Going Deep with Aaron Watson

Scott Absher is th Chief Executive Officer and cofounder of ShiftPixy, a platform to help business operators engage with a part-time workforce.    ShiftPixy is developing technology that balances the needs for business operators who rely on part-time labor and workers who make up the part-time workforce.    ShiftPixy is a powerful platform for leveraging the gig economy forces for both.   Scott was previously President of Struxurety, a business insurance advisory company.    In this episode, Scott and Aaron discuss the structure of ShiftPixy’s capital raises, the need for restaurants & manufacturers to leverage part-time labor, and the advantages of IPOing early.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Scott Absher’s Challenge; Don’t ignore the service staff that you interact with every day.   Connect with Scott Absher Linkedin Twitter ShiftPixy Website   If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Keith Harmon where we discuss how restaurants can navigate seismic changes to the economy. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify 

Marshall Haas is the co-founder & CEO of Need/Want, a holding company of brands he has started and owns. Over the years Marshall has started a multitude of products and brands, including some that have been acquired and done millions of dollars of revenue.   He is self-taught and has translated his curiosity into Peel, Shepherd, ofHass, and others.   Inc. Magazine ranked Marshall’s company one of the fastest growing private companies in America and in 2018 Need/Want ranked #1 in St. Louis and the state of Missouri   In this interview, Marshall and Aaron discuss the labor market, how to successfully test & iterate a product, and why hiring overseas is such a big opportunity.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Marshall Haas’s Challenge; Go find what can be eliminated, automated, or delegated.   Connect with Marshall Haas Linkedin Twitter Support Shepherd Website Need/Want Website   If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Andrew Gazdecki where we discuss buying and selling small businesses. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcas

Richard Goldman has been one of the nation's top private school leaders for several decades. He currently sits on the board for Xceed Preparatory Academy, which helps the next generation’s athletes and entertainers maintain their education while traveling and performing.    Richard Goldman was the Dean of Graduate Education at Nova Southeastern University for 20 years, where he pioneered internet-based education. He then successfully launched five private education companies. In 1996, Richard co-founded The Sagemont School which grew to more than 800 students and sent graduates to universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Vanderbilt.    Richard then co-founded and held leadership positions in the University of Miami Online High School, Another Generation Preschools, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education, which is McDonald’s official high school.   In this conversation, Richard and Aaron discuss his string of entrepreneurial successes, insights about the changing world of education, and the importance of reputation.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Richard Goldman’s Challenge; Don’t give up. Focus and put blinders on.   Connect with Richard Goldman Linkedin Twitter Xceed Prep Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode XX with XX where we discuss XX. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

Dylan Lew is the CEO of Ecotone Renewables, a startup dedicated to making sustainable food and agriculture systems more accessible.   Ecotone Renewables has developed the “Seahorse”, which reinvents the food and plant waste disposal system, taking food that would otherwise be wasted and turning it into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer. The Seahorse uses a process of anaerobic digestion to produce ‘Soil Sauce’ and transform methane gas emissions into less harmful CO2.   Ecotone won 2nd place at the Allegheny Cleantech Competition in 2018 and at the 2020 ACerS Humanitarian Pitch Competition. They are currently running a crowdfunding campaign to catalyze their next phase of growth.   In this episode, Dylan and Aaron discuss composting, emissions, waste management, and how many modern sustainability issues are matters of coordination, not requiring technical breakthroughs.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Dylan Lew’s Challenge; Reduce your own food waste.   Connect with Dylan Lew Linkedin Instagram Facebook Ecotone Renewables Website   If you liked this interview, check out these three sustainability-focused startups; Fifth Season (vertical farms) founded by Austin Webb, Sequoia Waste Solutions’ Charlie Dolan, and Mark Cuban-backed PittMoss (w/ CEO Brian Scott). Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes |

Dylan Beynon is the Founder & CEO of Mindbloom, a telehealth psychedelic therapy startup. Dylan founded Mindbloom to help people treat mental disorders with clinically back solutions involving ketamine.   This is Dylan’s third startup and he has already raised money from some blue chip investors, including Founders Fund.   Mindbloom is on pace to deliver 100,000+ psychedelic therapy sessions by the end of 2021 and is aiming to climb from 13 to 42 states of operation.   In this episode, Dylan and Aaron discuss finding a Chief Medical Officer, ketamine’s history of use, and Dylan’s vision for a healthier future.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Dylan Benyon’s Challenge; Take 110% responsibility for your mental health. Read a book about mental health and well-being like Awareness by Anthony de Mello, The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer, and Letters From a Stoic by Seneca. Connect with Dylan Benyon Linkedin Twitter MindBloom Website   If you liked this interview, check out our interview with Henry Schuck where we discuss sales and taking ZoomInfo public.   Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680 Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast |

Don Racey is Chief Executive Officer of Engage Energy & Industrial Consulting and President, Marketing for American Energy Partners.   Don’s specialty is assisting diversified energy companies to better align with sustainability and ESG initiatives.   Don’s background in corporate finance, operations, and strategy allows him to guide business transformations and Asset Lifecycle Management plans.   In this episode, Don defines ESG, talks about the energy systems that need to change, and talks about his background as a consultant.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Don Racey’s Challenge; Go out and plant a tree.   Connect with Don Racey Linkedin Instagram Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 458 with Mark Marmo where we discuss natural gas, business building, and company culture. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

Kamron Khodjaev is the Chief Commercial Officer of Koop. Koop is an insurance technology and specialty brokerage company focused on commercial autonomy and robotics.   Robots have different data sets, risk models, and track records of performance than machinery operated by humans. Due to this complexity, many robotics firms find themselves struggling to get insured or paying way too much.   Kamron and his three cofounders realized that they could use their own proprietary algorithms to better chart the risks of autonomy and partner with large insurers the help these companies.   In this episode, Kamron and Aaron discuss the founding of the company, different data his team looks at, and the enormous market opportunity.  Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Kamron Khodjaev’s Challenge; Keep an open mind.   Connect with Kamron Khodjaev Linkedin Twitter Koop.Ai Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 395 with Çetin Meriçli where we discuss self-driving trucks and episode 357 Jim Gibbs about parking for self-driving vehicles.  Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

Michael Tam is a partner at Craft Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund known for the development of B2B Saas startups.   Based in Los Angeles, Michael sits on the boards of Bbot, Dray Alliance, Route, Trellis, and Vendr. He also works closely with notable investment companies such as Pipe, Salted, Shef, and Sync, amongst others.    Prior to joining Craft, Michael was an investor at Crosscut, where he led investments at the seed stage. As an operator, Michael managed Uber's business in Southern California markets and launched L., a direct to consumer brand acquired by Procter & Gamble.    Michael also serves on the investment committee of the USC Marshall Fund, which invests in startups in the Southern California tech ecosystem.   In this episode, Michael and Aaron discuss how to break into venture capital, his investments in Shef & Pipe, and much more.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Michael Tam’s Challenge; Reach out to someone you’re afraid to. Send a cold email w/ intention.   Connect with Michael Tam Linkedin Twitter Craft Ventures Website Michael@craftventures.com   If you liked this interview, check out episode 466 with Matt Harbaugh where we discuss founding a venture fund.   Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680 Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

Dave Fink is the CEO and cofounder of Postie, a platform for making direct mail marketing campaigns as sophisticated as elite digital marketing.   Dave Fink has been building companies for the consumer internet for over 15 years. Over the last decade Dave has launched and scaled over 20 consumer-internet businesses. During the early part of his career he created performance-marketing platforms helping brands as diverse as Walt Disney World, Procter & Gamble and The Gap adapt to the rapidly changing digital media strategies available in the internet world.   Dave also established the customer acquisition strategy that successfully launched consumer brands with celebrities including Kate Bosworth, Jessica Simpson, Rachel Bilson, and Mary- Kate and Ashley Olsen.    In this conversation, Dave and Aaron discuss some basic marketing definitions, the mission behind Postie, and how Dave coaches marketing clients to success. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   David Fink’s Challenge; Find a new hobby to get a break from work.   Connect with David Fink Linkedin Postie Website dave@postie.com   If you liked this interview, check out episode 386 with Jon Shanahan where we discuss YouTube marketing, men’s fashion, and much more. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

Joe Percoco could not stand the idea that the best financial products were inaccessible to the common person, so he co-founded Titan. Titan is a fintech startup that aims to be this century’s Fidelity Investments   The startup is growing rapidly with 500% growth in the last 12 months, 30,000+ users, nearly 1 billion in assets under management, and a recent valuation of $450 Million. Their investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr., and Will Smith.   Joe has been able to build this company so quickly thanks to his pedigree at some of the world’s top business institutions; Wharton business school, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey.   In this interview, Joe and Aaron discuss the building blocks of a fintech startup, why index funds & day trading aren’t right for everyone, and the near-death experiences Titan has survived. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Joe Percoco’s Challenge; Answer the question; What is your personal KPI for the week?   Connect with Joe Percoco Linkedin Instagram titan.com If you liked this interview, check out episode 231 with Andy Rachleff where we discuss Wealthfront, index investing, and a framework for successful venture investing. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating podcasts, vlogs, and videos easy.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify