Robert M. Fojo, VP of Sales at Max Value Processing, shares his journey from being a lawyer to joining a startup in the merchant services space. He discusses his background growing up in Miami as the son of Cuban immigrants and how it shaped his values and appreciation for freedom. Fojo explains the compelling ideas behind Max Value Processing, including transparency and technology in the payments industry. He emphasizes the importance of understanding vertical markets and building relationships with software providers. Fojo also offers advice for career pivots and the importance of consistency and diligence.

Adam Packard, founder of Ninja Prospecting, discusses his journey from the golf business to starting his own marketing and business development company. He shares his experience with using LinkedIn for prospecting and explains his manual approach to avoid automation and LinkedIn restrictions. Packard also talks about his long-term vision for his business and the importance of coaching. The conversation touches on topics such as the challenges of selling advertising, the use of Sales Navigator, and the value of personalized outreach. In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg and Adam Packard discuss the future plans for Adam's company, Ninja Prospecting.

Annika Lundström, the founder of Reminded, a medical technology startup, discusses her journey and the development of a diagnostics tool for mental health. She talks about her experience participating in a Finnish entrepreneurship program in San Francisco and the challenges and opportunities she encountered. Annika explains the focus of her startup on non-invasive medical devices that detect hormones and biomarkers related to mental health issues. She also discusses the process of FDA approval and her plans for expanding into different markets.

Morgan Templar, founder of First CDO Partners, shares her journey from starting as a secretary to becoming a successful entrepreneur. She discusses the importance of data governance and the role of a chief data officer (CDO) in organizations. Morgan emphasizes the need for good data management and governance, especially in the era of AI. She also opens up about the personal challenges she faced, including her daughter's health issues and her husband's medical condition. Despite the difficulties, Morgan's determination and resilience have propelled her career

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg and Marco discuss their backgrounds, their experiences working together at Dover, and their current endeavors. They touch on topics such as the importance of culture and communication in building a successful company, the challenges they faced at Dover, and the lessons they learned from those experiences. They also discuss the concept of grit and how it has shaped their careers. Marco shares his current role at Rebuild Manufacturing and the vision of reshoring American manufacturing.

Professor Frank shares his journey from growing up in Queens to working at Saturday Night Live and starting his own company, Laugh MD. He discusses how his love for comedy helped him navigate a tough neighborhood and how he found his passion for film and writing. He also talks about the challenges he faced in the entertainment industry and the inspiration behind Laugh MD, a platform that provides comedy videos for hospitals. LaughMD is a digital health platform that uses comedy to help patients manage pain and reduce stress.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg interviews Mary Voss, an experienced HR professional, about the importance of human resources in startups. They discuss the factors that contribute to the success of early-stage companies, such as having the right talent, a cohesive leadership team, and a strong company culture. They also touch on the importance of behavioral interviewing and the value of experience in hiring decisions. Mary shares her philosophy of trust and efficiency in a small team.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg interviews David Verrill about angel investing in startups. They discuss the role of angels, the evolution of angel investing, and the benefits of a fund structure. They also touch on the importance of supporting first-time CEOs and the criteria for making successful investments. David shares his passion for sports and spending time with family, and Jothy reflects on the importance of grit in the startup world. .

Jothy’s conversation with Peter Brumme explores the complexities of go-to-market strategy and the critical importance of product market fit. It delves into the stages of product development, the role of a lighthouse customer, and the significance of a well-orchestrated go-to-market plan. The discussion also highlights the pitfalls of not having a solid go-to-market strategy and the impact on company growth and success. Jothy and Peter emphasize the significance of listening to early adopters, building an MVP, and carefully scaling.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg interviews B Randall Willis, discussing topics such as the importance of a name, their backgrounds in Detroit and Boston and how those two cities impacted their entrepreneurial journeys, the evolution of digital media, the characteristics of successful startups, the role of processes in startups, and the importance of storytelling and grit in entrepreneurship.B Randall has founded and run many media and marketing companies including his latest, RightAngle Consulting. .

James Olvierio, founder of IdeaBox, shares his journey from working on Wall Street to starting his own company in the cybersecurity industry. He discusses the importance of separating the roles of CIO and security officer, and the need to quantify cyber risk. Olvierio explains how his company, IdeaBox, focuses on data protection and offers services such as data risk assessments and crisis communications. He also highlights the unique features of Actifile, a product that is integrated into IdeaBox's offering.

Bianca Pietersz and Mirna Baloul, co-founders of ViziSmart, discuss their journey in creating an AI-powered property management solution. Bianca, originally an artist, became a property manager and experienced the stress and lack of work-life balance that came with it. She saw an opportunity to use AI to streamline communication and coordinate maintenance in the property management industry. Mirna, with a background in cutting-edge technology, joined Bianca in creating ViziSmart. .

Jothy and Hugh Sinclair, the founder of Commerce Blitz, discusses the challenges of logistics in the e-commerce industry and how his SaaS company provides a solution. He explains the importance of managing inventory and distribution to avoid missing sales and losing inventory. Sinclair emphasizes the need for simplicity in logistics software and how Commerce Blitz offers a user-friendly interface. Sinclair shares his goals of empowering small businesses and potentially being acquired by a larger company.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg and Nick Kepler discuss various topics related to Silicon Valley, semiconductor startups, and the importance of grit. They touch on the history and evolution of Silicon Valley, the challenges faced by semiconductor startups, and the role of incubators like Silicon Catalyst. They also explore the personal motivations behind their passion for road biking and the drive to take on new challenges.

Steven Hudspeth shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with his upbringing in Arkansas and his military experience. He discusses the importance of resilience and not quitting, which he learned from his family and military training. Steven then talks about his transition into the restaurant industry and his rapid rise to managing multiple restaurants. Eventually, he decided to start his own franchise in the painting industry. This led him to identify a need for better communication and automation.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg interviews Dave P Molenda, discussing topics such as their Midwest roots, the importance of work ethic, and their entrepreneurial journeys. They also talk about the power of mindset and the impact of saying 'I can' versus 'I can't.' Dave shares his experience of starting and selling his first business and the importance of empowering others. They discuss the value of diversity in a team and the need to have different personalities and skill sets.

In this conversation, Jothy Rosenberg and Melinda Brown discuss their experiences working together at Draper and the challenges they faced in setting up a spin-off company. They talk about the importance of trust in legal agreements and the difficulties of navigating intellectual property ownership. They also touch on the complexities of incubating a startup within a larger organization and the need for clear communication and understanding between all parties involved.

Kayvon Touran, co-founder of Zal.ai, shares his journey in the ed tech industry and the development of his company. He discusses the importance of working in an ambiguous environment and the influence it had on his career path. Kayvon explains how Zal.ai aims to enhance learning and development in the workforce by measuring skills and competencies. He also talks about the challenges of finding product-market fit and the unconventional approach they took.

Jules, the founder of The Grommet, shares her journey from growing up in Detroit to starting and selling her company. She discusses the challenges she faced, including a lack of capital and competition from Amazon. Jules also talks about the acquisition of The Grommet by Ace Hardware and the future of the company. She then shares her experience as a venture capitalist and her role at X Factor Ventures and where her grit comes from.

Dimitre shares his fascinating life journey, from growing up in Bulgaria and Nigeria to playing basketball in the United States and eventually founding Galena Hill. He discusses the pain points he experienced as a business owner and how it led him to develop an accounting intelligence system that integrates with Intuit QuickBooks. He also explains the shift towards using blockchain technology for document management and automation.