as an Advisor for Forge and organized Atlanta's first Healthcare Hackathon. Ruben began his technology career working in Partnerships and Sales after writing a viral blog post called Breaking Into Startups about how moved to San Francisco without a job and landed a position 3 weeks later. After receiving thousands of e-mails asking how to break into tech, Ruben Co-Founded the Breaking Into Startups Podcast to demystify the process, resulting in a social media reach of ~3 million people, 200,000+ downloads, 10,000+ website visits per month, over 100+ reviews on iTunes...2021-05-3126 min
inTheir20s#44 - Sarah Robinson, International Speaking & Mindset CoachSarah Robinson is an International Speaking and Mindset Coach with expertise in Leadership, Brand Culture, and Strategy. She's spent over 30 years on the stage - first as a professionally trained Shakesperian actress, then as an author, business owner and keynote speaker. She's on a mission to help others lead, inspire and transform those around them through the art of high-impact communication. Sarah founded Birmingham Speaks as both a professional development organization that provides training in communication and public speaking as well as a community for those who are ready to transform the world around them through the power of c...2021-05-2417 min
inTheir20s#43 - Tasha Robinson-White, Former CEO of Mayweather Music & Founding President of Floyd Mayweather Jr. FoundationTasha has been rubbing shoulders with the “who’s who” in the sports and entertainment world for over 20 years. Her career began while in Atlanta, when she interned at Laface Records working with legendary artists such as TLC, Outkast, Usher, and Toni Braxton. In 1995, Tasha made a life-changing move to Las Vegas, where she began producing and promoting star studded, high profile celebrity events including the official Billboard Music Awards, and BET Awards after parties. It was there that she met iconic boxer Floyd Mayweather. Tasha worked with Floyd for twelve years as his right hand person. Tasha eventually penned and...2021-05-1020 min
inTheir20s#42 - Michele Schneider, Senior Vice President of Workplace Services at SalesforceMichele Schneider is the Senior Vice President of Workplace Services and oversees Guest Services, Internal Hospitality & Events, and Building Operations within Salesforce's global Real Estate organization. As a physical expression of the company's culture, Schneider's team is responsible for delivering world-class workplace experiences, day-in, and day-out for over 57,000 employees across more than 100 offices. Today, she's focused on Salesforce's return to the office strategy and the future of work. A Salesforce veteran of over 12 years, Schneider was previously the Vice President of Strategic Events where she led the company's World Tour, Connections and Salesforce Essentials event programming. Before joining the...2021-05-0314 min
inTheir20s#41 - Jason Dumas, Sports ReporterJason Dumas started at KRON4 in September of 2018. He previously worked as a production assistant at ESPN, a sports anchor/reporter in Bismarck, North Dakota, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and most recently, Hagerstown, MD. Here he had the privilege of covering the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup championship run and the District’s first championship parade since 1992.Jason is a PROUD native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2011.When he is not working, he enjoys cheering on his favorite sport teams, spending time with his fa...2021-04-2627 min
inTheir20s#40 - Jason Calacanis, Angel InvestorJason Calacanis is one of the most influential Angel Investors of our time. He began his career as a reporter in New York City that covered a diverse group of topics such as tech news, pop-culture, and the internet industry. He founded Silicon Alley Reporter, Weblogs Inc, Mahalo, and Inside.com. He turned down a $20 million offer for Silicon Alley Reporter. Then the dotcom bubble burst, and he wound up with a net worth of negative $10,000. Calacanis bounced back and founded Weblogs, which he sold to AOL after 18 months for $30 million. The Angel Investor for Weblogs was Mark Cuban. 2021-04-1925 min
inTheir20s#39 - Connor Mitchell, The First BitClout InfluencerConnor Mitchell has been called the First BitClout Influencer for his viral fame and success on the newest and most popular social media platform: BitClout. BitClout allows users to speculate on people and posts with real money, and it’s built from the ground up as its own custom blockchain. Its architecture is similar to Bitcoin, only it can support complex social network data like posts, profiles, follows, speculation features, and much more at significantly higher throughput and scale.Like Bitcoin, BitClout is a fully open-source project and there is no company behind it-- it’s just...2021-04-1619 min
inTheir20s#38 - Sekou Kaalund, Head of Consumer Banking, Northeast Division at ChaseSekou Kaalund is a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase and Head of Consumer Banking for the Northeast Division. In this role, Kaalund oversees 1000 branches in five regions with 10,000 employees and over $315 billion in deposits and investments. Prior to this role, Kaalund launched and was the Head of Advancing Black Pathways (“ABP”), a JPMorgan Chase program created to help Black individuals, families and businesses achieve sustained economic success. Kaalund set bold goals, including hiring 4,000 black students in 5 years, reaching 40% of the goal in less than two years. During his tenure, Kaalund deepened relationships with historically Black Colleges and U...2021-04-0529 min
inTheir20s#37 - Brooke Yoakam, Founder and CEO of GiftPocketBrooke Yoakam is a freshman at Boston College and is also the CEO and Founder of GiftPocket, a mobile app that allows you store and manage all of your gift cards from your phone. She created GiftPocket when she was 12 years old and has been able to launch GiftPocket in Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Brooke has been featured on Bloomberg QuickTakes, TedX Talks, CBS Boston, and more. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/euS0aE0Rkm0 Introduction music by: LAKEY INSPIRED - Chill Day LAKEY INSPIRED - Chill Day Download→ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/chill-day ...2021-03-2912 min
inTheir20s#36 - Tim Arthurs, Partner and Head of Equity Sales at Seaport GlobalTim Arthurs is a Partner and Head of Equity Sales at Seaport Global, which is a full-service investment bank, capital markets advisory and research platform based in New York and London with offices across the US and in Europe. Tim has 20 years Institutional Equities & Capital Markets Experience. He’s been instrumental in building successful distribution and research product platforms over career within equities markets, not only as a top producer but takes an entrepreneurial approach. He has an extensive distribution network with hundreds of corporate public management teams and institutional investors. He became a partner at 28 (Global Hunter Securities, now Seapo...2021-03-2230 min
inTheir20s#35 - Nikhil Mohanty, The Rise of NFT's and NBA Top Shot for people in their 20sA digital-only artwork has recently sold at Christie's auction house for an eye-watering $69m - but the winning bidder will not receive a sculpture, painting or even a print. Instead, they get a unique digital token known as an NFT, or a Non-Fungible Token. Where Bitcoin was hailed as the digital answer to currency, NFTs are now being touted as the digital answer to collectables. We want to give you a quick introduction to the world of NFT's and the platforms you can interact with them on. This discussion features our friend, Nikhil Mohanty, who has seen early success on...2021-03-1516 min
inTheir20s#34 - Jacob Sills, Co-Founder and CEO of UptrustUptrust is a communication and engagement tool that helps low income defendants make it to court and mandatory appointments. By improving communication between the criminal justice system and people accused of crimes, we keep low-income defendants out of jail on bench warrants, saving counties money. Their mission is to keep people out of jail who should not be there. We are focused on reducing incarceration and humanizing the experience of going through the justice system. They work across the spectrum to support clients as they navigate both pretrial and post-conviction. Helping 500,000+ people in 498 Counties as of October 2020. Building positive relationships wit...2021-03-0824 min
inTheir20s#33 - Carter Deems, Cast Member of Wild 'N OutCarter Deems is a cast member on the wildly popular television series Wild N' Out, a freestyle show that features some of TV's most viral moments from celebrity guests and performers like Kevin Hart, Shaquille O'Neal, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, and Chance the Rapper. Carter has always had a passion for hip hop. Starting at a young age, he would entertain his friends through his on-the-fly freestyling abilities and clever word play. While attending Law School, Carter decided to audition to become a cast member on Nick Cannon's Wild N' Out. Carter nailed his audition, impressing the likes of C...2021-02-2227 min
inTheir20s#32 - Cathy Bessant, Chief Operations and Technology Officer at Bank of AmericaCathy Bessant is chief operations and technology officer at Bank of America, and is a member of the company’s executive management team. Since 2010, Bessant has led Global Technology and Operations, delivering end-to-end technology and operating services across the company through a team of 95,000 people in over 35 countries. She also oversees the company’s business continuity and information security efforts.Since joining the bank in 1982, Bessant has held a number of senior leadership roles. She was president, Global Corporate Banking; president, Global Product Solutions and Global Treasury Services; chief marketing officer; president, Consumer Real Estate and Community Development Banking; nati...2021-02-1527 min
inTheir20s#31 - Nastassia Ponomarenko, Founder of Connectful and Nasty FitAt 18 years old, Nastassia launched a fitness apparel brand named Nasty Fit which surpassed 7-figures.At 20 years old, Nastassia began building a networking platform to solve her own personal struggle. On October 2020, Nastassia launched Connectful, a networking app that connects like-minded and entrepreneurial young adults. Her mission is to change the way young adults connect by making it more engaging, interactive and fun.At 18 years old, Nastassia launched a fitness apparel brand named Nasty Fit which surpassed 7-figures. At 20 years old, Nastassia began building a networking platform to solve her own personal struggle. On October 2020, Nastassia launched Connectful...2021-02-0818 min
inTheir20s#30 - Kevin Boehm, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Boka Restaurant GroupAfter opening 30 restaurants over the last 27 years, JamesBeard winning restaurateur Kevin Boehm has become one of the nation's foremost visionaries in the field of hospitality. Kevin, along with his partner Rob Katz have built a restaurant group based on great chefs, inspired design, and enlightened hospitality.Born in 1970, Kevin grew up in Springfield, Illinois and knew at a young age that he wanted to be in the restaurant business. After working in the industry for just a few years, he saved enough money to open a 6 table restaurant in 1993 called the Lazy Daze Café in Seaside, Florida. Restaurants in B...2021-02-0132 min
inTheir20s#29 - Nick Henning, President of Henning Coaching and Henning StaffingThis week we interviewed Nick Henning who has 15+ years of executive search and sales experience. Throughout his career, he has personally participated in 10,000+ interviews, placed 400+ professionals, and led recruiting teams to place 1,200+ professionals. Nick has served as a strategic staffing advisor for organizations ranging from venture back startups to Fortune 500 in the Healthcare, Insurance, Financial Services, Manufacturing and Information Technology Services industries. Nick founded Henning Coaching because he saw the need for a niche career advisory and interview intelligence services solution because of the lack of education and interview skills of talented professionals. His mission is to help others self-actualize w...2021-01-2519 min
inTheir20s#28 - Neha O'Rourke, Founder, Career and Energy Coach, and Speaker for Somewhere In BetweenNeha O’Rourke is the Founder and Career Coach at Somewhere In Between Coaching, a coaching company that empowers women around the country and across industries in designing a career and life they love. Prior to Somewhere In Between Coaching, Neha worked in advertising where she architected strategies and campaigns for nationally recognized brands. Neha was named one of the top coaches by Honeybook and Rising Tide Society. Her clients today include well-known companies such as WeWork, Expedia, Athleta, and Nema. Additionally, she has been featured on Fox 32 Chicago. In our interview with Neha she discusses her decision to st...2021-01-1113 min
inTheir20s#27 - Brad Edwards, Investigative Reporter and Main Anchor for CBS ChicagoBrad Edwards is an investigative reporter and main anchor at CBS 2 Chicago. Brad's work has netted more than 100 awards: including eight consecutive regional Emmy Awards for News Writing [2003-’10], nine Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, including three at WBBM for Excellence in Writing – 2013, 2019 & 2020, six regional Emmy awards in 2019, including Best Investigative News Report and Best Hard News Report. Brad's work has led to new policies, and prosecutions; it has reunited families, and helped free a woman serving a 50-year prison sentence for a crime she didn’t commit. In Detroit, his year-long exposé into the Wayne County morgue led to the b...2021-01-0431 min
inTheir20s#26 - Amir Badr, Founder and CEO of UpkeyThis week we interviewed Amir Badr, the CEO of Upkey. Upkey provides remote career readiness and talent engagement tools for students, universities, and companies. Upkey offers a digital learning platform that prepares students to be successful in the professional world by educating them on the skills necessary to make positive lasting impressions on employers. Amir was born in Tehran, Iran. When he was 17, Amir moved to America from his home country. He had $100; zero connections; and didn’t even speak English. Amir made it his mission to provide students and young professionals with resources they need to succeed in the job...2020-12-2816 min
inTheir20s#25 - Bruce Richman, Senior Advisor of Business Valuation Advisory Services for Mazars USA LLPThis week we interviewed Bruce Richman, the Senior Advisor of Business Valuations Advisory Services at Mazars USA LLP. Bruce's practice at Mazars includes business valuations, mergers and acquisitions, and financial and tax consulting. Bruce oversees national and international valuation and forensic/litigation assignments for both private equity sponsors and individual corporate owners. Bruce has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, a Master of Science in Accounting from The Ohio State University, a Master of Business Administration in International Business from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Master of Science in...2020-12-2115 min
inTheir20s#24 - Colin McMahon, Editor-in-Chief at Chicago Tribune and Chief Content Officer at Tribune PublishingColin McMahon is editor-in-chief of the Chicago Tribune and chief content officer of the newspaper’s parent company, Tribune Publishing. He also oversees all editorial operations at Tribune Content Agency, the syndication and premium content arm of Tribune Publishing. Colin became the Tribune’s top editor in February 2020, after a long career as a local news reporter, foreign correspondent and senior editor. While a senior editor at the Chicago Tribune, Colin launched new initiatives such as a shared content system known as Media on Demand; the digital business vertical Blue Sky Innovation; E-book and print book publishing and Printers Row Journa...2020-12-1421 min
inTheir20s#23 - Jewel Burks, Head of Google for StartupsJewel Burks has been an entrepreneur for as long as she can remember. In her early 20s, she founded the tech company Partpic, which she sold to Amazon. She currently serves as the Head of Google for Startups in the US. In addition to her role at Google, she is the Managing Partner at Collab Capital, a venture capital firm created to close the funding gap for Black entrepreneurs. Jewel has been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 and one of Atlanta’s 100 Most Influential People. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other...2020-11-3020 min
inTheir20s#22 - AJ Vaynerchuk, Co-Founder of VaynerMedia and Co-Founder and CEO of VaynerSportsAt 22 years old, AJ Vaynerchuk co-founded VaynerMedia and helped grow the business to a $100 million dollar agency. VaynerMedia is the fastest growing agency in the history of agencies. While serving as COO, AJ and his team developed social media campaigns for Fortune 500 companies like Budweiser, Chase Bank, and Pepsico. Born into an entrepreneurial family, AJ Vaynerchuk began displaying a knack for business from a young age. On the side, AJ has joined the board of the New York Chron's and Colitis Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to finding the cures for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. Since 2016, AJ has been running Va...2020-11-2324 min
inTheir20s#21 - Carolyn Grisko, President and CEO of Grisko, LLCAn expert in communications strategy and messaging, Carolyn draws on her deep background in government, broadcast journalism and politics to counsel Grisko’s clients on reputation management, crisis communications and building relationships with community, corporate, civic and government leaders. She led communications for Mayor E. Lightfoot’s run-off campaign and served as communications director for her transition team. Carolyn is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow; a leading member of IPREX, a global network of independently owned communications agencies; and active in Chicago’s civic community. Before founding Grisko, Carolyn served as deputy press secretary for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, h...2020-11-1618 min
inTheir20s#20 - Darius Fleming, Super Bowl XLIX Champion and Head of Sports Partnerships at CameoIn his 20s, Darius Fleming was drafted into the NFL by the San Francisco 49ers. In 2014, he was signed by the New England Patriots, where he played alongside Tom Brady. After his career in the NFL, Darius worked for LinkedIn as an Account Executive. Darius now works for Cameo as their Head of Sports Partnerships.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qj1CH4W0vUcIntroduction music by: LAKEY INSPIRED - Chill DayLAKEY INSPIRED - Chill Day Download→ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/chill-day This is a publi...2020-11-0917 min
inTheir20s#19 - Ron Culp, Veteran Corporate PR, Agency Executive, Educator, Consultant, and AuthorRon Culp held senior public relations positions at four Fortune 500 corporations and two major agencies. Ron’s career spans a broad range of communications responsibilities in government and industry sectors including business-to-business, consumer products, pharmaceutical and retailing. Ron’s two agency stints include being partner and managing director of Ketchum’s Midwest offices and head of the agency’s North American Corporate Practice. Prior to Ketchum, he opened and served as managing director of the Chicago office of Sard Verbinnen and Company, a leading financial communications firm. Previously, Ron was a corporate officer and senior...2020-11-0225 min
inTheir20s#18 - Tim Hardaway Sr., NBA LegendTim Hardaway Sr. is a 5-time NBA All Star and 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1989, Tim went on to have a legendary career in the NBA. In his 20s, Tim played against NBA greats like Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and many more.We speak with Tim about his All Star career, experiences playing against fierce NBA competition, and the lessons he’s given to his son, Tim Hardaway Jr, who is currently an NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gsj_M7...2020-10-2620 min
inTheir20s#17 - Rodney Herenton, Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer at Channing Capital ManagementRodney Herenton is the Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer at Channing Capital Management. Rodney has more than 16 years of investment management experience, including first vice-president of the Private Fund Group at Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. He was also an associate in the Investment Banking Department at Bear Stearns, where he was responsible for M&A deal execution, and equity and high-yield bond transactions, and he was an associate in the Corporate Finance Department at Lehman Brothers. Rodney received a B.A. in finance from Morehouse College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. In our interview, we sp...2020-10-1211 min
inTheir20s#16 - Jonny Imerman, Co-Founder of Imerman Angels and CLOZTALKJonny Imerman is the Co-Founder of Imerman Angels and CLOZTALK. Imerman Angels' connects a person/family with cancer to another person/family who's been through a similar cancer journey. CLOZTALK's mission is to raise awareness and funds for important non-profit organizations. They try to inspire people to rock their favorite non-profit logo on their clothes. Jonny Imerman fought testicular cancer for two years in the Detroit area in his 20’s. Jonny and a group of cancer survivors co-founded Imerman Angels in 2006. Imerman Angels has 12,000+ trained, volunteer cancer survivors and caregivers on call. In 2017, Jonny Imerman and his brother Jeff Imer...2020-10-0534 min
inTheir20s#15 - Dennis Bautista, Vice President of Data Analytics at Hub InternationalDennis Bautista currently serves as the Vice President of Data Analytics at HUB International, which is an insurance company based in Chicago, IL. In his 20s, Dennis began his career in the insurance industry as a large group underwriter from nationally recognized insurance companies. He held roles on the service and business/consumer side of the health insurance industry, serving as an Account Executive, and Vice President of Benefits Consulting. Dennis' success in the insurance industry has been credited to what he learned in his 20s.Introduction music by: LAKEY INSPIRED - Chil...2020-09-2823 min
inTheir20s#14 - Kevin Coval, Poet and Director at Young Chicago AuthorsKevin Coval is the Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors (“YCA”), which won a MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions, & the founder of Louder Than a Bomb: The Chicago Youth Poetry Festival, the world's largest youth poetry festival, now in more than 19 cities around the world. Kevin has mentored and created safe spaces for some of Chicago’s brightest young creatives, including now-blossoming YCA alums Chance the Rapper, Noname, Saba, and Jamila Woods. In our interview, we discuss with Kevin how he found his passion for poetry and writing and the importance of having a creative space.2020-09-2122 min
inTheir20s#13 - Ron Louis, Fashion DesignerRon Louis has built a very strong foundation for himself within both the Chicago fashion scene and the thriving streetwear industry. He has used his influence from other designers such as Virgil Abloh, Don C, and Kanye West to create garments that have gained recognition from Chicago legends.Ron is still in his 20s, but has already accomplished so much in the clothing design industry. He started designing clothes in high school and has been able to scale his brand to be well known in Chicago.In our interview, we speak with Ron...2020-09-1408 min
inTheir20s#12 - In Their 20s Co-Hosts, Michael and Landon, get Interviewed by the DePauliaLandon and Michael were interviewed by the DePaulia to find out why they started In Their 20s. They were asked about their goals for web series and some of their favorite moments from interviews. Check out the full DePaulia article: https://bit.ly/3lYZO34 Join our Facebook community for exclusive advice from our interviews: https://bit.ly/2ZtCPnxIntroduction music by: LAKEY INSPIRED - Chill DayLAKEY INSPIRED - Chill Day Download→ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/chill-day This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bo...2020-09-0726 min
inTheir20s#11 - Beto O'Rourke, Former U.S. Representative and 2020 Presidential Primary CandidateBeto O’Rourke is an American politician who represented Texas's 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Beto is most notable for his 2018 campaign for United States Senate where he had endorsements from celebrities including Beyonce, Lebron James, and Travis Scott. Recently, Beto ran as a Democratic candidate for president of the United States in 2020 against Joe Biden and other candidates. We were fortunate enough to speak with Beto about experiences he had during his 20s including some of the biggest risks he took while in his 20’s and what skills Beto gained while...2020-08-3134 min
inTheir20s#10 - Steve Stoute, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff at DePaul UniversitySteve Stoute currently serves as the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff at DePaul University. In his role, Steve serves as the university president’s senior advisor and oversees operations in the Office of the President. His responsibilities include facilitating the implementation of the university’s strategic plan, as well as serving as the liaison to the Board of Trustees on key executive matters. Steve is an attorney and experienced leader in higher education and previously worked as an associate specializing in corporate and securities matters at Dechert LLP in Philadelphia. He also worked...2020-08-2427 min
