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IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode our host, Denise Silber, is joined by Harvard Law School alumna Heidi Messer, a serial entrepreneur who successively co-founded Linkshare and Collective [i]™, and made successes of them despite the critics who said it could not be done. Together they discuss the benefit of using AI-powered software to significantly reduce the time that sales people devote to data entry and forecasting and not actually selling. By re-allocating this valuable 70% of work-time previously spent on data entry and forecasting, Heidi’s technology allows businesses and sales people to focus on revenue generation and automate tedious tasks. Tune in to hear why AI isn’t going to take people’s jobs… but companies who work with AI will replace those who don’t. GUEST BIO: Heidi Messer is the co-Founder and Chairperson of Collective[i]™.  Prior to Collective[i], Ms. Messer co-founded and served as President of LinkShare, host to one of the world’s largest online affiliate networks until its sale to Rakuten for USD $425m. She received her B.A. from Brown University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School.  Collective[i] uses AI to help businesses forecast, manage, and grow revenue. By leveraging data, human talent, and social connections, Collective[i] empowers sales and other revenue-generating functions, to optimize their activities and processes, driving global prosperity for companies and sales professionals alike.  

IN THIS EPISODE: There has been an increasing level of attention paid to the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry. And as consumers increasingly seek out brands that are environmentally conscious, change is in the making. In this episode our host, Philip Guarino, is joined by Stephanie Sarka CEO & Co-Founder of 1 Atelier. Together they talk about these trends and how her innovative handbag company is addressing this increasing opportunity- and delighting customers. 1Atelier’s is out to build a stronger connection with their market by extending the joy of creation. Their customers are able to design a one of a kind bag made from sustainable materials and methods. With the fight against global warming, consumers are now more conscious of how products are made and how they can decrease their carbon footprint. It's no wonder that business models and value chains are evolving to meet these demands. Tune in to hear from this retail expert and entrepreneur on the pathway to making your venture more sustainable — and how to attract customers while you do it! GUEST BIO: Stephanie Sarka is the Co-Founder & CEO of 1 Atelier, where they are leveraging technology to reinvent luxury.Graduating from Stanford, Stephanie started in M&A at Goldman Sachs. Realizing that she is a builder, not a banker, she spent a year running marketing for IFF in Paris before getting her MBA at HBS. She then worked at Coach for 7 years as Handbag Product Manager and GM of Mark Cross, the American luxury goods brand. Stephanie co-founded GoTo.com in 1998, where they invented the “Paid Search” business model. They took the company public in 1999 and grew it to ~$1 billion in revenue before selling it to Yahoo for $1.6 billion in 2003.

IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode our host, Denise Silber is joined by Françoise Bouyer, a Harvard Business School Amp alumna,  a self-described gender-free entrepreneur, with expertise in the luxury industry and in HR. Together they discuss how gender inclusivity and understanding in the workplace has become crucial for the entrepreneur interested in  building a richer sense of self, engaging a more fulfilled and successful team, and  producing relevant goods and services for the customer of today   As CEO of BeThe1, an international consulting firm in human relations and recruitment of middle and senior managers, Françoise is an expert on all things diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender identity in the workplace. Françoise reminds us  that the binary gender identity is a cultural convention, that  sexual orientation and gender are distinct, and that a gender savvy leader will foster a richer company culture and brand following. With new generations becoming more engaged in the societal evolution regarding gender, value-driven, inclusive companies are being rewarded with more loyal customers. Tune in to find out how your business can join the global shift towards creating a more inclusive workplace and innovative products and services. GUEST BIO: Françoise Bouyer is CEO of BeThe1, an international consulting firm in human relations and recruitment of middle and senior managers. She has two complementary expertise: extensive managerial experience in the fashion, luxury, beauty and retail industries with brands including Celine, Christian Lacroix, Nina Ricci, and  as an HR consultant in recruitment, gender and gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion. Freed from the binary feminine/masculine norm of gender identity, Françoise is engaged with the public and organizations to share her understanding of what gender is, and advocate for a more open and inclusive culture, attitude and behavior towards gender.”  HBS AMP 156 (’99), Françoise Bouyer leads the HBS Club of France Career Commission, supporting HBS alumni with career advice.

IN THIS EPISODE: With an evolving business and societal context more and more people are seeking to become independent professionals. One industry that has undergone significant changes is management consulting. In this episode our host, Philip Guarino, is joined by Will Bachman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Umbrex. Together they share the trends, opportunities and challenges that come with being an independent consultant. Independent consultants are in ever higher demand. Will explains why it takes a global community to thrive as an independent professional, and the resources available to those looking to grow their brand. This episode provides advice for all entrepreneurs looking to build their network, find unique work opportunities, and connect with like minded professionals. With individuals placing more emphasis on autonomy and independence, there has never been a better time to make the leap and thrive as an independent consultant. GUEST BIO: Will Bachman was recently named one of 38 "Power Players of Consulting" by Business Insider.  A McKinsey alum, Bachman is a co-founder and the Managing Partner of Umbrex, the world's first global community connecting top-tier independent management consultants. He hosts the popular podcast Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional. Bachman created The Umbrex Guide to Setting Up Your Own Consulting Practice, which is based on over 1,000 discussions with independent management consultants and 300 episodes of his podcast.  Bachman is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Business School. Before becoming a management consultant, Bachman served as a nuclear-trained submarine officer in the U.S. Navy.

IN THIS EPISODE: As a founder, you can probably present your company pitch in your sleep by now, but did you know that  if you want to connect with your audience, it is essential to lead with your values? In this episode, leadership coach, speaker and writer, Beth Fukumoto, joins our host, Denise Silber, to peel back the curtain on why and how to lead with your core values. She shares the best ways to determine what your core values are, and how business leaders can make the jump to integrate personal values into a company. Beth pulls from her experiences in the Hawaiian House of Representatives, the Kennedy School, and her current career to provide advice for founders at any stage, interested in leading with values and mobilizing social change. So tune in, and learn why the best way to achieve new successes is by  ensuring that you express  your values regularly and set goals that align with them. This increased personal and professional satisfaction you and your team will experience will create a virtuous circle. GUEST BIO An experienced political leader and leadership coach, Beth Fukumoto, a Harvard Kennedy School alumna and teaching fellow,  works with civic-minded organizations and businesses to mobilize for social change. She is completing a book entitled Red Lines: Postcards from Partisan Purgatory that draws leadership lessons from her own political experiences. In 2017, Beth was the youngest woman in the U.S. to lead a major party in a U.S. legislature and the first elected Republican to switch parties after Trump’s election. She served 3 terms in the Hawaii House of Representatives where she was recognized as one of Washington Post’s “40 under 40″ rising stars and Apolitical’s “Most Influential Young People in Government".

IN THIS EPISODE:  People are living longer. Almost half of those born today will live to 100. But what does this mean for our future economy? And how does this impact the way we approach our careers and relationships? Thought-leader, writer, and entrepreneur, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, joins our host, Philip Guarino, to answer these questions and more. Together, in this episode, they break down the new “Four Quarters” of life, and discuss the benefits of starting a new career at 50... and what to think about at 25! Avivah pulls from both her personal experience and her research findings to explain the opportunities brought to companies by the “longevity economy”: from untapped market potential in older demographics, to the growing pool of eligible hires. As an expert in the industry, Avivah is putting pressure on old norms and redefining what it means to be in your prime. Tune in, and find out how to rethink the framework of your career and beyond!   GUEST BIO: Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is CEO of 20-first, a global consulting firm working with companies interested in capturing the competitive advantage of gender, nationality and generational balance. Her thought leadership is accessible through books, regular contributions to Harvard Business Review and Forbes, and TEDx talks. Her book, Why Women Mean Business, was awarded the Manpower Best Book of the Year Prize, and she has been recognized by ELLE Magazine as one of the Top 40 Women Leading Change. Recently she has been a Fellow at Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, exploring the social and business impact of our ever longer lives.

IN THIS EPISODE:  In this episode our host, Philip Guarino, is joined by Rob Follows. Rob’s passion for helping entrepreneurs and family run businesses maximize their venture’s exit led him to found STS Capital Partners, where he has been involved with over 1000 venture deals. By pulling from his experience on both sides of a negotiation, Rob shares what he wishes he had known as an entrepreneur during his first exit, and the value of finding an advisor who aligns with your company values.  Philip and Rob discuss the key differences between financial and strategic buyers, and the perseverance needed to build a venture from the ground up. Tune in to this episode to learn how to successfully value your venture, and optimize your exit strategy. And keep an out for HAE’s four-part series on exit strategy, featuring Rob Fellows and the STS Team.   GUEST BIO: Rob Follows’, Founder and CEO of STS Capital Partners, passion is to help entrepreneurial business owners achieve successful Exits and support the creation of billions of dollars in philanthropic capital. STS = Success to Significance through Selling to Strategics™. He has been involved in or led over a thousand M&A transactions, with a total transaction value of over $100B.  He has held various roles with YPO, including Founding Chapter Chair; former Chair of the Global Deal Network; Founding Chair of the Executive Committee of the Social Enterprise Networks; and, as a YPO Best of the Best Premier Speaker: ‘Everyone has their own Everest, what is yours?’

IN THIS EPISODE:  In this episode our host, Denise Silber is joined by Cecilia Tham, a Harvard Design School alumna, who is an entrepreneur, prize-winning futurist, metaverse designer and hands-on person, all rolled into one!  Together they discuss how web 3.0 and phygital environments are revolutionizing product creation and re-inventing retail. This episode even answers the question: “Why would anyone buy a virtual product?”  An entrepreneur herself, Cecilia emphasizes the need to “Start small, think big, and move fast” to take your startup to the next level. From programming and selling a self-sustaining plant to creating a high-end shopping experience in an empty store with blank white walls, Cecilia leads us through new scenarios for sustainability and creativity across all industries and price points. Is it time to start piloting a metaverse for your business? Tune in and find out how!   GUEST BIO: Cecilia Tham, a Barcelona-based alumna  of the Harvard Graduate School of Design,  engineers futures, by working at the intersection of science, design, strategy and impact. With decades of experience in innovation, Cecilia Tham collaborates with companies and organizations to provide Futures-as-a-Service via her current role as the founder and director of Futurity Systems, with the goal of building better futures faster.  Previously a  Social Technologist at Alpha Telefonica, Europe’s first moonshot factory, Cecilia Tham is a serial entrepreneur, having founded multiple companies including Makers of Barcelona, FabCafe and allWomen.tech.  She serves as advisor to UN World Food Program X, SXSW, National Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) as well as other private companies.  We are proud to note that Cecilia Tham has  has been named top 100 Women of the Future and Top 40 Futurists in Spain, among other accolades.

IN THIS EPISODE:  In this episode, Nuno Godinho joins our host, Denise Silber, to share his perspective on why CEO’s would benefit from gaining the CTO’s ability to understand how to quickly test and revise new products and maneuver rapidly. As Founder and CEO of Diisruptance, a strategic business and technology consultancy, Nuno shares lessons for CEOs, CTOs, and everyone in between, that will help your venture keep up with the rapid pace of innovation in the technology landscape.  Tune in to learn  how to manage risk within a software company, how to approach crypto, and key strategies for keeping a balanced and sustainable work life in our stressful environment.   GUEST BIO:  An Entrepreneur in Residence at Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs, Nuno Godinho is Founder & CEO of Diisruptance, a strategic business and technology consultancy. He’s an accomplished Board Member and CxO with deep business & technology background, and expertise in areas such as governance, strategic growth, funding strategies and technology. Passionate, globally minded visionary and entrepreneur, he has a proven track record of more than 25 years delivering high quality results. He has worked with world leading organizations such as Microsoft, GE, SAGE and many others, varying in size and complexity, and stretching the globe in industries from healthcare, to pharma, to finance, and beyond.

IN THIS EPISODE:  Behavioral insights have the power to predict, shape, and propel the future of a business or even an entire industry. With them, companies can grow their sales, improve quality control, retain staff. But what are they and how do they work? In this episode, Denise Silber is joined by Darren Frey, founder of Ensemble Insight, whose consulting business integrates machine learning to help founders identify new, relevant data and make more informed decisions.   With his extensive professional experience at the intersection of behavioral and data sciences, Darren Frey  explains how business owners, when faced with a challenge that is not responding to usual methods, can find new solutions from either existing data or new data that is easy to acquire. In this episode, they cover everything from internal decision making to customer acquisition and retention, all through the lens of behavioral insights. Whether you're a new founder, or a long time entrepreneur, this episode promises to provide new perspectives to business strategies.   GUEST BIO: Darren Frey is the Director of Ensemble Insight, an applied decision science consultancy, as well as a lecturer at Science Po’s School of Management and Innovation in Paris.  He works at the intersection of the behavioral and data sciences in order to help organizations make evidence supported and behaviorally informed decisions.   An American raised in Mexico City, Darren Frey has a Masters in Theological Studies from the Harvard Divinity School, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh; a Masters in Economics and Psychology (Paris I & Paris V), and a PhD  in Cognitive Science from the University of Paris. After working at both UNESCO and  Sanofi, first as a Senior Data Scientist and then as Director of the Analytics and Data Science Engine,  Darren Frey created Ensemble Insight consultancy to provide tailored, behavioral and data scientific expertise to companies from early stage start-ups to the Fortune 500.

IN THIS EPISODE: Purpose. Why is it crucial not just to entrepreneurs but for humanity? Here to discuss his journey, why purpose is inextricably linked to success, and the transformative power of living purposefully is author, thought-leader and entrepreneur Ammar Charani.    Our host, Philip Guarino, sits down with Ammar as he recounts his near-death experience and how it led him to find purpose in all aspects of life. They discuss the purpose-to-productivity pipeline and the dangers of living by a “work-life balance” mentality. This episode provides perspective and advice for any busy entrepreneur working to build a meaningful and socially conscious venture. Tune in to learn how you can find and build purpose within yourself, family, work, community, and your environment.   GUEST BIO: Ammar sought fulfillment and spent ten years with Sufi masters and religious scholars, studying, teaching, and subsequently serving as a cleric. Later, he focused on entrepreneurship, starting and seed-investing in over thirty businesses with thousands of employees. After a near-death experience, today Ammar is focused on growing Purposehood® University, a non-profit that trains coaches, therapists, business leaders, and professionals to help others live their purpose and unleash their potentiality. Ammar teaches “Engineering Your Life” course based on his Amazon #1 new release: "Purposehood: Transform Your Life, Transform the World”. Ammar holds an engineering degree from the University of Central Florida, and he is a graduate of HBS' "The President's Program in Leadership."

In this exciting episode our host, Denise Silber, is joined by Rotem Shacham, Principal at Viola Ventures, Israel’s leading tech investing group, as they explore unicorn hunting! Together they zero in on the challenges of identifying a future unicorn and what it takes to succeed for both a start-up and the investing group building its portfolio.  An experienced investor with an international perspective, Rotem digs deep into the key characteristics of a promising  start-up and explains why an outlier investment strategy can make the difference for an investment group. Rotem also provides an update on the competitive advantages Israel provides.

IN THIS EPISODE:  In this episode our host, Philip Guarino, is joined by Tom Sylvester, General Counsel for Hedera Hashgraph. As an expert in Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Tom demystifies Hedera’s DLT process and dives into the benefits of building a public ledger for the decentralized economy. From transparency to autonomy to security, the two discuss how the crypto landscape has been leading innovation in the global technology sector, from its transition from Blockchain to Hedera, and everything in between. Tom gives an honest account of the challenges and potential drawbacks to a crypto-forward future, and highlights the new opportunities that await in a world that puts the power of data back into the hands of individuals. Don’t miss the chance to learn about the blockchain technology paving the path to a greener, more secure future.   GUEST BIO:  Tom Sylvester is the General Counsel for Hedera Hashgraph, a sustainable, enterprise-grade public ledger for the decentralized economy. He also serves as the Board chair for Braver Angels, a national nonprofit that brings liberals and conservatives together to reduce polarization. Before joining Hedera, Tom worked in Abu Dhabi as the Senior Director of Policy & Strategy for Tamkeen, the Abu Dhabi government partner to New York University Abu Dhabi, a highly selective liberal arts college with a globally diverse student body. He also worked in New York as an associate at the international law firm Cleary Gottlieb. Tom grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and received a BA in Social Studies from Harvard and a JD from Yale Law School.

