As the founder and CEO-turned-Chairman of Sailthru, Neil Capel has spent many of his days helping brands personalize every interaction they have with consumers. In fact, thinking about these meaningful interactions is something he and his family have been doing in real life for generations as greengrocers in England. Sailthru, however, was his way of offering them at exponential scale while solving the growing complications brands faced as digital evolution was distancing them from their customers. Ironically, by starting a company to help solve these problems for others, he was presented with a new set of worries: learning the ins, outs and pure mistakes of raising money, the art of using improv in sales meetings, the importance of work-life integration, and ultimately how to truly evolve a company from startup to a fully-functioning corporation. AND, just before this episode was set to launch, we learned that Neil was experiencing a new set of obstacles; as a follow up discussion, he shared with us his most recent undertaking in replacing himself within the company as he transitioned from CEO to Chairman, making his life all the better. For more from him, check out @neiljcapel and Sailthru.

Aubrey Sabala is a leading marketer in tech, with many major brands who credit part of their success to her time there: Facebook, AOL, Digg, and currently, Google, to name a few. In fact, @Aubs, as she's known to her over 28 thousand Twitter followers, has followed a path over the past 15 years that traces the journey of the internet itself.   But in our conversation over Heitz Cellars cabernet sauvignon, we learn that that’s just scratching the surface. In fact, she cites her love of spreadsheets and the parallels she draws to scientific processes she learned while majoring in Biology and Genetics that have lead her to become the success she is today. And it’s her desire to continue to find unique opportunities for brands to provide exclusive access to the masses which will further her successes in the future. For more from her, see her website: aubreysabala.com

Kevin Kearney is one of the foremost thought leaders of user experience in the industry. He studied literature and philosophy, but transitioned to a career in UX largely before the discipline existed. Websites were haphazardly assembled with few goals and considerations for the end user. Kevin knew there had to be a better way.  It was after many years of working for big agencies (such as razorfish) and big media companies (such as Hulu) that he became frustrated with the soulless processes and smoke in mirrors of advertising. Together with our host, Dan Maccarone, he was  inspired to try to make it better on his own by founding the agency Hard Candy Shell. In his own words he knows he's "not curing cancer, just trying to make the world suck less".  Over a bottle of High West Double Rye, we began one of our most personal stories to date. Kevin shared the fundamental pieces important to user experience: caring about people and checking one’s ego at the door; a compassion that will continue to better the internet as we know it. 

In the digital universe, Allison Mooney plays a role which is rare and invaluable in what makes and breaks a product’s success; in identifying trends, she has her finger on the pulse of how people are engaging, which is often an undervalued piece of the industry. But this isn't new territory for her. In fact, it was early in her career at Details magazine where she began to see the writing on the wall: recognizing how important the Web would be for content and finding early insights in the significance of mobile. It was that keen awareness which lead her to become the Head of Trends for Google and editor-in-chief of Think with Google, where she currently preaches what she practices: letting digital and data be the heart and start of what comes next for products and brands alike (versus being the last minute add on or falling by the wayside entirely). As such, and as the co-host of the BCC party, one of NYC Tech's most attended monthly gatherings, Alli has established herself as a consistently important and friendly voice in the industry. Cheers to that! Check out @allimooney for more of what she’s up to.

Jonathan Basker has spent his career becoming an expert in people. As a self-described “dork” in his early years growing up in sleepy Issaquah, WA (fun fact: where Harry and the Hendersons was filmed) and majoring in poetry in University of Washington, it is certainly an unexpected career trajectory. However, with a life that has been split between traveling the world and helping growing companies like Betaworks, Etsy, and BarkBox find the right teams, he's studied humans in myriad cultures; learning lessons along the way which are  applicable to startups and individuals alike.   In this episode we hear how all of this knowledge lead him to eventually found a company of his own, his newest venture, Basker & Co, as well as the critical lessons he has learned along the way in company culture, leadership and how to hire and grow companies successfully. And, as you listen, you may notice some stronger than normal language due to the excessive amount of WhistlePig Rye ...and Porkslap consumed. For more words of wisdom, see @basker tweets.

  Kate Lee is a Senior Editor at Medium.com; a role which is the perfect culmination of the career path that precedes it. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she started her career as a reporter for US Weekly. However, at a time when the internet had not yet entrenched the magazine world, Kate still turned to it, and the early world of blogs for inspiration. It was in her next job, as a literary assistant-turned-agent at International Creative Management, that this inspiration turned into much more; a niche offering which Kate found a competitive edge while helping to actualize the true potential of some of the prominent voices of the budding digital landscape. However, as the internet grew, what once was the source of her success eventually became her biggest obstacle. When ebooks and Amazon shook that world, Kate made the leap from a 10 year career for something new.   After spending some time consulting and soul searching (and a period of daily afternoon naps), she ultimately found her place at Medium where her current role allows her to continue to give prominent people the opportunity to share their point of view with a global audience. While the entirety of her career was not spent with a digital focus, it was certainly a major influence; one which she is continuing to learn about and directly impact with her gift of finding the industries boldest voices. To see her in action, check out https://medium.com/@kate or holler at @katelaurielee.

Lockhart Steele has spent his life taking a revolutionary approach to publishing. Even as an eight year old, his passion was well established as he spent his free time breaking local school news stories (by way of a typewriter and photocopier) with two of his friends. However, without many options to explore an academic career in journalism, he majored in history at Brown University, but quickly found his way back to writing when he accepted a position writing for a trade magazine in New York City. From there, the rest is history. According to him, his career path was not very cohesive, but as we discussed over chilled rose (a bold move for the cooler season), we realized that all of his experiences culminate in such a way which has lead to the success he celebrates today. From breaking boundaries and formats at Gawker, a successful self-published-turned-professionally-published book about jam band Phish (the Pharmer’s Almanac), attempting & failing at his own startup, and ultimately committing to his vision with Curbed - he’s continued to exceed the limitations of the status quo in business, publishing, and writing. Today, after a successful acquisition of his company by Vox, he continues to press his team onward, encouraging them to do the same as the Editorial Director. After all, he attributes much of his progress to the people - the investors, mentors, partners, and teams - who have steered him in key moments of his career and ultimately, whose collaboration have created that “secret sauce” which is so important to the evolutions of innovative products. Check out @lock and lockhartsteele.com to follow what he’s working on next.

Katie Welch is the Executive Vice President of Global Brands at Weber Shandwick which is a hefty title and even more hefty responsibility. As a self-described steward of brands, she is responsible for how major companies communicate with their customers on a daily basis. This role requires both a strategic and creative mind, as well as a sound awareness of all of the intricacies of consumer engagement in this fast-evolving space; skills Katie has sharpened over her years of experience both in and outside of the Public Relations field. Over Absolut Elyx, she shared her path to getting here: beginning with an English degree from Denison University and a passion for fashion & beauty leading to a stint as an intern in the publishing world at Hearst’s Marie Claire. It was this foundation which inspired her to ultimately throw the Hail Mary pass to try to make it in New York and the PR world. However, after many challenges and strategic career moves, time in Chicago and back in New York, and at companies like Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, and Bliss Spas before returning for her third (yes, third) role at Weber Shandwick -- she learned and continues to remind herself of the importance of the details and her advice that is invaluable to anyone in the product world. For more from Katie, tweet at @KatieWelch.

While it creates exceptional opportunities for growth, one of the biggest challenges in tech is helping older media embrace them, especially TV. Enter Gavin Purcell. As Producer of the Emmy-winning team behind the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, and before that, Late Night, bringing innovation and maintaining relevance across platforms is a charge he continues to lead. In fact, he and Jimmy have created their own company to ensure that they are able to create digital products - websites and apps - which help bring the show to the forefront of viewers, beyond its nightly airing.   This is certainly not bad for someone who never planned on getting into TV, or tech for that matter, and started his career as a production assistant at the National Enquirer. Over Greenhook Gin from Brooklyn, Gavin shares his incredible story; growing up in Seattle as a “fat kid” who loved video games, he attributes his success to a series of hits and misses - spending time teaching English in Korea, being rejected from grad school, becoming a PA in Hollywood, all the while maintaining the importance of initiative and hard work (even when it comes to cleaning a television studio’s fridge). It’s because of this work ethic, forward-thinking and creative edge, that he has become a pioneer for the integration of tech in the TV world (and vice versa), realizing his “dream job” at G4's Attack of the Show and now at NBC's Tonight Show. Bravo!   For more of his musings, check out @gavinpurcell on Twitter and, of course, see the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon weeknights (or, y’know, the internet for the epic clips).

Lara Crystal is a founder amongst founders, and frankly, our hero. As one of the brains behind Minibar, she is bridging the gap of all things hot in tech startups at the moment -- mobile, on demand services ... and alcohol. That’s right, Minibar is a platform she developed alongside her partner, another former Wharton grad, to help connect users with their local liquor stores to help solve for the intimidating experience of going in person and the convenience of having booze delivered to your doorstep in under an hour. At just over a year old, Laura is utilizing app data and her previous experience in marketing and fashion to help take the company to the next level.   Over a couple glasses of sauvignon blanc, we learned how her path, while in seemingly  unrelated fields, has positioned her for this leap into the industry. As an undergrad at Cornell University majoring in business, she had no sights on tech, but instead began her career where most people would like to end it, focusing on retirement (as an Actuary, at least). Fortunately for us, this path was short lived and inspired her to make an about-face to pursue a path of building and making things for herself. From there, she spent many years in the fashion industry, working with brands like Coach, Chanel and Cole Haan (with a brief stint at business school), but ultimately landed as one of the first hires at Rent the Runway. It was there that she learned while building her first product just how much she could accomplish, and eventually inspired her take her own advice to budding entrepreneurs with an idea: “believe in it and believe it’s gonna work.” We’ll drink to that.