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In this episode we sit with Harold Hughes, the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, Harold shares his journey from being a first-generation American in South Carolina to becoming a tech entrepreneur in Austin, Texas. Inspired by his experiences at Radio Shack and driven by a passion for uniting people, Harold founded Bandwagon — a technology-based solution to break down barriers and foster community through the love of sports.   We delve into the concept of affinity groups and community building, exploring how technology can be harnessed to create meaningful connections among people from diverse backgrounds. Their platform allows fans to access exclusive content, join fan clubs, and celebrate their favorite teams, regardless of geographical limitations. Discover how Harold's vision bridges gaps and builds a stronger community, empowering individuals to engage, support, and understand one another better.   In addition to Bandwagon, Harold discusses his latest innovation, Poet (Proof of Experience Token). Poet allows artists and athletes to invite their fans to submit content directly to their pages, with commercial rights belonging to the creators themselves. This innovative approach empowers entertainers and athletes to control their brand while enabling fans to share their experiences and build deeper connections with their favorite icons.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Harold Hughes is the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, a South Carolina-based live experience technology company. Under his leadership, Bandwagon has raised more than $3M in venture capital and successfully acquired IdealSeat, Inc. in 2020. Their customers include Fortune 50 brands, entertainers, as well as professional and collegiate athletes. As a first-generation American, Harold prioritized education, receiving two bachelor's degrees (Economics and Political Science) from Clemson University and later received his MBA from Clemson while he led business development at a Fortune 1000 company based in Greenville, South Carolina. As a web3 builder and community leader, Harold published "A Kids Book About Blockchain" to help educate people "from 6 to 60" about the revolutionary technology that Bandwagon specializes in. To that end, Harold is also an active angel investor, primarily investing in women, people of color, and Black founder-led companies. Most notably, he has invested in Partake Foods, the Jay-Z-backed CPG company making allergy-friendly snacks, and companies like Goodr, Chipper, Athletic Greens, Republic, Stix, and the National Cycling League.   Time Stamps: 03:18 Harold’s background and professional journey 05:31 Exploring the pain point behind Bandwagon fan club 08:05 Benefits of poet and fan club for artists and fans 11:50 Exploring the benefits of using Poet for content creation and monetization 14:47 Benefits of connecting fans and artists through data 17:55 Leveraging blockchain technology to build value in an ecosystem 22:06 Building a blockchain platform 24:47 Recruiting and go-to-market strategy for blockchain-based platform 28:19 Value propositions and benefits of token access for artists and entertainment brands 31:03 Data analysis and funding for expansion of the brand 32:29 Leveraging social capital for successful fundraising 36:19 Potential of proof of experience technology 38:18 Discussing Bandwagon's product roadmap and connecting with fans 39:37 How to get in contact with the Bandwagon team Resources: Company website: https://bandwagonfanclub.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtxbandwagon/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/builtxbandwagon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bandwagon-fan-club/

In this episode, we interview Barbara, a technical founder who has significantly impacted the tech industry. Barbara is the creator of a Clubhouse group called Let's Imagine Life with Ladies at It, which helps women learn to code and expand their knowledge and skills in tech. With over 3000 members, the group celebrates women in tech and encourages men to bring more women onto their teams. She is also passionate about helping other women reach their potential and make a difference in the tech industry. Recently, she launched an initiative with a nonprofit and an organization in Angola to get 100 Portuguese-speaking African women coding. She has already hired one of them as a QA analyst for her company.   During the interview, Barbara shares her entrepreneurial journey, including how she started in tech and her experience with hackathons. She also talks about her successful software company that is used in over 4000 stores in the US, Canada, and Japan, and her experience creating algorithms for gift receipts and point-of-sale systems.   Additionally, Barbara shares insights into the value of equity versus raises, and how she used her experience with a previous startup to start her own business, Freeing Returns. She explains how her team won a hackathon sponsored by WorldPay and ended up receiving $75,000 in cash and prizes for their solution to fix returns. This success led to WorldPay becoming one of the first customers of Freeing Returns, and the CTO of WorldPay becoming a mentor to Barbara, opening many doors for her in the tech industry.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Barbara Jones is the founder/CEO of Lillii RNB Inc which is doing business as Freeing Returns.  Barbara has been in the Retail Technology sector for over 20 years and has been on the founding teams of 2 Retail Technology startups that both exited for close to $100M. Barbara has created Retail Tech Software that is running in over 4000 stores throughout the US, Canada, and Japan. She has been in the POS Architect and Solutions Architect roles for The Home Depot, LL Bean, PepBoys, and many more solving multi-million dollar issues for them. Her newest venture has been to transition Lillii RNB Inc from a System Integration consulting company to an Enterprise Solutions company with their Returns Management and Profit Optimization platform, Freeing Returns™ - which helps retailers find the Fraud and Shrink that's HIDING in their Data.  We have successfully closed our Seed round, led by Serena Williams' venture fund and Aperture Venture Capital - bringing our total investments to over $4M.Barbara lives in Lithonia, GA with her husband of 2 years, but is from Austin, TX.  She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.  She is a Gulf War Veteran, an Avid supporter of Women in STEM, and hires and trains minorities in the space of Retail Technology.   Time Stamps: 03:17 Barbara’s background and professional journey with Freeing Returns 08:00 Benefits of starting a career in tech 12:48 Exploring the growing issue of retail fraud with Freeing Returns 16:15 How Freeing Returns solve the problem: E-commerce loss prevention 18:49 Identifying areas of loss and solutions for improvement 22:10 Defining the ideal customer and exploring solutions for retailers 25:20 Company target and experience with the product 28:18 Difference between building tech for an enterprise and an SMB 30:32 Potential of data science and AI for real-time alerts and predictive capabilities 33:58 Raising $4 million for a startup company 38:48 Validation through hard work: building resilience and preparing for the next funding round. 41:37 Raising a pre-series round for retail technology platform to support growth and scale 43:57 How to get in contact with the Freeing Returns team   Resources: Company website: https://freeingreturns.com/ LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/freeingreturns/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/freeingreturns  

