Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders

This week, another trip down memory lane as we revisit an episode from April with Dan Galpern, the CEO of DanceOne, who's managed to harness the explosion of interest in dance, into a thriving global brand. Summary:  We may not talk about them the same way we talk about basketball or baseball players, but make no mistake, dancers are elite athletes. Their training is intense, and the competition is fierce. And with Breakdancing at the Olympics, dance content flooding TikTok, and dance competition shows all over TV, there's never been more interest in the art-form. So how do you take that global phenomenon, and harness it into a global business?  Dan Galpern is the CEO of DanceOne. In 2023, the company was formed out of the merger between Break The Floor Productions and Star Dance Alliance, and it has become the premier producer of educational and competitive dance events, as well as the largest family of dance brands in the world.  Dan joins us to discuss DanceOne's plans for future expansion and growth, and how their global community is raising up the next generation of world-class dancers.  Highlights:The origins of DanceOne (3:48)Path from investor to CEO (5:41)DanceOne infrastructure (6:46)Building the DanceOne experience (8:11)The global appeal of dance (9:20)DanceOne event offerings (10:30)Growth opportunities (11:43)The power of dance (15:29)The DanceOne community (17:52)Goals for the future (20:00)Links:Dan Galpern LinkedInDanceOne LinkedInDanceOne WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co. 

This week we're once again dipping into the archive, and revisiting an episode we released in May with Adam Goldenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of Fabletics. Adam has been an entrepreneur since the age of 16, and he shares what decades of experience have taught him about building a successful brand. Summary: When you're shopping for clothes, there's a checklist of things you look for: you want them to look and feel good, you want them to last a long time, you might want them ethically and sustainably sourced, and probably most importantly, you don't want them to break the bank. In 2011 one active wear company emerged that ticked pretty much all those boxes.  Adam Goldenberg is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fabletics. Adam is a seasoned entrepreneur and leader in the e-commerce industry with a proven track record of building multiple-billion dollar brands. In fact, alongside co-founder Don Ressler, Adam has generated over $10 billion dollars in sales through his company, TechStyle Fashion Group, which in addition to Fabletics, has launched other digitally-native fashion brands like Savage X Fenty, Just Fab, Fab Kids, Shoedazzle and Yitti.  Adam launched his first company at 16, at 19 he became the youngest ever COO of a public company. He joins us to share his thoughts on e-commerce, customer retention, sustainability, and opportunities to grow the Fabletics brand.  Highlights:Fabletics origins (2:50)Fabletics' customer base (4:48)Tech and personalization (5:55)Celebrity partnerships (7:32)Membership model (8:37)E-commerce vs. Brick and mortar retail (11:23)Amazon (13:54)Plans for growth (15:27)Sustainability (19:09)Lesson's learned (20:58)What's next for Fabletics (23:19)Links:Adam Goldenberg LinkedInFabletics LinkedInFabletics WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

Today, we're hopping back into the archive and revisiting an episode with Gerard Barron, the co-founder, CEO, and chairman of The Metals Company, who joined us to discuss the company’s plans to harvest critical metals off the sea floor.  Summary:The Trump administration has made American reindustrialization a top priority, but to do that, the US is going to need access to an abundance of metals like copper, manganese and nickel. The challenge then is to find a way to source these materials that doesn't rely on Chinese supply chains, and won't lead to serious environmental harm.Gerard Barron is the co-founder, CEO and chairman of The Metals Company, which trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol TMC. The Metals Company mission is to harvest and process metal-containing nodules from the sea floor, providing a clean and abundant source of raw materials for an array of critical industries, like steelmaking and EV production. Gerard walks us through the evolution of TMC, their groundbreaking tech, and some recent regulatory breakthroughs that have brought them closer to achieving their goals than ever before.Highlights:The Metals Company Mission (2:07)The history of seabed harvesting (3:43)Land-based supply chains (7:17)TMC's tech (10:44)Regulatory roadblocks (12:28)Defense implications (15:51)EVs (17:37)Korea Zinc deal (19:41)Looking ahead (21:34)PE Involvement (24:22) Links:Gerard's LinkedInThe Metals Company LinkedInThe Metals Company WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, Joe@lowerstreet.co.

Across the United States, discarded food too often ends up just rotting in landfills. But one company in California is harnessing the power of data to make sure those valuable nutrients don't go to waste.Clemens Stockreiter is the Founder and CEO of RE:CIRCLE Solutions, a company transforming pre-consumer food byproducts into sustainable animal feed ingredients. He's spent more than two decades leading recycling and circular economy businesses, including as CEO of PreZero US and CFO of Sky Plastic Group. Today, Clemens joins us to break down how RE:CIRCLE is using science and technology to close the loop on food waste, and build data-driven circular food economies. Highlights:What does RE:CIRCLE do? (1:43)Complexity of organics recycling (2:57)RE:CIRCLE's Ontario Facility (3:59)De-packaging (4:57)California sustainability requirements (5:47)RE:CIRCLE's TraceOS system (7:19)Convincing grocers to participate (8:48)Dealing with different types of food waste (9:43)'Copy and Paste Scalability' (11:03)What's next for RE:CIRCLE? (12:37)The future of circular waste systems (13:34) Links:Clemens' LinkedInRE:CIRCLE LinkedInRE:CIRCLE WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

Please enjoy the second part of our conversation with Maja Vujinovic where we break down staking, the evolving crypto regulatory environment, and how the emergence of AI could influence blockchains. Maja is the CEO of Digital Assets at FG Nexus, which trades under the symbol FGNX and specializes in ETH accumulation, yield generation and real-world asset tokenization. She's been a pioneer in financial innovation for nearly two decades and helped shape the crypto industry from its earliest days.Part 1 came out last week, and you might want to go back and listen if you haven't already, especially if you don’t have a strong understanding of crypto and blockchain technology.  Highlights:How does staking work? (2:00)How regulation is evolving (5:28)Geopolitical impacts (7:57)How will AI impact blockchains? (11:11)What it's like being a crypto expert (14:10)What sets FG Nexus apart? (15:21)Links:Maja's LinkedInFG Nexus LinkedInFG Nexus WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

If you hear words like 'crypto', 'Ethereum' and 'Blockchain' and feel confused, you're definitely not alone. Today, we're sitting down with someone who's been in crypto since long before it became the hot new thing, and getting her insight into how it works, and why it matters. Maja Vujinovic is the CEO of Digital Assets at FG Nexus, which trades under the symbol FGNX and specializes in ETH accumulation, yield Generation and real-world asset tokenization. Maja has been a pioneer in financial innovation for nearly two decades and helped shape the crypto industry from its earliest days. Today, you'll hear part 1 of our conversation where we break down what blockchain is, the role Ethereum plays in the decentralized finance ecosystem, and how FG Nexus aims to create value for clients.Tune in next week for part 2.Highlights:Where are we in crypto’s evolution? (3:01)Maja's journey into crypto (4:49)What is Blockchain and Ethereum? (8:07)What makes Ethereum special? (10:36)How Ethereum is valued (12:12)Dollars 'on chain' (14:03)How Maja ended up at FG Nexus (15:39)FG Nexus' value creation strategy (18:08)Links:Maja's LinkedInFG Nexus LinkedInFG Nexus WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

It's officially fall, and that means we're deep into the MLB playoffs, and the NHL, NFL and NBA seasons are in full swing. With it being such an exciting time for professional sports, we thought it'd be an opportune moment to revisit an episode we recorded in April, where Doug Perlman, CEO of Sports Media Advisors, demystifies the complex process of negotiating league media rights. We hope you enjoy this fascinating look into the evolution of sports media licensing in a post-cable world.  Summary: Major sporting events used to be clustered among a handful of TV channels. Now following your favourite team might require subscriptions to a whole litany of cable and streaming services. Which is to say nothing of all the licensed content you'll find spread out across social media platforms. In such a complex media ecosystem, how do organizations even begin to think about licensing their media assets? And how do they calculate their worth?Doug Perlman is the founder and CEO of Sports Media Advisors. SMA advises sports properties on their media strategies and rights negotiations. Doug has negotiated tens of billions of dollars in rights fees for some of the largest sports properties in the world, including the NFL, NASCAR, US Soccer, and the Ryder Cup, among others. Doug joins us today to discuss recent trends like the rise of streaming, the popularization of sports betting, and the emergence of AI, and all the unique challenges and opportunities they present for different leagues and organizations.Highlights:Doug's early career (3:00)Working for the NHL (4:40)Founding SMA (7:53)SMA's services (9:31)Negotiating rights deals (13:55)Cord-cutting (17:16)Impact of sports betting (18:35)Women's sports (19:37)AI in sports (20:58)Advice for young people trying to work in sports (26:12)Links:Doug Perlman LinkedInSMA LinkedInSMA WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

This week, we're reaching back into the archive, and re-releasing an episode from back in May with Jereme Kent, the CEO of One Power Company. Given our recent episodes focusing on AI-driven enterprises, we thought it would be a good time to revisit this episode where Jereme discusses the need for a modernized grid to power those projects. Enjoy! Summary: The world has changed a lot in the last century, but it might surprise you to learn that the US power grid has remained pretty much the same. In this country, energy is by and large controlled by regional utilities with de-facto monopolies, and no real incentive to innovate. That inertia impacts the entire economy, as industrial projects are starved of the power they need to get off the ground. Jereme Kent is the founder and CEO of One Power Company. Under his leadership, One Power is trailblazing the creation of the customer-centric power grid of the future. Before founding One Power in 2009, Jereme led the construction of some of the world's premier wind projects. As a field engineer, erection superintendent and site manager, he has overseen more than a billion dollars in wind turbine construction. Jereme joins us to discuss how and why current US power infrastructure is falling short, and how the One Power model could both energize and decarbonize America's efforts to re-industrialize. Highlights:The state of the grid (3:09)Why we need fixes now (7:04)One Powers services (9:03)Vertical Integration (11:30)Digital Substations (13:54)Fundamental Industries (15:20)Sustainability (16:55)Net Zero (19:45)10 year outlook (21:02)Culture of innovation (23:36)One Power's priorities (25:30)Links:Jereme Kent LinkedInOne Power LinkedInOne Power WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co. 

When you're running a large industrial operation, tracking all of the elements of your process to know where they are and what they're doing in real-time, can be a huge challenge. Today, we're spotlighting a company whose revolutionary platform can help solve that problem. Ed Nabrotzky is the CEO and co-founder of Dot Ai, a company specializing in industrial asset intelligence solutions. Ed brings with him over 25 years of experience in technology development, and has held executive leadership roles at large public enterprises, including Molex and Panasonic.  Ed joins us to discuss Dot Ai's competitive advantage, how AI is changing the game when it comes to asset intelligence, and how their tech helps make companies more efficient.  Highlights:What Dot Ai does (1:53)The gap in the market (2:25)The customers (3:21)Inflection point (4:01)The current emphasis asset intelligence (5:51)ROI (7:09)The Dot Ai platform (8:36)Data Security (12:04)Meeting Unique Client Needs (13:25)R&D (14:40)Puerto Rico Manufacturing (16:15)SPAC (18:49)Forces reshaping supply chains (22:59)Misconceptions about automated asset tracking (25:04)Future outlook (26:10) Links:Ed's LinkedInDot Ai LinkedInDot Ai WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:In today's medical system, getting a proper diagnosis and course of treatment can take ages, with potentially disastrous consequences for your health. Today, we're spotlighting a company that's trying to change that paradigm, using the power of AI.  George Tomeski is the CEO of Helfie.ai, a company whose platform will allow you to assess a whole host of health conditions using only your smartphone. And they hope to bring that ability to billions of people around the world who have historically lacked access to proper medical care.   In this episode, we get into the fascinating origins of Helfie.ai, the company's groundbreaking tech, and George's thoughts on AI's evolving role in the healthcare sector.Highlights:George's professional journey (2:18)Origin of Helfie.ai (3:32)The people healthcare is leaving behind (5:45)How Helfie.ai works (7:28)Working with healthcare orgs (9:53)Next steps after disease identification (10:58)Choosing which diseases to tackle (13:15)Building the algorithm (14:19)Partnerships (17:35)Helfia.ai funding (18:33)The leadership team (19:41)Thoughts on the future of AI in healthcare (20:49)What's on the horizon for Helfie.ai (24:10)Links:George's LinkedInHelfie.ai LinkedInHelfie.ai WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.