Scouting for Growth

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Dr Andrée Bates, neuroscientist and founder of Eularis, an AI-centric company that serves as a catalyst for innovation in healthcare. The pair delve into the pivot points that drive innovation, the ethical implications of widespread AI adoption, and the tangible ways in which artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare as we know it. KEY TAKEAWAYS          Eularis was created to look at mathematics on commercial activities within pharmaceuticals. Generative AI takes elements of real data, looks at the database which it’s been trained on, makes new connections and generates something new. We’re going to have to get to a point where we have some kind of digital certificate in our voice, our video, images, that authenticates whether it’s actually us or not, almost like a digital fingerprint BEST MOMENTS‘AI is a broad term, there are so many different types of techniques which are classified as artificial intelligence and under each one there are different types.’‘We can use AI to repurpose existing drugs – and this happened with Covid.’‘I’ve recently come across AI that is predicting with very high accuracy whether a drug will be successful or not in the long term. That’s set to revolutionise the industry.’ ABOUT THE GUESTDr Andrée Bates stands at the intersection of artificial intelligence, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. A seasoned neuroscientist and a disruptive tech innovator, she has trailblazed the healthcare industry since the early '90s. Dr Bates founded Eularis, a vanguard firm leveraging AI to address healthcare's most pressing challenges, back in 2003. Under her leadership, Eularis has catalysed growth for all the top 50 pharmaceutical giants, driving profits and expanding market share through AI-empowered projects in clinical trials, R&D, and medical affairs. After launching her career in academia, Dr. Bates made a seamless transition into the corporate sphere, where she continued her legacy of firsts. She is credited with establishing the world's first digital health company in the 1990s, followed by the pioneering of commercial AI applications in healthcare. This entrepreneurial spirit has positioned her as a go-to advisor for an impressive roster of healthcare CEOs. Her influence extends to academia and industry circles alike. Dr. Bates is a sought-after guest lecturer in prestigious MBA programs including INSEAD Business School and Fordham University, where she instils the next generation with a nuanced understanding of healthcare innovation and AI. A prolific author, her works have graced peer-reviewed journals and industry reports. Her international speaking engagements span continents, ranging from Europe and North America to Asia. Never one to limit her impact, Dr Bates actively champions female entrepreneurs worldwide. She serves as a mentor through Thrive Mentoring, contributes to the programming committee of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), and is a founding member of Chief, a network designed for women leaders. Find out about Dr. Andrée Bates and Eularis https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-andree-bates/ https://eularis.com/ ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Emily Tsitrian, Fintech powerhouse, seasoned leader, and the author of 'Make Me The Boss,' a transformative guide and toolkit for millennial managers navigating the new complexities of leadership in our current social climate. A world defined by Covid, #BLM, and #MeToo. KEY TAKEAWAYS I think a lot of people in my generation have had an experience where, in your early 20s, you're interested in doing big political/social things, however the way to actually change things is to work in technology. Overnight you can make an app and see how thousands, millions of people change how they work, live and exist due to technology. Payments technology has largely been considered to be a commodity, because almost every business needs to accept payments. In the past 10-15 years the payments layer of the entire Fintech stack, from payments to accounting, to accounts receivable, to reconciliation, to tax ultimately has now become more of a strategy rather than something that is an afterthought.  The dynamic in the American workplace has shifted quite a bit and has changed how we work. Do I want to be doing 9-5 work if there’s things like climate change and social upheaval that feel more real and present to me? The worst thing that can happen is that you fail. Failing at a company is not a big deal, it’s OK if it doesn't work. BEST MOMENTS‘At a fundamental level it’s all about risk, and managing risk. I think there’s going to be a lot of crossover over the next decade or so.’‘What you set up in the early days can become very entangled with your downstream systems and it can be hard to disentangle as you scale, it’s something you want to put a little bit of thought and strategy into as you’re starting out on your entrepreneurial journey.’‘If somebody had told me I was going to be an entrepreneur I would have laughed, even a year ago. I always loved working in really big companies doing really big things. And rubbing shoulders with VPs and executives and very much saw myself climbing that corporate ladder. It’s funny how life works.’‘I never want to be laid off again ever, and the only way to truly ensure that is to become an entrepreneur.’ ABOUT THE GUESTIn a Fintech universe often viewed through the traditional lens, Emily Tsitrian is the game-changing asterisk. A seasoned leader with over seven years in tech management, Emily has captained teams across diverse terrains—from established public companies to explosive unicorn start-ups, including almost two years with the Fintech behemoth Stripe.As the co-founder of Yeeld, a consulting firm specializing in payment implementations, she's not just navigating the complex fintech landscape; she's helping redraw the map. But her expertise isn't confined to fintech. She's a professional services manager who doesn’t just manage, but leads—guiding teams with strategic insights that go beyond spreadsheets and quarterly reports. Discover Emilyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/emilytsitrian/https://theyeeld.com/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Boss-Surviving-Millennial-Corporate/dp/0578971836 ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode, Sabine VdL talks to Mark Fidelman, founder of SmartBlocks.Agency, and a globally recognised thought leader with over two decades of tech-fuelled wisdom.Whether you’re a CEO pondering your next strategic move, a CTO looking to harness emerging technologies, or a CDO keen on transformative solutions, buckle up! We’re about to deep-dive into a world where the token is mightier than the sword. KEY TAKEAWAYS It's always more fun to join up and coming companies before big businesses come in and take over, but I quickly realised I wasn't building anything by doing this. The crypto I tend to focus on is the tokenisation/fractionalisation of assets where you break up real estate or something really valuable and you allow the democratisation of that asset to anyone that wants to invest in it. Tokenisation is much safer than crypto. There’s no such thing as ‘hacked wallets’ because everything’s white listed, it’s attached to you, so if somebody steals those tokens out of your wallet you can go back to the issuer and say “cancel those and reissue mine”, you can’t do that with crypto. To me crypto is Monopoly money, what I’m doing is real, with real money. If you were to invest £1,000 every single month in one of the projects that are paying 10-15%, in 10 years you’d have a £30,000 per month income for life – some of that is because the real estate was sold, but on average it works out this way.  BEST MOMENTS‘For young entrepreneurs the top 5 areas are AI, engineering (like SpaceX), cryptocurrency (find a niche), Ecommerce, and tools and technologies (SaaS-based products that solve a really nuanced problem that no one else is solving).’‘I chose tokens when I fractionalise businesses because it’s a lot easier to set up, then you have a blockchain that does all the management, you’re not working with the stock exchange or have expensive systems in place.’‘It’s the future, if you look at Black Rock, Bank of America, Citi, they’re all saying the same thing: everything’s going to be fractionalised. They’ve already tokenised billions of dollars of bands because you can then trade that anywhere in the world, you’re not subject to local laws.’‘95% of crypto is just a scam, they’re worthless, they’re not backed by anything, they’re just a big ponzi scheme. Though there are 5% that will change the future, we just need to better educate people on what’s what.’ ABOUT THE GUESTAs the founder of SmartBlocks.Agency, Mark Fidelman is a pivotal player in crypto and ecommerce with a career spanning two decades. He's not just a veteran; he’s an industry influencer—endorsed by Forbes and celebrated as a Top 50 Social CEO by Huffington Post.Mark is a growth catalyst, having spearheaded initiatives for NFT trailblazers like WAX.io. His credentials go beyond mere business acumen; he's a respected keynote speaker, a Forbes contributor, and the mastermind behind the YouTube channel, Cryptonized!, where he dissects the hottest trends in crypto. You can discover what Mark’s about further below:http://twitter.com/#!/markfidelmanhttps://www.cryptonized.substack.com/ https://www.smartblocks.agency/https://www.linkedin.com/in/fidelman/ ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Jerry Fetta, who is on a mission to demystify wealth management, making it accessible and relatable for everyone. As the brains behind Wealth DynamX, Jerry's fingerprints are on numerous success stories across the US, helping countless individuals lay the foundation for solid financial futures.Beyond his role as a financial expert, Jerry has penned three books. In the latest he lays bare the trials and tribulations he faced, both personally and professionally and how he overcame these, showcasing a resilience that's nothing short of inspiring. KEY TAKEAWAYS I grew up with a lower income experience, my parents didn’t have a lot of money. When I was 8 years old my parents got divorced, we lost our house, the car got repo’d and both my parents became homeless. I didn’t have a lot of examples of people succeeding with money or as entrepreneurs. Sometimes, there’s an advantage to growing up without money. It instilled in me hard work and as an entrepreneur I’m a lot more comfortable with risk because I’ve come from a place where I’ve had nothing and am not afraid to go back there if Ineed be. As a culture, we believe that if we go to school to get the grades, college to get the degree, get the job, then we save up for retirement, try to pay off the house and build up a nest-egg, then at 60-65 years old we can finally enjoy what we’ve put together. My Mom was my first client and we did all that and at 60 she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she passed away 6 months later. As a son it was a shocker, but as a financial professional I saw the plan unravel and I didn’t want to have that client experience again or experience personally, I want to enjoy life now. As CEO, my day-to-day is a lot of observing, I shadow my staff members and I'm present on their calls and meetings. I do several hours a day of reading and studying business and administration and how to be a better business executive. BEST MOMENTS‘Wealth DynamX helps families, individuals and entrepreneurs in North America achieve greater financial education, stability and freedom in the future.’‘I became a bodybuilder and thought I’d do that forever, but I started to get into the financial industry at 18, got all my licences and the rest has been a natural progression of evolving and growing and putting my vision into reality over the last 11 years.’‘School is necessary, we need to learn the basics, but I think it does a really poor job on two things and is an area where we can simply improve is telling people the purpose of school. It’s a very long period of our lives where we don’t really know why we’re there.’ ABOUT THE GUESTJerry Fetta is a beacon in the world of finance, with a mission to simplify the complexities of wealth management and make it relatable to all. As the visionary Founder and CEO of Wealth DynamX, Jerry has dedicated his career to assisting numerous clients across the U.S. in building a solid financial foundation. Jerry's unique approach, rooted in authenticity and applicability, has set him apart in the industry.Get access to Jerry's free book "The Blueprint to Financial Freedom."https://jerryfetta.com/b2fpromo ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Megan Bingham-Walker, Co-founder and CEO of Anansi, a cutting-edge company on a mission to revolutionise the goods-in-transit insurance industry.Today, we will dive deep into Megan's journey as an entrepreneur, her vision for the future of goods-in-transit insurance, and the unique approaches and strategies that have propelled Anansi to success. KEY TAKEAWAYS I spent a few years working with the Government, 5 years in venture capital specialising in CleanTech investing in early-stage startups. I really wanted to found a business in the area of machine learning and data and how you could solve problems using them. At Anansi we built a platform to essentially automate the process for goods-in-transit insurance. The problem retailers face at the moment is that they may not even know when an item is lost or damaged until a customer tells them, so even having an early identification of that is a big step up. Insurance is about information, essentially we are an information industry. The new aspect of what we’re doing is bringing this transactional data so that we have a very quick turnaround of 60 days max between when an item is shipped and when we process the claim, and the contract is completed. BEST MOMENTS‘The biggest problem we’re solving for the retailers is admin.’"We've all experienced something going missing or getting damaged-in-transit, it’s the number 1 cause of customer complaints and never purchasing again. Having a bad purchase experience is a real decision point for consumers.’‘Anansi is a West-African folklore character – I have some family connections to West-Africa and the Caribbean – it’s a spider character which is the keeper of knowledge.’‘What’s exciting about the insurance industry is that there is so much opportunity for innovation and there are still so many areas where you can bring new data and processes, particularly on the claims side, to improve things that I think it’s a very rewarding industry to be part of.’ ABOUT THE GUESTMegan is an award-winning entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Anansi – a company on a mission to make goods-in-transit insurance faster, fairer and more flexible for retailers who thrive on bringing innovative new technologies to market.She is also an Ambassador of the charity Pump Aid which is empowering communities, transforming lives, with a mission to end water poverty in Malawi by 2030. In her spare time, she loves weightlifting, formula one, dancing, hiking, and skiing. About Anansi:Goods-in-transit insurance platform Anansi creates tailored, embedded, and low-admin insurance products for retailers, logistics providers, and marketplaces. Its open API and web app solution digitises manual processes, including claims, with parametric claim triggers automating repetitive processes. Its integrated platform uses Open Banking to allow customers to pay for cover and receive claims payments directly and instantaneously into their accounts. It is the only automated solution in a $33 billion market to offer data-powered signup, parametrically triggered claims and pay-outs when a parcel is lost or delayed, and a simple damage submission process.   ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Jacqueline Legrand, a name that resonates with transformative leadership in the global insurance industry. From orchestrating the radical transformation of Brokerslink to co-founding Maptycs, an InsurTech firm that is redefining how we perceive weather risk analysis and risk exposures, Jacqueline's legacy is nothing short of extraordinary.With her finger firmly on the pulse of digital transformation, she advocates for a harmonious marriage between technology and insurance. We're about to delve into a narrative beaming with transformative milestones, insights into the potential of geospatial analytics, and the challenges and triumphs of revolutionising an industry full of tradition. KEY TAKEAWAYS I started my career in corporate with IBM, after 8 years I moved to insurance, fell in love and spent a big chunk of my career as a broker working with complex property programmes, which is where the idea for Maptycs (mapping and analytics) was born. I really believe that independent broker networks have a very compelling proposition today in the global brokerage industry because the local brokers are deeply rooted in  their local industry and culture. The big thing I’ve learned and will always use is: What is the vision and the value proposition for each and every stakeholder? What is the business model? What is the execution plan? What is the road map? We saw an acceleration in natural disasters because of climate change, and at the same time an explosion of high quality location intelligence data. Timing is key in any startup company. The challenge was with all these claims and losses and all this data that could be used to make better assessments, pricing, and risk mitigation. This is what we do at Maptycs; integrate the portfolios of our clients alongside a la carte external data.  BEST MOMENTS‘Make sure, as a global broker, you build programmes for your client/global reach manager that are not only in line with their strategy, but also align with the local market practices and regulations.’‘Your colleagues on the ground play a critical role, and you need them whether it is to negotiate local coverage or to work on a claim with the local expert or adjuster.’‘We really enable corporate insurance brokers to have a good assessment of their product risk exposure because now they can see either one location at a time or accumulation across their portfolio and they can mix and match their data with risk data.’ ABOUT THE GUESTWith a footprint that stretches over 30 years across the global insurance tapestry, Jacqueline Legrand stands as a testament to transformative leadership in the industry. From the bustling markets of the US to the dynamic terrains of Brazil, France, and Portugal, her journey in C-suite and Board-level roles has solidified her as a luminary in the realm of insurance.As the CEO and co-founder of the groundbreaking InsurTech firm, Maptycs, Jacqueline is at the forefront of revolutionising property risk exposures. Through the lens of advanced geospatial analytics, she's reshaping the way commercial lines of insurance providers approach weather risk analysis. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

Sabine talks to Michele Cimmino, CEO of Lasting Dynamics which, far from being a generic software firm, epitomises precision and coding to partners' distinct needs in order to ensure an exclusive synergy for mutual growth. Michael discusses visionary leadership at Lasting Dynamics, championing quality and innovation, ensuring a diverse tech mastery, and building a global force in the startup ecosystem. KEY TAKEAWAYSLasting Dynamics was started in 2013 to provide the IT market with quality. Large enterprises usually target a span of 12 months to deliver an MVP (minimum viable product), by the time an MVP is delivered to market in 12 months it’s already too late. When you have engineers who truly understand cybersecurity then it's easier to be compliant with policies. When you build something from the ground up, or start integrating the pieces into a digital product, with a forward-looking mindset you will not waste months in additional testing. This is an engineering mindset called “bottom-up”. BEST MOMENTS‘Quality assurance is also about analysing the requirements, it’s not only about executing some tests, it’s about understanding what will be needed and how this can be provided.’‘The most important part of the game is to be transparent and loyal to your partner or customer. That always pays back.’‘I like the idea that the most important goal and value for everyone on a project should be the final result of the product and everyone should sacrifice a bit of personal interest towards that goal.’ ABOUT THE GUESTIn the dynamic world of software engineering, few names resonate as powerfully as Michele Cimmino. As a master of full stack web and mobile development, Michele's leadership at Lasting Dynamics has carved a niche in the tech spaces of Spain, Italy, and Norway. Dive deeper at Lasting Dynamics and you'll discover a hub where innovation meets commitment. A champion of quality, Michele's passion drives him and his adept team to consistently re-evaluate and refine their methodologies. They are agile, experimental, and always ahead of the curve, drawing insights from the latest in automation, innovation, and QA processes. His current explorations into Agile, OKRs, SCRUM, TDD, and the principles of Shu Ha Ri demonstrate a ceaseless thirst for knowledge. Lasting Dynamics, Michele's brainchild, isn't just any software company; it's a boutique, meticulously crafting code to fit partners' unique needs. This exclusivity ensures mutual growth, as they partner with only a select few each year. But there's more: The Academy, another feather in Michele’s cap, streamlines the onboarding process, a testament to his visionary approach. Moreover, under his guidance, the launch of SaaS platforms like Roundrush for workflow management and VetrinaLive for e-commerce adds to his impressive portfolio. With a tech stack that's as expansive as it is impressive, ranging from Node.js to Python, React to Vue.js, PostgreSQL to AWS integrations, Michele's proficiency is unquestionable. He's been at the helm of AI-driven mobile apps since 2015, dabbled in the realm of blockchain and cryptocurrency from 2017, and from 2019, has steered Lasting Dynamics towards Growth Hacking. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.    Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sara St. John, someone whose unique entrepreneurial journey embodies the essence of growth and innovation. As the brain behind several startups, Sara has used her experiences to pen books, run a blog, and most notably, host the well-regarded podcast 'The Frugalpreneur.' Through these mediums, she’s been inspiring and equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools to kickstart and maintain their online businesses even under tight financial constraints. KEY TAKEAWAYS Amy entrepreneurship journey started in 2008. I’d had 6 different jobs that year and realised that working for other people wasn’t my thing, so I decided to start a photography business doing weddings and portraits but it was expensive to maintain equipment and software, so I started an online business model and tried several different things because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. This led me to write ‘Frugal Entrepreneur’ which was about the different ways to make money online and how to do it on a budget. I launched the podcast to promote the book, but got more leverage through the podcast and I’ve kept it going for a few years now and have started a podcast production agency. I’m all in on podcasting now, but it took me 10 years to get to that point. One misconception that people have about building a great podcast is that it’s expensive. I started with a $60-80 USB mic that plugs straight into your computer and you can record in Zoom for free, then all you need is a podcast host to distribute your files to the platforms which is as little as $5-20 a month. It’s the best way to get more exposure. Everyone should have a website. People think that having a social media page is enough – and you should have social media too – but you need to have your own site, because you never know what’s going to happen with social media. You should also get an email service provider like SendFox which every time you publish content it’ll automatically create a newsletter and send it to your email list.  Shiny object syndrome is a big problem that a lot of entrepreneurs have, whether it’s that you have a million different business ideas and you’re always moving onto the next one – which takes up a lot of time and money. It could also be new gadgets and tools. You need to recognise that you have shiny object syndrome and reign it in. Try to use free tools and all-in-one systems like Systeme.io or Clixlo which will have everything you need for one price in one place. BEST MOMENTS‘Whether you have your own podcast or not you should guest on other people’s podcasts because you’re basically leveraging and getting access to their audience who might come and check out your podcast or become a client.’ ‘A lot of people assume their podcast is going to take off right away. If you’re a celebrity already it probably will, if you’re a regular person it’s going to take a while.’ ‘When you’re starting out, try to go the free route with software as long as you can and then only pay as you need to. AppSumo has a one-time payment for various softwares.’ ‘I try to keep my budget to under $100 per month for software and the basic maintenance of an online business. It might go a little more if I’m running an ad but, even then, I try not to spend more than $100 per month. But everybody has their own amount.’ ABOUT THE GUESTSara St. John Sara St John is a seasoned entrepreneur, prolific author, avid animal lover, and an ardent globetrotter. With an entrepreneurial career spanning over a decade, Sara has birthed and nurtured several successful startups, honing her expertise in budget-friendly business management. Her journey has imbued her with a wealth of insights and strategies which she generously shares through her podcast, The Frugalpreneur.As the host of The Frugalpreneur, Sara brings a fusion of rich business acumen and an infectious passion for budget-conscious entrepreneurship. Sara's mission extends beyond practical advice. She is a passionate advocate for the power of podcasting as a business tool, and she relishes every opportunity to delve into this topic on her show. If you want to know more about Sara, check her LinkedIn profile and her “preneur” series here. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.comCharitable: https://chrt.fm/track/D19185/

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Frank Mendoza, a revered figure in the realm of data analytics and AI strategy.His contributions to Fortune 500 companies like Nike, Kelloggs, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Jim Beam as the founder of Catalytics have revolutionised the way these organisations leverage big data, artificial intelligence and advanced analysis.Frank offers practical recommendations to implement AI, making this seemingly daunting technology accessible and actionable demystifies AI, shares his strategic insights, and helps us scout for growth in this exciting field. KEY TAKEAWAYS Over the last 8 years I’ve worked with some really top brands to introduce analytics concepts like machine learning and chatbots. The hype has really got big in the last few months around what’s called generative AI, which is a little bit different from what we’ve historically called AI or machine learning, but in a nutshell it’s got people really excited and companies really want to take advantage and be able to demonstrate a competitive advantage to some of their competitors. It’s a really exciting time to be in this space. One of the challenges/constraints all companies face, large or small, is time. Big companies have the ability to throw money at it, small companies don’t have that luxury, but they really need to focus their attention. When I approach a company to talk about the potential of leveraging AI, I want to focus on where exactly they’re going to be using it and making sure there’s a direct tie to business value. There are so many tools that have been thrown out onto the market it’s caused a lot of analysis paralysis and businesses are struggling to figure out which tools they should use, where, why and who should be using them. You really need to have a strategic approach to how you’re leveraging these technologies to make sure you’re getting the biggest bang for the buck. Customers have given you the privilege of providing you with information about themselves that’s very important to them, but for you as well to grow your business. How you use that information, where you provide that information to models, all those things are very vital to ensure that you’re doing the things necessary to protect that information. OpenAI and Chat GPT have the ability to retrain on the questions that you’re asking – those are situations where you really want to provide guard rails/guidelines to your organisation about what you’re allowing them to put into there. Generative AI solutions have been trained on publicly available data, images, etc. Our society is moving  - I believe – in a positive direction, but it has not moved all the way to where it needs to move. The net result of that is that there is a lot of information out there that’s still filled with biases, hate, etc. You want to make sure that when you’re leveraging these tools that you take into account these biases and those inherent challenges with leveraging these models and ensuring that you have a level of human judgement in the loop. BEST MOMENTS‘We’re now shifting the paradigm from inventing with tools to tools inventing. There are things the tools are doing that are creating something that hasn’t existed before.’‘One thing that no organisation can waste is resources and time.’‘Every organisation is unique and the applications of AI are going to be unique to those as well.’‘The ability for you to execute AI is predicated upon your quality of information. I encourage organisations to start looking at that and take advantage of “data enablement” to enable businesses to move forward. It’s a daunting task but you don’t want to boil the ocean, that’s where I help organisations understand where exactly they should put their focus, energy and effort.’ ABOUT THE GUESTFrank Mendoza is a highly respected and award-winning analytics leader with over 20 years of experience in Strategy, Customer Experience and Data Science. He is the founder of Catalytics, a service company that helps Fortune 500 companies like Nike, Kelloggs, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Jim Beam to execute actionable AI and Data Analytics strategies to solve their toughest business challenges. Frank shares that 2023 is the year of AI and AI is becoming more prevalent in various industries. However, many companies are still intimidated or confused by its use and capabilities. Frank is there to help implement AI into any business and helps identify the best approaches to do so via practical recommendations as AI should be a tool that augments and empowers companies to grow and innovate.Frank can be found here.And you can also reach him at Catalytics ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.comCharitable: https://chrt.fm/track/D19185/

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Benjamin Friedman who, over a 20+ year career has navigated the perilous waters of startup finance and operations, riding the bumpy waves of startup growth and guiding his companies through successful M&A transactions, equity raises, and debt financing.To cap it all, Benjamin is a firm advocate for values such as collaboration, optimism, and open communication, and has consistently strived to connect company goals, team initiatives, and individual performance in his roles. KEY TAKEAWAYS At graduate school I’d studied nonprofit management and worked at a nonprofit for a few years and found it was very process driven, we kept talking about what to do but never actually trying things. I’m much more results oriented, so I moved into an e-commerce company which doubled every year and it was an amazing ride. I became addicted to the startup journey. A lot of startups have a unique journey, every founder is an individual, but there are some common themes. Successful startups have founders that are clear on who they are and what they’re trying to accomplish. That might seem easy, but it’s actually very hard work to regularly check in with yourself. The other application is around vision and values; those will remain constant even as the business pivots, evolves, changes and challenges occurring. The final piece is feedback loops, successful founders are constantly seeking advice from advisors, investors, other founders and their team, they’re constantly seeking feedback – they may not act on it every time – new ideas and how to get things done. Align outcomes, results and activities. A lot of people get worked up by working really hard and spending a lot of time and effort but activity alone won’t generate the outcomes that you’re looking for, you have to see what results are coming from that activity and then you have to see if those are affecting the outcomes that you desire. Are you looking at it through industry metrics, internal metrics? You need to be constantly running experiments to see if ‘x’ improves your quality, your efficiency for you or your customers. You have to constantly evaluate your process but aligning your activity results and outcomes is really critical. Bringing in fractional experts can do a number of things; they can help you look holistically across the business and make connections between different functions, how do sales, marketing, finance and product all connect and what are the ways to optimise them collaboratively to grow your business. How have things been done in the past and how can they be applied to your business in order to grow as fast as possible? Cost and risk are considerations as well, by looking at fractional resources you’re mitigating both; you pay people who come in much less than someone doing the job full-time, especially if you don’t know how they’re going to work and how they’ll fit with your team. BEST MOMENTS‘Being open to other people’s opinions is going to make you stronger on your journey.’‘It’s very important to balance strategy and implementation.’‘We often think about productivity as running fast, but if you’re not sure of what direction you want to be running, it doesn’t matter how fast you’re going, you're going to be heading in the wrong direction.’‘Unsuccessful founders keep doing the same thing their customer needs, successful ones ask “what is it you need now?” and they’ll provide that.’ ABOUT THE GUESTBenjamin Friedman, the mind behind Build Scale Grow Inc., is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of leadership in finance and operations. Throughout his career, he's skillfully navigated the entrepreneurial landscape, leading successful M&A transactions for five companies in the last decade.As the founder of Build Scale Grow, Benjamin is committed to helping startups overcome challenges and scale quickly, offering solutions to resolve immediate problems while installing long-term, scalable systems. His work is steeped in experiences from diverse roles, including Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer, extending to areas such as sales, marketing, people operations, legal, technology, and product.LinkedIn: Benjamin Friedman The company: Build Scale GrowThe Book: Scale: Reach Your Peak ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdLLinkedIn: Sabine VanderLindenInstagram: sabinevdLofficialFacebook: SabineVdLOfficialTikTok: sabinevdlofficialEmail: podcast@sabinevdl.comWebsite: www.sabinevdl.com