In this episode, we speak with Manuel Jimenez, a Spanish professional who moved to Colombia to take a high-responsibility position with the Bank of Falabella and ended up creating his own company to tackle the issue of financial exclusion in the country. He shares his experience of moving to Colombia with his family and realizing that the country was not as dangerous as he had initially thought. He talks about his desire to create something with social impact and how he identified the problem of financial exclusion in Colombia. Manuel discusses the differences between access to credit and financing in the United States and Spain, and how these resources are more difficult to access in Colombia. He then introduces his company, Aflore, which aims to bridge the gap in the market by providing people with the tools to fulfill their financial roles more effectively. Manuel explains how his research uncovered an informal market in which people lend money to each other, and how Aflore is designed to make people aware of their role in this market and give them the tools to do it more efficiently. He also talks about his partnership with PolyMath Ventures, a venture studio, which generates ideas to become businesses and provides initial funding. He describes how he and his co-founder set out to solve the problem of lack of trust in the financial sector by analyzing how people solve their financial needs without the formal system. Finally, Manuel shares his vision for the future of Aflore and his plans to expand the company's reach in Colombia and beyond. This episode offers a unique perspective on the issue of financial exclusion in emerging markets and the role that technology can play in addressing this problem. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.   Founder Bio: Manuel is the COO/CPO and co-founder of Aflore, a Fintech company that distributes financial products through a community of Informal Advisors. Manuel was previously Vice President of Banco Falabella Colombia, Head of Sales Channels, where he led areas including branch networks, remote channels (internet/mobile, contact centers, and ATM networks), and customer service. Manuel has more than 20 years of experience in international financial institutions, including roles in Finance, O&T, Business Analysis, Credit Scoring, Product Management, Business Development, and Sales and Distribution. He holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School, a BS in Business Administration from UNED, and a Computer Science degree from Universidad de Valladolid (Spain).   Time Stamps: 03:05 Manuel's background and professional journey 05:17 Taking the decision to move to Colombia and start a company 07:33 A problem to be solved: access to fair credit and building assets 12:51 Exploring the informal financial market 15:06 Business model of a financial services provider 18:02 Serving the informal advisor market in Latin America 19:39 Making a digital transformation: where is tech involved 25:43 Leveraging technology to provide financial products to consumers 27:28 Combining technology and support to create trust with clients 29:06 Benefits of software and human interaction in business success 32:03 Utilizing technology and informal advisors to improve efficiency and manage risk 35:54 Raising equity and debt for track record creation 39:57 Raising capital for Latin American companies 43:46 Reorganizing team and developing channel strategy for growth and profitability 46:41 How to get in contact with the Aquabyte team Resources: Company website: https://www.aflore.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afloreco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aflore_co/ LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/aflore Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfloreCo    

In this episode, we sit down with Alexandra, Co-founder of Eight Sleep, a health and wellness company focused on sleep fitness. Alexandra discusses her background in marketing and communication and how she acquired her skills through hands-on experience. She then delves into the inspiration behind Eight Sleep, which was founded to address the lack of technology available to help people understand and improve their sleep.   Alexandra explains how the company's flagship product, the Pod, was created to bridge the gap between bad sleep and good sleep. The Pod uses sensors to monitor sleep and health biometrics and adjusts the temperature in real-time to create the perfect sleeping environment for each individual's needs in every sleep phase. The conversation also touches on the attention Eight Sleep has received from high-profile fans like Elon Musk, and Alexandra's excitement about the amazing team she has built at the company.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio:   Alexandra Zatarain is the Co-founder and VP of Brand and Marketing of Eight Sleep, the world's first sleep fitness company. Eight Sleep has raised over $165M in venture funding and has helped hundreds of thousands of people get sleep fit with its hardware and digital products. In 2017, Alexandra was named by Forbes to the 30 Under 30 list in Consumer Technology, and in 2020 she was named by INC as one of the top 100 Female Founders. Alexandra is also an angel investor in female-founded companies. She was raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and now lives in Miami.     Time Stamps:   02:59 Alexandra’s background and professional journey with Eight Sleep 06:04 Benefits of technology for sleep optimization with Eight Sleep 08:45 What is Eight Sleep technology 10:41 Solving environmental issues through temperature control technology 13:01 Benefits of learning from experts, thinkers, and customers for entrepreneurship 15:39 Conversation on sleep and the evolving role of marketing in business 19:45 Benefits of early-stage brand marketing and technology infrastructure 21:32 Technology behind the most extraordinary sleep experience 24:42 Building a dev team: hiring strategies and expertise needed 27:11 Company hiring and retaining talent in a small company 33:25 Crowdfunding process and successful campaigns 36:31 The value of validation and networking 40:04 Finding the right investors for a hardware company 41:43 Value-added services provided by investors 44:31 Discussing board partners, reference checks, and product roadmap 45:32 What’s coming for Eight Sleep in 2023 47:01 How to get in contact with the Eight Sleep team   Resources:   Company website: https://www.eightsleep.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eightsleep/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eight_sleep Twitter: https://twitter.com/eightsleep  

In this episode, investment professional Taj Ahmad Eldridge reveals the need for a more informed approach to venture capital investing. He discusses the importance of diversity, both in terms of demographics and geography, in maximizing financial returns. He explores the role of fund of funds, which bridge the gap between large institutions and smaller venture funds, and shares insights into their structure and purpose. Taj sheds light on the importance of diversity in venture capital, going beyond gender and racial diversity and highlighting the significance of geographic diversity. He argues that investing in underserved and undervalued markets, especially those with lower living costs can yield higher financial returns for investors. By taking on the role of a limited partner in LP himself, Taj aims to address this issue and empower more founders to succeed.   Our conversation delves into the reasons and benefits of running a fund of funds that focuses on investing in underrepresented markets, including women and people of color. Fund of funds serve as conduits for larger institutions that cannot invest directly in smaller venture funds, which typically have an average size of $50 million. Furthermore, we explore the role of fund of funds as capital funds that invest in venture capital firms. Taj reveals that fund of funds typically receives a 1% management fee and a 7% carry, enabling them to share in the profits made by these venture capital firms. This approach ensures that fund managers choose effective strategies and invest in firms that can generate favorable returns.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Taj Ahmad Eldridge is a 25+ year investment professional whose career has included high-level executive roles in banking, asset management, alternative investments, and entrepreneurship. Taj serves as Managing Director of Climate Innovations at JFF. As General Partner of Include Venture Partners and former Senior Director of Investments at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), Eldridge has built a longstanding career with expertise in the fields of fintech, media, energy, transportation, and the circular economy. He is also one of the 70 Black Investors in Bevy.com - a $325 million virtual conference platform as noted in AfroTech. At LACI, he established both the LACI Impact Fund I (LIF I) and the LACI Debt Fund to allow cleantech companies to grow with diverse capital. These funds utilize an equity impact lens to encourage invested companies to have environmental, economic, and social impact - particularly on increasing the number of underrepresented voices in the cleantech industry. In addition, Eldridge created programs such as LACI Investor Talks (LIT), the LACI Investor in Residence program, and the Player to CEO Athlete-Investor Impact Summit Series with JP Morgan Chase. He has been named one of the 53 Investors to Watch in 2021 by Pitchbook & 101 Black Titans in Tech while nurturing and building a team of investment activists.   Time Stamps: 03:00 Taj's background and professional journey 05:24 Venture risk capital and diversifying investment strategies 07:20 Fund of funds and geographic diversity in venture capital 10:47 Venture capital investment criteria with include ventures 15:49 Role of fund managers in artist funding and progress for emerging fund managers 18:37 Value of grants for underrepresented climate funds 21:60 A program to help minority underrepresented founders become venture investors 25:34 Key considerations for setting up a venture capital fund 27:21 Fund manager's secret sauce for success 30:14 Exploring diversity in venture capital 32:52 Staying in business and raising funds: tips for fund managers 35:00 Benefits of smaller fund sizes in venture capital 36:09 Evaluating fund managers and investment processes + 38:39 Fundraising strategies and climate initiatives + 40:33 Climate change: a public health, economic, and social justice issue 45:42 How to get in contact with the Include Ventures team Resources: Company website: https://www.includeventures.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/include-ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncludeVentures  

In this episode, we speak with Amy Jarczynski, founder and CEO of Kiss & Tell, a wedding and group travel booking platform that aims to revolutionize the way guests communicate and book events. Amy shares her background and how her experiences working in consumer tech inspired her to create a platform that solves the pain points of booking and managing group travel. Amy talks about how Kiss & Tell was created in response to the dissatisfaction of guests with the current personal wedding website model, and how her previous work at the Knot in travel and international partnerships gave her the insight to know that the key to getting everyone to a wedding or gathering was tying everyone together in a social conversation.   We also discuss how Kiss & Tell is making a difference for the Latino community, with the company being nominated by angel investors for the first-ever Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund and winning. This partnership has led to Kiss & Tell becoming a perk for all of Google's 300,000 plus employees, offering a free engagement trip if they book their wedding with Kiss & Tell.   Amy shares her experiences as a Latina and a female in tech, and how it has influenced the company's mission to include underrepresented folks in the products and pain points they are solving. She also talks about Kiss & Tell's solutions, which include building and booking event venues, packages, and group stays, as well as communication tools such as segmented group conversations like WhatsApp. Lastly, we get some insights on how she finds diverse talent, and how long-standing networks exist for different demographics.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio:   Amy Jarczynski is the Founder & CEO of Kiss & Tell, an award-winning wedding and group travel booking platform that ties everyone together in a streamlined conversation. She is an industry expert who for over a decade witnessed booking and deal flow problems impacting consumers and the industry while she spent 13 years growing and scaling The Knot’s (www.theknot.com) global presence. Kiss & Tell enjoys broad industry support, high user conversion rates of wedding guests to future event hosts and the recognition of winning both Google For Startups Latino Founders Fund in 2022 (post-revenue) and Capital Factory’s $100K Challenge in 2017 (pre-product). Amy is passionate about travel and bringing people together with loved ones around the world, while always finding joy in the journey.  A problem solver at heart, she's deeply committed to creating a robust and lasting solution, helping people gather globally. When not traveling or working, Amy loves spending time with friends and family, people watching or lingering over good wine and food.     Time Stamps:   02:45 Amy’s background and professional journey with Kiss & Tell 06:43 Leveraging Google for startups and supporting underrepresented folks 09:18 Exploring the benefits of Kiss & Tell 13:30 What does it look like to engage with Kiss & Tell 16:57 Building the platform from a technical perspective 21:12 Rebuilding a platform during covid-19 23:59 Hiring talent to build a platform 27:52 Onboarding event venues and hotels building trust and improving user experience 29:49 Investigating a payment glitch during site rollout 33:35 Partnerships and strategies for growing destination wedding awareness 36:57 How to get in contact with the Kiss & Tell team Resources:   Company website: https://kissandtell.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doyoukissandtell/ Pinterest: https://co.pinterest.com/DoYouKissAndTell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoYouKissNTell  

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Melvin Hines, a professor, mentor, and entrepreneur who is passionate about leveling the playing field for students from smaller towns. Melvin shares his journey, from growing up in South Georgia and being inspired to help his classmates succeed, to working with the CIA and founding his own EdTech business, Upswing. Melvin discusses the challenges faced by students in smaller towns, including limited access to resources like tutors, advisors, and mentors, and how the Upswing platform was created to bridge this gap by connecting students with mentors from larger cities and providing access to campus resources and third-party networks.   Melvin also shares how Upswing has evolved to address other barriers to student success, including mental health resources, and how their virtual assistant helps students stay on track with reminders and check-ins on how technology can be used to support students and level the playing field for those from smaller towns.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Melvin is the co-founder and CEO of Upswing, an organization that uses engagement software to help keep online students and adult learners on the path toward graduation. Today, Upswing supports nearly 1 million students in nearly 70 colleges. Melvin grew up in south Georgia, where he was one of only 68 students to graduate out of a class of 250. This ignited his passion for finding a way to empower students to take their futures into their own hands through higher education. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Melvin received a JD/MBA from Duke University where he started a law forum for educational equality. Afterward, he became a professor at North Carolina Central University, where he supported first-year student success.     Time Stamps: 02:45 Melvin's professional journey and background 05:45 Leveraging technology to level the playing field in small-town America + 10:19 Leveraging technology to create connections and opportunities for smaller communities 13:31 Upswing's proactive approach to student mental health and financial AID support 17:35 Scaling human intervention with AI technology 21:34 Exploring the impact of Chat GPT on human interaction 24:19 Benefits and challenges of utilizing technology to support vulnerable communities 26:35 Pricing model for student retention services 30:45 Joining forces in an accelerator program 33:36 Equity considerations for co-founders and external investors 39:47 Discussion on equity splitting and liquidation preferences in venture capital funding 42:32 How to get in contact with the Upswing team Resources: Company website: https://upswing.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upswing.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upswing-io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/upswing  

