
Startup Science Podcast with Gregory Shepard
The Startup Science Podcast, hosted by Gregory Shepard, and produced by ForbesBooks, focuses on conversations in the cross-section of foundership and investing and features best-selling authors like Oren Klaff (Pitch Anything & Flip the Script), David Allen (Getting Things Done), and David Covey COO of FranklinCovey and author of Trap Tales: Outsmarting the 7 Hidden Obstacles to Success. Investing giants like Tim Draper, Leaders like NBA Coach Phill Weber, and newly exited founders like you. With a focus on the common mistakes founders make, perspectives from investors, and founder’s tools, tips, and tactics. Conversations are real, honest, and unfiltered to expose the realities of early-stage while encouraging entrepreneurship with motivational stories and optimistic viewpoints.
Latest episodes

Sep 25, 2023 • 27min
Crafting Compelling Narratives That Transform Brands: A Chat with Park Howell (Part Two)
The brand storytelling continues as Park explains how Joseph Campbell's Heroes Journey theory can transform B2B company narratives. Going beyond product features and benefits, you'll learn how to craft a compelling origin story that emotionally resonates with your audience. Park also dives into the necessary ingredients for an engaging brand narrative, from defining your core values and purpose to introducing an adversarial force that helps your customers defeat their challenges. You'll come away with actionable tips for architecting a strategic brand story that feels like a heroic myth. Also, Park tackles how to bounce back from mistakes through ABT (And, But, Therefore) communication. When you falter, emotion often leads us to fixate on what went wrong. However, Park advocates acknowledging mistakes briefly before pivoting to positive solutions. You'll gain communication strategies to recover from missteps, rebuild trust and morale, and move forward powerfully.About Park Howell: Park is known as The World’s Most Industrious Storyteller having grown purpose-driven brands by as much as 600 percent. He is a 35+ year veteran of the advertising industry and now consults, teaches, coaches, and speak internationally to help business, sales, and marketing leaders excel through the stories they tell.He is the host of the popular weekly Business of Story podcast, which is ranked among the top 10% of downloaded podcasts in the world. Park published Brand Bewitchery in 2020 to help you use his proven Story Cycle System to craft spellbinding stories for your brand. In 2021, he co-authored The Narrative Gym for Business, a short 75-page guide on how to use the foundational narrative framework of the ABT (And, But, Therefore) to make you a more confident, compelling and persuasive communicator.

Sep 18, 2023 • 31min
Crafting Compelling Narratives That Transform Brands: A Chat with Park Howell (Part One)
What story does your brand tell? This week on Startup Science Podcast, Greg talks with Park Howell, the world's most industrious storyteller. Park has spent over 35 years growing purpose-driven brands by up to 600% through strategic storytelling. As host of Business of Story and author of Brand Bewitchery and The Narrative Gym for Business, he's helped thousands clarify their brand narrative to connect authentically. His illustrious client list includes Dell, The Home Depot, Hilton, and Walgreens. Recognized as Advertising Person of the Year, Park consults, teaches, and speaks globally about the immense power of stories to build brands and amplify their impact. Tune in to hear Park's tried-and-true tactics for crafting compelling narratives that engage your audience and elevate your mission. You'll come away inspired to tell your own transformative brand story.About Park Howell: Park is known as The World’s Most Industrious Storyteller having grown purpose-driven brands by as much as 600 percent. He is a 35+ year veteran of the advertising industry and now consults, teaches, coaches, and speak internationally to help business, sales, and marketing leaders excel through the stories they tell.He is the host of the popular weekly Business of Story podcast, which is ranked among the top 10% of downloaded podcasts in the world. Park published Brand Bewitchery in 2020 to help you use his proven Story Cycle System to craft spellbinding stories for your brand. In 2021, he co-authored The Narrative Gym for Business, a short 75-page guide on how to use the foundational narrative framework of the ABT (And, But, Therefore) to make you a more confident, compelling and persuasive communicator.

May 23, 2023 • 23min
How to Be a Founder with Alice Bentinck (Part Two)
In the second part of Greg’s conversation with Alice Bentinck, the co-founder of Entrepreneur First, they dive deeper into the topic of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Alice shares her vision and mission behind Code First: Girls, a not-for-profit organization that has taught 30,000 women to code for free while they were at university. She explains why diversity is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage for startups and investors. She also reveals the simple fact that every founder needs to understand to succeed in the competitive and fast-changing world of technology. If you missed the first part of our interview, where Alice talks about how to be a founder and her new book “How to Be a Founder”, make sure to check it out. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Startup Science Podcast for more inspiring and informative episodes with the best minds in tech.

May 16, 2023 • 24min
How to Be a Founder with Alice Bentinck (Part One)
What does it take to be a founder of a successful tech startup? How do you find the right co-founder, idea, and market? How do you overcome the challenges and uncertainties of building something from scratch? In this episode of the Startup Science Podcast, Greg talks to Alice Bentinck, a co-founder and General Partner at Entrepreneur First, an international talent investor that supports individuals in building tech companies. Alice shares her insights and advice on how to be a founder, based on her experience of creating and investing in hundreds of startups across the world. Whether you are an aspiring founder, a curious student, or a seasoned entrepreneur, you will learn a lot from Alice’s wisdom and stories. Tune in and discover how you can unleash your potential and create an impact with technology.

Apr 18, 2023 • 15min
From Sea to Success: How Argyris Stasinakis Turned MarineTraffic into a Global Leader in Ship Tracking and Data Intelligence (Part Two)
Greg wraps up his conversation with Argyris Stasinakis, the inspiring Executive Partner and Board Member at MarineTraffic. In this episode, Greg and Argyris dive into the intersection of science and business and explore the challenges of executing ideas in the early stages of a startup. Argyris shares his insights on how MarineTraffic was able to retain top talent and prevent the team from spreading too thin, all while maintaining a strong vision and focus on innovation. Join them as they uncover the secrets to building and scaling successful startups, from recruiting and retaining top talent to navigating the challenges of growth and expansion. Argyris provides valuable advice on how startups can leverage their unique strengths and resources to achieve their goals and create a lasting impact in their industry. Whether you're an entrepreneur, scientist, or simply interested in the world of business, this episode is a must-listen.

Apr 11, 2023 • 17min
From Sea to Success: How Argyris Stasinakis Turned MarineTraffic into a Global Leader in Ship Tracking and Data Intelligence (Part One)
On this episode of the Startup Science Podcast, Greg has the privilege of speaking with the one and only Argyris Stasinakis, a true visionary and pioneer in the world of maritime technology. Join them as they explore Argyris's journey, from his early days as an entrepreneur to his current role as Executive Partner and Board Member at MarineTraffic. Discover how he turned MarineTraffic into a global leader in ship tracking and data intelligence, revolutionizing the way we understand and navigate the world's oceans. Argyris shares his insights on the importance of innovation, collaboration, and resilience in building successful businesses. He also discusses the exciting acquisition of MarineTraffic by Kpler, and the potential for data intelligence to transform the maritime industry's future. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply interested in the world of business, this episode is a must-listen. So grab your earbuds and join us as we embark on an inspiring journey with one of the brightest minds in the world of business.

Oct 13, 2022 • 23min
Episode 31 | Part Two: The Next Generation
In the conclusion of Greg's conversation with Umran Beba and Korhan Beba from the Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation, Umran & Korhan discuss the importance of building a strong team and how academia is preparing the next generation of start-up entrepreneurs.

Oct 6, 2022 • 25min
Episode 31 | Part One: The Next Generation
Greg welcomes Umran Beba and Korhan Beba from the Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation to the podcast. Umran is the foundation's founder and is an experienced senior business executive with over 30 years of experience in general management, talent, and diversity. Korhan is the foundation’s Executive Director and has 25 years of experience working with large multinational companies managing global brands and market research projects. Together their mission is to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into applications, commercial products, and/or services for global markets. In part one, Umran & Korhan share the inspiration for the foundation and how they're currently supporting entrepreneurship.

Sep 22, 2022 • 19min
Episode 30 | Part Two: I Love LA
In the conclusion of Greg's chat with Alessandro Marianantoni, the Founder of M Accelerator, Alessandro provides some guidance for startup entrepreneurs and talks about how his program is helping entrepreneurs avoid potential landmines.

Sep 15, 2022 • 22min
Episode 30 | Part One: I Love LA
Greg is joined by Alessandro Marianantoni this week. Alessandro is the Executive Director and Founder at M Accelerator in Los Angeles which offers programs to serve southern California and International Startup ecosystems and provides students, early stage, and later stage founders with skills to grow their startups. In part one, Alessandro explains why M Accelerator isn’t the typical startup program and how their coaching sessions provide guidance through the several stages of startup development.