In this episode our host, Denise Silber, is joined by Christophe Caïs, founder and CEO of CXG. Together they explore the sea change sparked by COVID and the new customer experience expectations for retail brands that have both physical and digital channels. In a word, customer experience must be the same in person and online. After working with over 200 brands, Christophe Caïs explains how and why companies must reorganize their teams and re-invent their marketing, eliminating the traditional silos separating the in-store and on-line strategy and execution. This episode provides actionable recommendations for any entrepreneur seeking to improve their customers’ experience and is not to be missed!

As the world becomes more virtual, the digital identity sector continues to grow rapidly. But what is digital identity, and how can it change the way we live our lives? In this episode of the HAE Invites podcast, our host, Philip Guarino, sits down with Jackie Shoback to answer these questions. As the Co-Founder of 1414 Ventures, Jackie is committed to investing in the digital identity industry in areas such as cybersecurity and blockchain. Tune in to hear how this impressive female founder is investing in the next generation of cutting edge technology, and overcoming obstacles along the way.

IN THIS EPISODE:  Join our host, Denise Silber, as she interviews Aisha Dozie, an ex-global capital markets executive who is turning the cosmetics industry on its head. Aisha’s company, Bossy Cosmetics, is inventing products and a brand for a previously unacknowledged customer, the ambitious woman of any age. Learn how Aisha went from burnout in finance to stardom in marketing and social media, even landing her products on Oprah’s Favorite Things list.  Together they discuss how Aisha used design thinking philosophy and listening to her future customers to identify  an unaddressed pain point in the beauty market.  This episode is a must-listen for managers targeting a crowded market. GUEST BIO:  Aisha Dozie is a global citizen who has worked/lived in New York, London, South Africa, Nigeria, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. While Aisha holds an MBA from HBS and is an experienced global finance and capital markets executive who has worked on over $130B in deals and led multi-jurisdictional businesses within large international corporations, her current entrepreneurial pursuit is Bossy Cosmetics. Bossy is a digitally-native beauty brand that designs exclusively for ambitious women. In the 3 years since its founding, Bossy Cosmetics has redefined the way beauty companies delight and inspire professional women. When Oprah Winfrey discovered this new brand, guess who was featured on her Favorite Things list!

IN THIS EPISODE:  The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to climate change, and concerns around sustainability and the environment are growing among conscientious consumers. Join our host, Philip Guarino, as he interviews Andrea Baldo, the fashion CEO with a steadfast commitment to social and environmental responsibility. As the CEO of Ganni, Andrea and his team have cultivated a creative and innovative brand through transparent and authentic customer communication. The result? Ganni has built a cult following, a community which has driven its explosive growth. From its humble roots as a Danish company, it is now one of the hottest brands on the international stage. But just how did they do it? Listen and find out.   GUEST BIO: Andrea Baldo is CEO of GANNI, the Danish contemporary fashion brand which has developed exponentially over recent years with its Scandi 2.0 sense of style full of personality and contrasts. Andrea received his degree magna cum laude in Economics from the University of Verona and he is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s General Management Program. He has over 20 years of experience in the Fashion and Luxury Goods industry: initially as strategic consultant at Bain & Company and then holding top Management positions at brands including Diesel, Marni, Maison Margiela. Since 2013 Andrea is also Executive Fellow of the Strategic Management Department at IESE Business School in Barcelona where he annually teaches in the MBA program and for which he writes business cases and technical notes on Fashion and Luxury Goods industry.

IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode our host, Denise Silber, is joined by Jon Hu and Samantha Dale Strasser, PhD, co-founders of Pepper Bio, a Boston-based life sciences start-up expanding the potential for successful drug discovery. By combining their knowledge of industries from venture capital to electrical engineering, Jon and Samantha share lessons that are applicable to almost any start-up. Using transomics technologies, these founders are operating at the cutting edge of the intersection of technology and biology. Jon and Samantha share an honest account of how they have worked to de-risk the building blocks of their company: the product offering, the science behind it, their  management team, branding, and more. This episode is not to be missed by any entrepreneur looking to pave a smooth path to success. GUEST BIOS: Jon Hu, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pepper Bio. At Pepper, Jon leads recruitment, partnerships, and investor relations to build the company and achieve its mission to treat the untreatable. Hu is experienced in pharmaceutical research and development (Shire Pharmaceuticals), private equity (Bain & Company), and venture capital (Guild Capital). Jon earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Economics from Northwestern University. Samantha Dale Strasser, Ph.D., Co-founder of and Chief Science Officer of Pepper Bio. At Pepper, Strasser leads the science team and the advancement of transomics for drug development. Strasser developed the foundation of Pepper Bio’s technology during her time as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at MIT, where she earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Strasser’s  PhD co-advisor was Pr Kevin Haigis of Harvard Medical School and the research lab was at HMS Teaching Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Strasser  earned her M.Phil in Physics at the University of Cambridge, as a Churchill Scholar, and her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Northwestern University.     

IN THIS EPISODE:  In this episode our host, Denise Silber, is joined by Emmanuel Straschnov, HBS MBA and co-founder of Bubble.io, a pioneering no-code platform that is redefining  code-free technology. Bubble raised an impressive $100M in Series A and their clients have generated over a  billion dollars in revenue thanks to the businesses they’ve built on Bubble.  Tune in to learn fundraising, management, and founding advice from this successful  entrepreneur who created his business straight out of HBS. You may just change the way your company  approaches website and app building. Emmanuel Straschnov  shares how he and his partner identified a gap in the market and turned it into an opportunity for a new venture. He discusses the benefits of eliminating reliance on coding, how to make the jump from founder to operational manager, and the mistakes he made along the way. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur looking to digitize their venture and grow their customer base. GUEST BIO:  Emmanuel Straschnov, the cofounder of Bubble, was born in Paris. He studied computer science and mathematics at the prestigious French engineering school, Ecole Polytechnique and received his MBA at Harvard Business School. Emmanuel is committed to breaking the economic limits of technology and devising solutions that enable innovation and product development without coding software. He has spoken extensively about visual programming and the democratization of technology and worked across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

IN THIS EPISODE:  What we eat impacts our health--and the health of our environment. As Co-Founder and CEO of Eat the Change, Co-Founder of PLNT Burger, and Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, Seth Goldman is a leader in the climate-friendly food revolution. Join our host, Philip Guarino as he speaks with this inspiring entrepreneur and activist about his mission-based businesses that aim to nourish our bodies and the planet.  In this episode, Seth highlights the importance of maintaining a sustainable diet. As not only a CEO, but also an activist, he discusses his efforts to support non-profits through Eat the Change, and how his passions are what have driven him to the place he is now. Tune in to hear how Seth approaches sustainability with purpose, and created environmentally efficient food alternatives without sacrificing nutrition or flavor.   GUEST BIO: Seth Goldman is Co-Founder of Eat the Change™, a snack brand that offers chef-crafted, nutrient-dense planet-friendly foods. Eat the Change™ recently launched a line of organic mushroom jerky and will be launching a kid-friendly snack line in late 2021. Seth and his co-Founder, Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn are also co-founders of PLNT Burger, a plant-based quick-serve restaurant that offers delicious burgers, sandwiches, fries, and soft-serve. Seth is also the Co-founder of Honest Tea and Chair of the board of Beyond Meat. He has been widely recognized for his entrepreneurial success and impact. He is a graduate of Harvard College (1987) and the Yale School of Management (1995) and is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute.