The VentureFizz Podcast

Welcome to Episode 89 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Sridhar Iyengar, Founder and CEO of Elemental Machines. Very few entrepreneurs in the Boston tech scene have had the same level of success as Sridhar. As a co-founder of three different companies in the medical device and wearables industry, the products that he’s helped bring to market are incredibly innovative. Take AgGaMatrix, a glucose monitoring company that built the world’s first medical device that connected directly to the iPhone. Or, Misfit, the makers of elegant wearable products that was started along with Sridhar’s longtime collaborator Sonny Vu and also, John Sculley—yes, that John Sculley—the one that was the CEO at Apple. Misfit ended up getting acquired by Fossil for a reported $260M. At Elemental Machines, the company is modernizing the lab and helping to accelerate science with its IoT and data science platform. The company has raised over $11.5M in funding. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -How to give constructive feedback to your co-founder. -Sridhar’s early background and a deep dive into AgaMatrix and Misfit, including the story of how John Sculley got involved. -What led him to start Elemental Machines and all the details on the company. -Whether he thinks equity should be equal between co-founders. -Advice for founders on managing cash and raising capital. -Plus, a lot more. We are getting very close to episode 100 of The VentureFizz Podcast! Can you believe it? So, I need your help. Who is the #1 person that you would want interviewed for the 100th episode? I’m open to all suggestions, the only requirement is that the person is an entrepreneur or investor that is based in Boston or New York. You can reach me via email, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Thanks in advance! Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 88 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Saar Yoskovitz, Co-Founder and CEO at Augury. Saar is an entrepreneur with a deep level of experience in building hardware and software products. His current company, Augury, is one of those companies that make you go “wow” when you hear what they do. Their technology automatically diagnoses machines based on the sounds they make. It’s kind of like a Shazam for machines and mechanical diagnostics. They do this by connecting vibration and ultrasonic sensors to smartphones and pairing them with machine learning algorithms. The company just raised a $25M Series C this January, and have raised over $50M to date. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Saar’s background growing up in Israel and his experience working at Intel. -The story behind Augury, and the aha moment that led to its founding. -A deep dive into the world of machine diagnostics. -How Augury got its first early-adopter customers. -Saar’s experience with raising capital, and what the fundraising process was like. -Advice for building hardware. -Plus, a lot more. Every Monday, we publish the NY edition of Talent on the Move. It is a weekly roll up of people making job changes across the NY tech scene. If you are interested in having any of your recent hires featured, all you have to do is send us the individual’s updated LinkedIn profile via email to info@venturefizz.com. We accept submissions across all levels of experience and functional areas within the company. Our only request is that the person is based in or around NYC. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 87 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Sarah Hodges, Partner at Pillar. Prior to becoming a Venture Capitalist, Sarah spent a decade as an operator in consumer and enterprise companies like Carbonite, Runkeeper, and Smarterer. As part of the executive team at Smarterer, she oversaw business strategy, operations, and marketing. As you may know, the company was acquired by Pluralsight in 2014 and still today, it has a rapidly growing office in the Boston tech scene. Pillar is an early-stage venture firm that is on a mission to build the next generation of anchor companies in Boston with a model that has common alignment with the founders. Some of its portfolio companies include PillPack, Soofa, Desktop Metal, Hometap, PathAI, and more. In addition to being a Partner at Pillar, Sarah is a board member at the New England Venture Capital Association and was a Co-Founder of Intelligent.ly. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Sarah’s background story in terms of all the operating roles she’s held including the details behind the acquisition by Pluralsight. -Her career path into the Venture Capital industry as a Partner. -Everything you need to know about Pillar, including how the firm is differentiating itself from other investors and why they are doubling down in Boston. -Advice for founders who are trying to raise funding. -When you should bring in someone to run marketing. -Plus, a lot more. As you may know, we publish lots of great stories every day on VentureFizz that share a lot of information about companies, their people, and their culture. Did you know that you can get these stories delivered to your inbox every day? All you need to do is signup for our Daily Stories email and you’ll be plugged in. Go to venturefizz.com/email to signup. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 86 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Christiane Lemieux, Founder and CEO of The Inside. Christiane is a design entrepreneur with many accomplishments. Outside of starting companies, she is an author of multiple books and has been featured on TV as a co-host and judge on “Ellen’s Design Challenge” on HGTV. As a serial entrepreneur, her last company DwellStudio was acquired by Wayfair in 2013, where she served as the company’s Executive Creative Director. The Inside is a venture-backed, digitally native home furnishings brand. The company is disrupting the way consumers buy furniture with a custom, made-to-order approach that offers world-class design and limitless selection. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -The two new books she’s currently working on. -Her background story, including a deep dive into her first company, DwellStudio, and its acquisition by Wayfair. -All the detail on The Inside and her thoughts on building a consumer brand. -Advice for non-technical founders, who are building a technology company. -Her thoughts on selecting the right investors for your business. -How she thinks about hiring and evaluating talent. -Plus, a lot more. What is the best way to stay connected to all the amazing job opportunities across the NY tech scene? The answer is simple. Sign up for our Job Alerts email. It is a daily email that features the latest positions from our Job Board which you can customize based on the functional area that you care about. Keep pushing your career forward by signing up at venturefizz.com/email. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 85 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed David Chang, CEO at Gradifi. If you’re a member of the Boston tech community, there’s a good chance you know who David Chang is. As an operator, he’s been part of some amazing teams at companies that have all scaled and exited like TripAdvisor, m-Qube, and WHERE. As an angel investor, he has invested in 40 companies. And, one could argue that the most important role that he’s played is one as a mentor and advisor to countless entrepreneurs. In his current position at Gradifi, David is leading a company that is trying to solve a $1.5 trillion problem: student loan debt. Gradifi gives employers the opportunity to make direct contributions to their employees’ student loans, allowing them to pay off their loans faster. No doubt, it’s a great benefit, for sure. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -David’s philosophy on paying it forward and what it is so important. -The details behind David’s background and a deep dive into his experience at TripAdvisor, m-Qube, and Where. -Advice on whether or not to attend business school. -The story of his own startup, which was like an early version of Instagram. -All the details on Gradifi in terms of its mission and how they are helping ease the burden of student loan debt. -Why he is bullish on the Boston tech ecosystem. -Plus, a lot more. Are you hiring? If the answer is yes, then you might want to consider adding a BIZZpage to VentureFizz. It’s the best way to engage with our targeted audience of professionals in the local tech scene. It includes an employment branding page, unlimited postings to our job board, content and more. If you are interested in the additional details, send an email to info@venturefizz.com. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 84 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Shannon McLay, Founder and CEO of The Financial Gym. We’re always thinking about our mental and physical health, but how often do we stay on top of our financial health? If you do, that’s awesome, but if you think there’s room for improvement, The Financial Gym could be a great fit for you. The Financial Gym is a revolutionary financial planning company that helps people of all financial backgrounds get and stay financially fit. Since I was interviewing a financial expert, I wanted to take full advantage of leveraging Shannon’s expertise. Thus, the format for this episode is a bit different where we go very deep on lots of personal finance related topics that are useful for all. Thus, in this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Shannon’s background and her love for the hustle. -A deep dive into The Financial Gym including the aha moment and how it all works. -What it’s like being on The Today Show and the story about how Shannon started her podcast, Martinis and Your Money. -The 5 financially fit numbers that you should be paying attention to, like how much you should save, benchmarks for your credit score rating, debt-to-income ratio, and more. -Advice on asking for a raise and whether or not you should share your salary with your colleagues at work. -Her thoughts on preparing yourself financially, if you are thinking of starting a business. -Plus, a lot more. If you are enjoying The VentureFizz Podcast, then please consider giving us a 5-star rating on iTunes. It is such a simple thing, yet it is so helpful for us in terms of having other people discover these great interviews. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 83 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Ash Ashutosh, Founder and CEO at Actifio. Ash is someone who fully embodies what it means to be a serial entrepreneur. In addition to Actifio, he also founded Serano Systems as well as AppIQ, a data storage company that was acquired by HP in 2005. Actifio, his latest company, is the world’s leading enterprise data-as-a-service platform. Powered by patented Virtual Data Pipeline™ technology, Actifio frees data from traditional infrastructure to accelerate adoption of hybrid cloud, build higher quality applications faster, and improve business resiliency and availability. Actifio is backed by some of the top venture capital firms in the industry and in case you didn’t know, the company is one of the unicorns in the Boston tech scene with a valuation of over $1B. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Ash’s background growing up in India and migrating to the US. -His early career in the tech industry, including his time at StorageNetworks, an early cloud storage company. -The details of Serano Systems and AppIQ, the first two companies that he founded. -What he learned during the time he spent as a VC at Greylock. -The aha moment behind Actifio and all the details on the company, its technology, and the massive market opportunity. -Advice for founders raising early-stage capital. -His thoughts on sharing a company’s valuation in the media after raising funding. -Plus, a lot more. Today’s episode is sponsored by Pluralsight. It is amazing what machine learning can do. With mounds of data being harvested every day, there’s so much we can learn and create. Pluralsight, the technology learning platform, is using this data for the good of tech professionals everywhere. Their AI helps you see what level your tech skills are at and recommends opportunities to keep learning. And they’re looking for help to make their algorithms even smarter. If changing the way the world learns technology through the intersection of Design, Product, Data Science and Engineering is right up your alley, apply to work at Pluralsight. Want to work here? Visit pluralsight.com/venturefizz to learn more. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 82 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Elizabeth Galbut, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at SoGal Ventures. Elizabeth has founded two venture capital firms. While attending business school, she founded A-Level Capital, the first student-led VC firm powered by John Hopkins students. Her current firm, SoGal Ventures is the first female-led millennial VC firm. They focus on investing in diverse founding teams that are trying to solve major problems in the consumer or healthcare industry. Elizabeth and her Co-Founder & Partner, Pocket Sun, have invested in over 50 companies including EverlyWell, Function of Beauty, Little Spoon, and many more. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Advice for founders on getting media attention. -Elizabeth’s early professional background and the story of how A-Level Capital came to be. -What led her down the path of starting SoGal Ventures, as well as all the details behind the firm and what they are targeting for investments. -The importance of diversity in entrepreneurship. -How Elizabeth manages her time. -Plus, a lot more. Did you know that we have a weekly digest email that has all the “must know” information about the NY tech scene? It is one email a week that will keep you plugged in. Go to venturefizz.com/email to sign up. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 81 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Richard Dulude, Co-Founder and Partner at Underscore VC. Richard has a really interesting background with a multi-faceted career. He was a professional skier competing for a spot on the US Olympic team, turned programmer, turned entrepreneur and now a venture capitalist. In his current role at Underscore VC, he’s leading the firm’s investments in the areas of the blockchain, AI, machine learning, XR, and serverless technologies. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -What it's like competing for a spot on the Olympic team while studying engineering at an Ivy League school. -Richard’s career, including his time working on the pricing strategy for iTunes at Apple and helping to launch the direct-to-consumer eCommerce business for Procter & Gamble. -The story of how Underscore VC came to be, and all the details behind the firm, plus what they are targeting in terms of investments. -His thoughts on whether entrepreneurs are born or made. -What areas of technology he’s interested in right now. -Advice for founders raising capital. -How to determine valuations. -Plus, a lot more. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!

Welcome to Episode 80 of The VentureFizz Podcast, the flagship podcast from the leading authority for jobs & careers in the tech industry. For this episode of our podcast, I interviewed Alex Song, Founder and CEO at Innovation Department. Simply put, the Innovation Department is a company that builds companies. In their SoHo studio, their team of brand strategists, builders, marketers, and operators are focused on reducing the time to product-market fit and generating success as efficiently as possible. And they don’t just turn ideas into companies--they invest in them too. The Innovation Department has incubated companies like DojoMojo (where Alex is also the CEO), WellPath, Wine Awesomeness, and others. Sample investments include well-known tech companies such as Lyft, Dropbox, Pinterest and more. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of topics, like: -Alex’s background and what he learned from being an investment banker. -All about the Innovation Department and how their playbook helps them launch companies. -Lots of details on DojoMojo and how they are helping clients with customer acquisition efforts. -Advice on how to balance communicating with consumers and what he means by the 70/30% split between content and commerce. -His contrarian point of view on Amazon and why it is should be such an important part of a new brand’s strategy. -How Alex manages his time and how he structures his week. -Plus, a lot more. Lastly, if you like the show, please remember to subscribe to and review us on iTunes, or your podcast player of choice!