In this episode, we sit down with Sydney, an experienced investor in the venture capital world who has recently launched her own fund, Impressionism Capital. Sydney shares her journey from working in the public sector to discovering her passion for fintech and digital health in venture capital. She also discusses the different stages of venture capital, from pre-revenue to private equity, and the importance of understanding the right type of capital needed to start a company. Sydney provides valuable insights into the fundraising process and shares her experience of raising a fund for Impressionism. She talks about the challenges of raising capital and how it is similar to launching a company. We also touch on the Kaufman Fellows program and the importance of creating a space for vulnerability and honesty within the venture capital industry.   Finally, she stresses the importance of education when it comes to venture capital and the different types of capital available to entrepreneurs. She emphasizes the need to be clear on what one wants to build and what they want to do with their life, as this will help determine the type of business to build.    If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.   Founder Bio:   Sydney is the Founder and General Partner of Impressionism Capital - a venture capital firm that invests in companies making life better for the 99%. The launch of her fund was recently covered by TechCrunch. She has focused on this thesis for the past 6 years and has created a distributed network invested in this space by founding a podcast where she profiles these companies, launching a newsletter where she writes about these companies, and hosting events where she organizes people who care deeply about the impact these companies can have on our society. She participates in several extracurricular activities to increase diversity in tech and level the playing field more broadly. She is on the strategy committee of BLCK VC, on the Board of Colorwave, and on the Advisory Board of Invanti – a startup generator in the Midwest. This work awarded her a Black VC’s Making an Impact designation and an article in Marie Claire. She is deeply involved in her community in Oakland. In 2020, she was honored to receive the Champion of Justice Award from Esq. Apprentice, an Oakland-based nonprofit she supports that creates alternative pathways to a legal career. She was also appointed by the mayor to serve as a Commissioner for the City of Oakland’s Public Safety and Services Commission.    Time Stamps:   03:08 Sydney background in venture capital 05:34 Venture capital, growth equity, and private equity with Impressionism investor 09:28 Benefits of building a company from scratch 11:14 Understanding the right capital for starting your own company 13:18 Discussion on Venture Capital Investment Outcomes 16:10 The importance of timeline when working with venture capital firms 17:63 Evaluating investment opportunities in digital health and fintech 21:22 Exploring the commitment of founders to solving problems 23:47 Different ways to make a living while building something exciting 28:15 Fintech and digital health investment opportunities with Impressionism ventures 31:61 Building relationships to find diverse founders in the digital health and fintech 34:30 Supporting founders through investment and value-add strategies 37:15 How to get in contact with the Impressionism team Resources:   Company website: https://www.impressionismcapital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneypthomas/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sydneypaige10  

In this podcast episode, we sit down with Tomás Uribe, a composer from Colombia who moved to New York to pursue his dreams of creativity and entrepreneurship. We learn about his background in business and how he came to start his company, Mavity, which helps creative freelancers find ways to monetize their passions. Tomás shares his journey to entrepreneurship, which began with difficult competition in the music industry. He had no exposure to business classes or the concept of entrepreneurship, but he had always been an artist and creator. After deciding to pursue an entrepreneurial lifestyle, he began to explore how to solve problems in the creative industry, which led to the creation of Mavity.   We discuss the idea of monetizing passion and how Mavity provides an alternative to the traditional gig economy. Through its platform, creative freelancers can collaborate with others and earn money doing what they love. The company has made it. Its mission is to help people make a living from their passions and realize their full potential.   Tomás also explains that Mavity focuses on two verticals: design and audiovisual. The pool of creatives is global, with most of them coming from Colombia due to the founders' backgrounds. We also discuss the rise of creativity in Latin America, with companies like Netflix and gaming companies entering the market.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Tomás Uribe is an entrepreneur, Co-founder, and CEO at Mavity, the collaboration marketplace for cloud-based creative teams. Tomás has been featured in INC. Magazine, Forbes, and an invited speaker at several conferences and events. Mavity is backed by Pharrell Williams, Techstars, Google, and L'Attitude Ventures, among other investors. Prior to Mavity, Tomás worked with global brands including Qualcomm, United Nations, and Leica Camera, and was a touring musician and composer. He has been recognized in the Forbes Next 1000 list, as well as by the Colombian Government Trade Agency - ProColombia.   Time Stamps: 03:03 Conversation with Tomas Uribe: Background 05:09 Mavity market pain point 07:17 Benefits of the gig economy for creative professionals 08:29 Monetizing passion through creativity 12:53 Understanding the buyer profile of a creative marketplace platform 14:32 Leveraging freelancers for creative projects 18:14 Benefits of high-frequency communication in creative teams 19:44 Mavity's unique project management services 23:53 Waiving fees for creators on Mavity platform and creative ops subscription for clients 25:26 conversation on the scope of work and internal team dynamics 28:12 Exploring a new model for offshore software development 30:32 Hiring processes and team dynamics 32:15 Fundraising journey for a startup, VC funding for underrepresented founders 37:45 Benefits of TechStars network and generative AI tools 39:23 Exploring the benefits of ai-driven tools for creators 43:57 How to get in contact with the Mavity team Resources: Company website: https://www.mavity.co/home Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mavity.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mavity/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MavityCo  

In this episode, we sit with Chrissa McFarlane, the creator of Patientory. Chrissa joins the show to discuss the backstory behind her patient care app. With a background in emergent health, including managing a telemedicine company and consulting for pharma and EMRs, Chrissa was driven to create Patientory from the pain point of building the insurance side of the telemedicine company, as there was not a lot of consumer focus when it came to patient records. Patientory was born from the need for an easier, more organized system for patient records, and it revolutionized the healthcare industry by connecting patients with doctors over an app.   The conversation also delves into the need for consumer-friendly access to medical records, highlighting the difficulty that parents faced when trying to access their child's medical records through traditional methods. Patientory solves this problem by providing a digital health data wallet that allows users to access and manage their medical records from anywhere, making it easier for patients to keep track of their health data and stay on top of their healthcare needs.   What sets Patientory apart is its incorporation of blockchain and cryptocurrency, which allows patients to have control over their health data and potentially monetize it through a marketplace ecosystem. Additionally, Patientory provides rewards for users who take steps to improve their health, such as walking a certain number of steps. These rewards can come in the form of a crypto token, NFTs, or other forms of incentives, incentivizing users to stay active and engaged in their healthcare.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Named one of the top women “leaving their mark on the MedTech field in Health IT,” by Becker’s Hospital Review as the Founder and CEO of Patientory, Inc. Chrissa McFarlane publishes international healthcare research articles and actively writes for Forbes on emerging healthcare technological advances. In 2019, McFarlane authored her first book titled Future Women: Minority Female Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Era of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency. Devoted to fostering digital innovation in the healthcare industry, McFarlane served as co-chair of the Inaugural HIMSS18 Blockchain Workgroup, a member of the; HIMSS Interoperability & Health Information Exchange Committee, Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Access Network and the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer. With an array of professional experiences in the healthcare industry, specializing in technology transformation, delivering cost-efficient services and products for corporate 500 enterprises/ startups achieving prestigious awards, McFarlane serves as an Influencer for the Inaugural Class of the Metro Atlanta Chamber's Choose ATL campaign and Digital Influencer for HIMSS.     Time Stamps: 00:00 Chrissa McFarlane: Patientory and her background in emergent health 02:35 Challenges of accessing medical records 04:52 Benefits of Patientory for managing medical records and health data 08:31 Benefits of Blockchain and crypto in Healthcare 11:39 Leveraging dev shops and educating teams for a successful blockchain product launch 15:26 Patientory partnership-based approach to attracting users in the US 17:23 Raising capital for repository 22:31 Benefits of joining an accelerator for early-stage startups 25:02 conversation on regulatory compliance for blockchain and crypto companies 29:09 Exploring the blockchain development landscape 31:05 Managing time zone differences when hiring remote talent from Europe 33:41 How to get in contact with the Patientory team   Resources: Company website: https://patientory.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patientory_inc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patientory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/patientory    

In this episode, we sit down with Cheryl Potts, the Founder, and CEO of Cleerkut Inc. and Crystal Clear Music, a firm that specializes in providing copyright and royalty administration services to record labels and music publishers. With her extensive experience as a software engineer, Cheryl has developed expertise in automating royalty accounting and ensuring accurate payments to artists. She explains the difficulties involved in documenting and categorizing royalties for multiple songs and artists, often with non-uniform data that contains errors. Cheryl emphasizes the importance of accurate royalty accounting to avoid legal issues and ensure that artists and labels receive the payments they are due.   Cheryl also highlights the ways in which artists can be short-changed, including through misunderstandings of their agreements and clauses that reduce royalty rates. She shares her experience in helping numerous record labels reach RIAA status and developing Licenseyoursong.com, a platform that enables independent music creators to issue their own mechanical licenses.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio:   Cheryl M. Potts is the Founder and CEO of Cleerkut, Inc. & Crystal Clear Music. She has been a copyright and royalty administrator for independent record labels and music publishers for over 17 years. When one of her clients obtained major label distribution, she needed to automate her royalty accounting process. After looking in the market, she could not find a suitable solution for her needs. She decided to develop a system herself and automate many of her administrative tasks, which led to the creation of Cleerkut Royalty. Cheryl was selected by the U.S. Copyright Office to participate in the music licensing study to provide her views on behalf of independent music creators regarding possible changes to the U.S. Compulsory License. Her comments were included in the final music licensing study conducted by the U.S. Copyright Office. Ms. Potts was a senior software engineer building enterprise software for companies. With her two backgrounds merged together, she designed and built Cleerkut Royalty.   Time Stamps:   03:11 Cheryl’s background and music industry experience 05:12 Automating administration tasks in the music publishing industry 07:04 Understanding the process of recording and publishing royalties 10:00 Royalty accounting and unique identifiers for records 14:50 Benefits of Cleerkut royalty for record labels and music publishers 18:16 Analyzing music sales with analytics and licensing solutions 23:22 Developing the platform and scaling up the team 27:10 Software development and ownership of source code 30:00 Offshore development and royalty accounting 32:20 Reaching out to publishers and labels for product market entry 34:26 Clear music administration services 35:44 Found rising journey at Cleerkut 40:32 Conversation on AI and Copyright law in music publishing 42:20 Deep dive music publishing masterclass 44:03 How to get in contact with the Cleerkut team   Resources   Company website: https://cleerkutroyalty.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleerkutroyalty/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleerkutroyalty Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleerkutroyalty

Join us in this episode as we speak with Jasmine Jones, the founder and CEO of Cherry Blossom Intimates, a company that provides breast cancer survivors with fully customizable, insurance-billable prosthetic breasts. Jasmine shares her inspiring story of entrepreneurship, from starting her own business as a teenager to founding Cherry Blossom Intimates instruments in honor of her grandmother. We explore the challenges she faced as a young entrepreneur, from bootstrapping her business to navigating the world of venture capital. We also learn about the importance of self-funding and the power of winning a global pitch competition.   Jasmine's passion and dedication to her mission are truly inspiring, and we discuss the impact her company is having on the lives of breast cancer survivors. We delve into topics such as software implementation in the physical product industry, leveraging tech talent, and exploring business models. We also explore the benefits of AI for business scalability, raising venture capital for business growth, and drawing comparisons to established companies when raising capital.   If your company is looking to hire top dev and/ or AI engineers, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in recruiting the best of the best software developers, machine learning engineers, and data scientists.   Founder Bio:   Jasmine Jones is the founder and CEO of Cherry Blossom Intimates with a seed round of $1.25 million. She is one of the few black women in the world to close over 1 million in venture funding. Jasmine is a Fashion Institute of Technology award-winning lingerie designer, a Tory Burch Fellow, and a Forbes Under 30 list maker.     Time Stamps:   03:25 - Jasmine's background journey: from thrift store reselling to healthcare company CEO 07:41 - Exploring the challenges of bootstrapping a physical product company 10:02 - Maya's customizable breast prosthetics and fit experience 12:15 - Software implementation in the physical product industry 14:25 - How innovative solutions enabled business growth 16:57 - Finding the right tech team for a pivoting business 20:55 - Leveraging tech talent and exploring business models 24:13 - Exploring automation for business growth 26:32 - Exploring the benefits of AI for business scalability 28:36 - Raising venture capital for business growth 29:52 - Raising over $7 million in funding for a startup 33:31 - Benefits of drawing comparisons to established companies when raising capital 36:23 - Benefits of explaining breast prosthetics to a variety of audiences 38:24 - Revolutionizing the breast cancer prosthetics experience 39:10 - How to get in contact with the Cherry Blossom Intimates team   Resources:   Company website: https://cherryblossomintimates.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherryblossomintimates/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cherryblossomintimates/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBIntimates  

Every year, an increasing number of healthcare practices struggle with administrative complexities, reimbursements, and cash flow needed to run viable practices. Revenues have dropped and costs have risen, leading to an unprecedented decline in privately-owned practices.    In this episode, we speak with Emmanuel Akintayo, the Co-founder and CTO of Gentem, an AI software company that automates billing workflows for healthcare organizations. Manny shares his fascinating background, originally hailing from Nigeria and moving to the US at the age of 13, where his parents encouraged him to study electrical engineering. However, he pursued his interest in software engineering and started a business building website.   Gentem transforms the reimbursement experience by handling the end-to-end billing and revenue cycle processes. Leveraging automation, data science and the latest financial technologies, Gentem is able to increase cash flow while drastically reducing account receivable days and uncovering opportunities to increase revenue. In just a few short years, they has raised over $14 million and serves specialties such as behavioral health, primary care, and pain across the entire country. Tune in to hear more about Manny's journey to becoming a founder and the mission behind Gentem to simplify the reimbursement process and elevate the patient financial experience in healthcare.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.  Founder Bio:  Emmanuel Antikayo earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering and his Master’s degree in quality and manufacturing management from Penn State University. After completing his education, Manny launched his career as an operations and systems engineer at QBC Diagnostics. Over the last decade, Manny has held analyst and software engineer roles at JP Morgan Chase & Co, Accenture and OfferUp. With his experience in the mobile consumer-to-consumer (C2C) space, he joined Facebook in 2018 to help develop the emerging Facebook Marketplace platform. In 2019, Manny left Facebook to join forces with Gentem Co-Founder/CEO Fisayo Ositelu, MD. Fisayo had been searching for a co-founder with engineering expertise and entrepreneurial drive. Time Stamps:  00:00 Manny Akintayo background and journey from Nigeria to tech entrepreneur 06:22 Exploring the pain point in healthcare software, benefits and challenges 10:10 Benefits of automation and AI in healthcare claims processing 15:06 Go-to-market strategies for healthcare startups 18:52 Building strategic partnerships for mutual benefits 22:17 Building a team for a healthcare technology company 26:52 Discussion on building a tech team and selecting a code language 29:21 Optimizing for the best engineering talent, remote teams and job market considerations 31:52 Raising capital: a journey from seed to series A 34:20 fundraising strategies for startups: a conversation with an entrepreneur 35:44 Raising capital for a software company 40:30 How to get in contact with the  team Resources:   Company website: https://gentem.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GentemHealth/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gentemhealth/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gentemhealth  

As business circumstances shift, workplaces must also adapt, necessitating new types of leaders with the appropriate skills and mindset. Due to its significant impact on competitiveness and profitability, companies seeking to safeguard their business's future must prioritize leadership development.   In this episode, we speak with Alex West Steinman, the founder, CEO, and partner of The Coven. The Coven is a premier workspace and community for women, non-binary individuals, and trans folks in Minneapolis St. Paul. Alex also reflects on her personal journey of transitioning from a freelancer to an entrepreneur and co-founding The Coven with a group of friends in 2016. Their vision was to establish a secure and empowering workspace that would benefit their demographic. Furthermore, Alex emphasizes the advantages of creating a women-centric workplace environment and integrating technology into their business.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.  Founder Bio:  Alex West Steinman is co-founder of The Coven, one of the world’s premier community and workspaces with two locations in Minneapolis St. Paul, a thriving online community and new franchise model to tap into the collective wisdom of entrepreneurs across the country to open more inclusive spaces for radical leaders.   Before she became an entrepreneur herself, Alex served as a communications director for both global brands and local politicians and is a powerhouse when it comes to PR.  But beyond what she can do, is why she does it: Alex has a genuine enjoyment of people, a dedication to the economic empowerment and advancement of women, and a passion for telling the stories of underestimated communities.   In no particular order, Alex loves her two kids, husband, Oprah, and Beyonce. You can find her giving weight to exciting topics and holding space for the community.   02:38 Alex West professional background before The Coven 04:30 making the leap from freelancer to entrepreneur 07:21 Designing a safe and brave space for women, non-binary, and transgender folks  11:12 Exploring the benefits of a women-centric workplace environment 14:35 Benefits of coworking and incorporating software into the business 17:53 Coworking space digital community development during the pandemic 21:21 Value of digital community platforms for coworking spaces 24:34 Opening and raising capital for coworking space 28:27 Crowdfunding challenges for B2B products 30:28 raising funds for a preceding round 33:03 The process of fundraising for a startup 37:37 conversation on raising funds for a co-working space 41:08 How to get in contact with The Coven team Resources Company website: https://www.thecoven.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoven.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thecovenco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecovenco  

Latin America is ripe for social and economic transformation. With its rapidly growing and digitizing middle class, we are facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring our empathy, ingenuity, and grit to design and scale vibrant solutions for this traditionally underserved demographic. A growing and empowered middle class is the foundation of a more equal, stable, and prosperous society.   In this episode, we speak with Wenyi Cai, the successful entrepreneur Co-founder, and CEO of Polymath Ventures. Wenyi shares her insights on the challenges of raising funds for startups and her solution to the problem: hiring top software development talent from Latin America. She also shares her experiences working in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and other emerging markets during the mid-2000s. She discusses the transformative technology in these regions and how, with the right technology and distribution models, it can generate profitable and exponential growth, as well as better jobs and income for the entire value chain.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.    Founder Bio:   Wenyi Cai is the Founder & CEO of Polymath Ventures, a venture studio that builds digital platforms to empower the middle class of Latin America. Prior to founding Polymath, Wenyi was an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. As the COO of Milo.com, a consumer internet startup that sold to eBay in 2010, Wenyi led business development efforts with major technology companies like Microsoft and eBay and oversaw the product and engineering teams. Earlier in her career, Wenyi was a consultant with McKinsey & Company in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Preceding her business career, Wenyi helped build a quantitative trading hedge fund and was a published researcher in applied physics. Wenyi graduated cum laude from Harvard College and studied philosophy and physics. Wenyi was born in China and grew up between China and the United States.     02:57 Wenyi Cai Background and professional experience 06:28 Exploring the Transformative Power of Technology in Emerging Markets 08:23 Summary of the professional journey from McKinsey to Silicon Valley and beyond 10:37 Benefits of doing business in Colombia 14:05 The untapped potential of Colombia’s talent pool 16:43 Polymath venture studio model and investment strategy 19:19 Discussion on business designers and the transition to the founder role 22:16 Benefits of a venture studio model for business model innovation 24:17 Conversation on the entrepreneurial drive and business models in Latin America 29:14 Enterprise SAAS in China and Latin America talent pool 33:45 Benefits of the venture studio model with Polymath ventures 36:43 Process of fundraising for Polymath Venture. 38:51 Benefits of being multilingual in the Latin American startup ecosystem 43:04 How to get in contact with the Polymath Venture team Resources   Company website: https://polymathv.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathventures/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polymath-ventures/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/polymathdigital  

Explore the cutting edge of healthcare delivery and innovation with Derek Miles, founder and CEO of CourMed and chairman of TMB Equity Partners. Derek shares his journey from discouraged entrepreneur to successful leader in the healthcare industry, offering valuable insights on fundraising, global expansion, and partnerships for sourcing skilled healthcare professionals.   Discover the benefits of CourMed's concierge healthcare services, including prescription delivery, medical services, infusion therapies, vaccines, and advanced testing. With a world-class team of medical practitioners, CourMed is dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare and wellness solutions to consumers wherever they are.   Don't miss this exciting episode featuring Derek Miles, as he discusses the future of healthcare and the challenges of scaling a healthcare business.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.    Founder Bio:  Derrick is Founder/Chief Executive Officer at CourMed. In addition, Mr. Miles is Chairman + Founder of TMB Equity Partners (executive team are former healthcare executives with 15+ years of experience); a boutique firm focused on investing/developing innovative healthcare solutions that achieve a liquidity event within five years. Derrick is also a multiple patented inventor, he received both an MSHA (#1 Program in the country) and MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also holds a BS in Medical Technology (minor in Chemistry) from Bethune-Cookman University. Derrick is married with two sons; his family lives in Collin County, TX, and Dade County, FL.   Show Notes: 02:47 Derrick Miles background to Healthcare Executive 06:13 Encouraging people through innovative healthcare delivery platforms 09:22 Investing in health care company to serve high net worth clients 14:34 CourMed health and wellness service models 17:14 Becoming national provider of concierge health and wellness for the NBA 19:16 Benefits of CourMed concierge health care platform and wellness services 26:04 Tech features for scalability in the concierge business 28:34 Building a tech stack for CourMed with a fractional CTO 35:22 Leveraging partnerships to source high-skilled healthcare professionals 38:37 Exploring the challenges of expanding a healthcare business globally 40:18 Journey of raising funds for a startup and understanding the investment process 42:58 Understanding the difference between investment and found less sponsorship 45:50 What’s next for CourMed in 2023 46:40 How to get in contact with the Bardeen team   Resources: Company website: https://www.courmed.com/about-us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courmed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/courmed/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CourMed

Currently, black women are starting businesses at 6 times the national average but are not seeing the same receipts as other founders. There are 3 major areas where women of color require support: access to capital, access to influential networks, and the ability to hire employees. The lack of access to capital for women is becoming a more prevalent part of the entrepreneurial conversation however solutions to solve the issue are still evolving. Black Girl Ventures is specifically focused on creating access to capital for women. All programming is centered on addressing this issue head-on.   In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Omi Bell, an entrepreneur and founder of Black Girl Ventures, to discuss her journey to success and the challenges faced by black women in the startup world. Omi shares her story of pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams after a difficult breakup and job loss, and how she founded Black Girl Ventures to provide resources and funding for black women interested in launching their own startups. We learn how her organization has funded over 300 women founders, generating about 10 million in revenue and creating over 3,000 jobs, and how talent is the biggest culprit behind why startups fail.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.    Founder Bio:   Omi  Bell is the Founder/CEO of Black Girl Ventures, the host of The Omi Show on SiriusXM Urban View, and the creative director of Omi’s World Media. She has been named one of the top 100 most powerful women in business by Entrepreneur Magazine, Entrepreneur of the Year by Technically DC, and a Rising Brand Star by Adweek. She has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and Refinery29; also been seen on Good Morning America, Vice TV, Cheddar, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Nike billboards and ads. Her work with entrepreneurs has been revered and honored by two murals in Washington, DC. Under her leadership, Black Girl Ventures has funded over 300 women founders representing about $10MM in revenue and creating over 3000 jobs for the US economy. Omi’s story and efforts have directly impacted over 20,000 people across 64 countries through training, mentoring, and speaking.  Show Notes:   03:28 Omi Bell's background in computer science 06:06 reflection on teaching computer science to a diverse classroom 08:30 Combining creative and analytical thinking to create Black Girl Ventures (BGV)  11:45 Exploring access to capital for black entrepreneurs 14:14 BGV pitch, fellowship program, and emerging leaders program overview 16:31 Leadership, business, and equity in the tech industry  19:12 Industry agnostic and focused on specific verticals 21:37 Investment opportunities and donor-advised fund 25:30 Investment strategies for women-led companies at the million-dollar mark 30:29 Positioning a company for sale or merger 33:58 Advice for founders seeking investment 37:10 Preparing for enterprise sales: what you need to know 40:42 Omi Bell's new book context  46:47 How to get in contact with the BGV team   Resources:   Company website: https://www.blackgirlventures.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackgirlventures/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackgirlventures/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BGirlVentures