inTheir20s#9 - Chris Johnson, Managing Director of Ground Operations at Southwest AirlinesChris Johnson is currently working as the Managing Director of Ground Operations at Southwest Airlines. Chris leads the daily efforts of domestic Ground Operations to ensure that the Customer Service, Operations, and Ramp Employees working at the airports have the tools and support they need to deliver the safest, most reliable, most efficient, and most hospitable airport experience. Chris started at Southwest Airlines in 1993, spending his entire career with Southwest. Chris started as a Ramp Agent in Detroit and has held Leadership roles as a Manager in Orlando, Assistant Station Leader in Oakland, Station Leader in B...2020-08-1715 min
inTheir20s#8 - Kati Quigley, Senior Director of Global Industry Marketing at MicrosoftKati Quigley is currently working as the Senior Director of Global Industry Marketing at Microsoft. Kati has nearly 20 years of experience with Microsoft holding various positions in their marketing department. Kati has always had a passion for event planning and execution. In her 20s she worked for various non-profit organizations, giving her experience in event planning. Kati used this experience in her 20s to get an event marketing position that began her amazing career with Mircosoft. In our interview, Kati gives important advice to students and professionals in their 20s trying to find the...2020-08-1013 min
inTheir20s#7 - Mike Haracz, Former Corporate Chef for McDonalds and Wendy's SpokespersonMike Haracz aka Chef Mike is a corporate chef, brand ambassador, social media influencer. Chef Mike recently worked for McDonald’s on their Culinary Innovation team and has been featured as a spokesperson in multiple Wendy’s commercials. Chef Mike has built a huge personal brand through social media and community engagement. Chef Mike has his own YouTube channel where he helps people create amazing food dishes from the comfort of their homes. We speak with Chef Mike about how you can build a personal brand for yourself in your 20s and some of the differences between being a corpor...2020-08-0319 min
inTheir20s#6 - Dawn Dickson, Founder & CEO of PopComDawn Dickson is the CEO of PopCom, an automated retail company that uses facial recognition, A.I, and blockchain technology to help retailers collect valuable customer insights. As a serial entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in marketing and business development, Dawn launched four successful cash flow positive companies since 2002. Her most recent ventures include Flat Out of Heels (rollable flats for women to get relief from painful heels), and PopCom, after identifying a need to make vending machines more intelligent.Dawn has received numerous awards and accolades for her business savvy and pitching skills, and h...2020-07-2019 min
inTheir20s#5 - Doctor Aaron Spitz, Leading Men's Health Urologist & Author of The Penis Book: A Doctors Complete Guide to the PenisYou for sure recognize Dr. Aaron Spitz from his many appearances on “The Doctors” Talk Show, or as the physician in the highly acclaimed Netflix film, “The Game Changers”.Dr. Spitz is a well-established Urologist and Author, who shares his personal experiences on how we juggled med school and a career in stand-up comedy while in his 20’s. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2020-07-1318 min
inTheir20s#4 - Scott Kucirek, CEO of OCHO Candy, Inc.If you don’t already know Scott Kucirek, you for sure know his organic candy company: Ocho Candy, Inc. They create the most DELICIOUS line of organic candy bars on the planet! In our interview, we speak with Scott about how he paired his military background and startup experience to become a modern-day Willy Wonka!Check out his website to learn more: ochocandy.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2020-07-0618 min
inTheir20s#3 - Tomer Yogev, Executive Coach, Professor, Entrepreneur, and Co-Founder & Joy Hacker - The Big Joy TheoryAs one of the premier coaches for entrepreneurs, Tomer Yogev brings his vast experience and unique “Joy Forward” approach to our conversation. His laid-back and sensei-like approach inspires honest dialogue, profound innovation, and the courageous motivation to step out of comfort zones and onto fresh paths to success.In our conversation, we speak with Tomer about what he wished he knew in his 20’s. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2020-06-2923 min
inTheir20s#2 - Michelle Hollis, President of 6th Street ConsultingFor over 25 years, Michelle Hollis has run sales and operations for numerous companies. She currently serves as the President of 6th Street Consulting, where she brings a diverse perspective and entrepreneurial-minded passion.In our chat with Michelle, we speak about her journey in tech; her advice for people in their 20’s; and her “Work Hard, Play Hard” philosophy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.intheir20s.com2020-06-2210 min
inTheir20s#1 - Zoaib Mirza, Director at Cornell UniversityThis week, we speak with Zoaib Mirza who is currently a director of Instructional Design at Cornell University. Zoaib Mirza is an award-winning bilingual leader with over 20 years of providing student-centered solutions. While in his 20's he received three masters degrees and is currently earning a Doctorate in Education with a focus in Educational Leadership.In our interview, we speak with Zoaib about finding mentors in your 20’s; taking risks in your 20’s; handling difficulties in your 20s; and multitasking in your 20’s. This is a public episode. If you would like to discus...2020-06-1514 min