Many healthcare organizations are required to conduct time studies to document the time their practitioners spend on contracted activities. The resulting data is crucial for financial and cost reporting, as well as operational efficiency and workforce effectiveness initiatives. However, the discontinuous data reporting schedules and inefficient data collection workflows associated with traditional time studies can make them a burden for practitioners and result in low response rates.   On today's episode, we're joined by Kishau Rogers, CEO and founder of TimeStudy, to discuss how her AI-powered platform is improving productivity and creating competitive advantages for healthcare organizations. By leveraging machine learning and natural language processing, TimeStudy streamlines the time study process, making it less burdensome for practitioners and increasing response rates.   In addition to discussing the benefits of TimeStudy, Kishau shares her journey as a tech entrepreneur, her fundraising experience, team-building strategies, and advice for engaging with customers and minimizing investment risks. We also explore the use cases for time analysis in healthcare finance.   Join us for an insightful conversation on the future of time studies and their impact on healthcare organizations.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.    Founder Bio:   Kishau Rogers is a technology entrepreneur using computer science, systems thinking, and common sense to create intelligent human-centered solutions. As the Founder and CEO of Time Study, Kishau is one of the first Black women in the state of Virginia to raise millions in venture capital to scale her tech startup. Headquartered in New York City, Time Study is a platform that uses artificial intelligence to help enterprises understand the impact of how their employees spend their time. Time Study serves many of the largest health organizations in the US. Kishau’s work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Black Enterprise. She holds a Computer Science degree and has over 25 years of technology and entrepreneurial leadership experience.   Show Notes:   02:38 Becoming a tech entrepreneur background 06:33 Leveraging relationships to start a business 08:48 Understanding the role of a founder in building a solution 10:38 Discussion on services business vs. start-up mindset for software development 14:11 Working hand in hand with initial customers 18:12 Benefits of machine learning, clustering, and natural language processing 20:03 Exploring the benefits of speed, contextualization, and standardization 23:26 Use cases for time analysis and predictions in healthcare finance 26:15 Benefits of healthcare ai for financial operations and workforce effectiveness 27:42 Team building strategies at time study 31:22 Fundraising and capital funding journey for time study 42:00 Strategies for de-risking investment and engaging with customers 44:56 How to get in contact with the Time study team   Resources: Company website: https://timestudy.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/timestudycom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timestudycom Twitter: https://twitter.com/timestudy  

Cybersecurity is at the forefront of today's news as the frequency of cyber-attacks continues to escalate alarmingly. Statistics reveal that the number of global cyber-attacks rose by a significant 28% during Q3 of 2022, compared to the previous year. The shift towards remote work, the rapid pace of digital transformation, and the emergence of highly sophisticated threat actors have made ensuring the safety of sensitive information a crucial concern for all companies.   In this episode, we discuss Corey's background as a cybersecurity expert, the benefits of combining software and services for cybersecurity solutions, and the go-to-market strategies for such solutions. Corey also touches on affordable pricing options for small-medium sized businesses and the benefits of services-based business models for tech startups. His company offers incident response and managed services solutions, combining both product and service to provide comprehensive protection for businesses.    If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.      Founder Bio:   As a transformative, servant leader, Corey is a proven entrepreneur focused on innovating and creating new paradigms in the security industry and life. His leadership style is focused on an employee first approach because of the positive impact of happy employees on their customer relationships. Corey has chosen to take a people centric approach to life and to let all outcomes be driven by that philosophy. Twenty-five years of experience in the security industry has seasoned him to create the next exponential evolution. As Founder and Chief Experience Officer, Corey has created Cyvatar.ai to enable vendor partners to deliver reliable, repeatable, and measurable business outcomes to clients through an outstanding customer experience. This also allows the partner to engineer out complexity, improve renewal/upsell/cross-sell opportunities, and increase their customer satisfaction and referrals.     Show Notes:   03:03 Background of cybersecurity expert Corey White.   06:18 Cybersecurity incident response and managed services solutions.   09:52 Combining product and service to protect businesses.   11:32 Building a cybersecurity solution with the right team and partnerships.   13:30 Benefits of combining software and services for cybersecurity solutions.   17:10 How everything started from a product perspective.   19:26 Leveraging proprietary technology to create fastest outcomes in the industry.   24:14 Go-to-market strategies for cybersecurity solutions.   28:16 Cybersecurity solutions for startups and small-medium-sized businesses.   30:14 Affordable pricing and direct to customer solutions for small businesses.   35:54 External partners to build a company faster   39:14 Revenue-based financing as an alternative funding model for startups    44:47 Benefits of services-based business models for tech startups     Resources   Company website: https://cyvatar.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyvatar-ai/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyvatar.ai/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cyvatar

Millions of pounds of food are wasted every year in the United States and millions of people go without meals. Bridging that gap has been challenging, but now there are solutions using technology to help solve this problem. Our guest today is at the forefront of this movement to end hunger.    Jasmine Crowe is the CEO and Founder of Goodr, and she’s working specifically on this food waste problem. Goodr’s mission is to feed more and waste less using their technology platform that connects those with excess food to the people who need it most. In this episode, Jasmine talks in depth about how Goodr started and the challenges she’s faced growing the company.    Founder Bio   Jasmine Crowe is an award-winning social entrepreneur, children’s book author, TED Speaker, and leader who is working to make the world a better place one cause at a time. Jasmine’s goal is to foster change and create awareness about the leading socioeconomic issues of today, including climate change, food waste, and hunger.  In 2017, after years of feeding people experiencing homelessness from her own kitchen, Jasmine launched Goodr, a sustainable waste management company that leverages technology to combat hunger and reduce food waste. She has been featured on CNBC, Oprah Magazine, Inc., Forbes, Fast Co., NY Times, and named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 100 influential female founders.   Under Jasmine’s leadership, Goodr has redirected over 20 million pounds of surplus food from event centers, airports, and businesses to people that are food insecure. Goodr has also launched a grocery delivery program that provides free weekly groceries to thousands of senior citizens and students. Most recently, the company implemented its first no-cost, grocery store for a Title 1 school. Goodr clients include Turner Broadcasting, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport, Atlanta Hawks, NBA, Capital One, Six Flags Over Georgia, and many more. Timestamps   03:26 - How Jasmine’s consultancy led to starting Goodr    06:59 - The tax benefits companies receive from using Goodr’s platform    7:37 - The challenges of being a solo founder and how Jasmine built her team   11:00 - Dealing with potential investors’ concerns if you don’t have a team    14:30 - How Jasmine utilized advice for mentors early on to help grow her team   17:48 - The importance of delegating to the team to be able to actively raise money   20:00 - How Goodr used technology to solve the waste management problem by making the ecosystem more efficient   21:26 - The way Goodr manages the relationships with each stakeholder   24:26 - How Goodr’s platform makes it easy for drivers to pick up and deliver the food    25:44 - How Goodr gained traction in her early days   28:13 - Using a customer acquisition strategy that includes direct outreach, partnerships, referrals and more   30:00 - Jasmine explains the fundraising journey for Goodr and the type of investors that are a best fit   32:10 How to get in contact with the Goodr team Resources   Company website: https://goodr.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodrco/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodrCo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegoodrco