The Bear Roars

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan Caruso sits down with Jim Packer—President of Worldwide Television and Digital Distribution at Lionsgate—for a sweeping conversation on the past, present, and future of content.Jim’s career spans from his scrappy start delivering hand-addressed resumes to Disney studios, to leading global content strategy at some of the most storied names in Hollywood—including MGM and Lionsgate. Along the way, he’s helped shape how we experience film and television across traditional media, streaming platforms, and now AI-enhanced environments.The two dive into the seismic impact of AI on media production and content curation—from sound editing to predictive performance modeling for thousands of titles. Jim also shares how old TV classics are being remastered and reborn thanks to cutting-edge upscaling technology, and how platforms like YouTube are reshaping long-form storytelling and fandom.This episode is filled with real industry wisdom, lessons from media’s most iconic leaders, and an insider’s take on how the entertainment business is being reinvented in real time.Learn more about Lionsgate here: https://www.lionsgate.com/Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan Caruso sits down with Colby Synesael—former top-ranked telecom analyst turned investment banker—to trace the evolution of digital infrastructure and its collision course with AI.Colby shares how a chance job at a collapsing telecom company launched a decades-long career covering the industry's most pivotal transformations. From the post-dot-com rebuild to the emergence of communications infrastructure as a standalone sector, his vantage point has offered rare insight into the companies, strategies, and capital shifts that defined the space.Their conversation explores the powerful impact of AI on data centers, fiber networks, and power infrastructure—revealing why energy availability, transmission, and next-gen technologies like small modular reactors are becoming central to the future of connectivity. They also examine the growing investor appetite for infrastructure-like assets and what the shift from AI training to inferencing means for metro fiber and edge deployments.Colby and Dan look back on the critical moments that shaped the sector, while also unpacking the trends and technologies that will define its next chapter. From early industry conferences to the rise of private capital, this episode offers an insider’s view into how digital infrastructure became one of the most consequential—and investable—industries of our time.This episode is packed with real history, sharp perspective, and a clear-eyed look at what comes next.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan Caruso sits down with Dave Schaeffer, founder and CEO of Cogent Communications, to unpack one of the most fascinating and unorthodox careers in telecom.Before launching Cogent, Schaeffer ran the second-largest taxicab company in Washington, D.C., built a real estate empire, and traded in spectrum—after entering college at age 12 and nearly completing a PhD as a teenager. Schaeffer shares the wild backstory behind his entrepreneurial path, including the strategic bets that helped him turn $1 million investments into multimillion-dollar exits long before he ever touched fiber.Their conversation dives deep into the origins of Cogent and the six core principles that have guided its long-term success—from targeting a single product (internet access) to outmaneuvering larger players with laser focus and ruthless cost efficiency. Dan and Dave also talk about the dot-com crash, how Cogent scaled through downturns by acquiring distressed assets, and what it took to build one of the largest and most profitable IP networks in the world.This episode is packed with sharp insight, telecom history, and lessons on what it really takes to think differently—and win.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Andy Lipman—a telecom industry trailblazer whose legal and regulatory work helped open the door to competition and laid the groundwork for the modern internet. From his early days in transportation deregulation to leading the charge against the Bell monopoly, Andy has been at the center of telecom’s most pivotal moments.Their conversation spans the antitrust battles of the 1980s, the rise of MFS and Teleport, and Andy’s role in coining the term “CLEC” and shaping the 1996 Telecommunications Act. He shares stories about industry giants like Bill McGowan, Jim Crowe, and Bernie Ebbers, and explains how regulatory fights over interconnection fueled the explosion of internet infrastructure.Dan and Andy also talk about the dot-com bust, the legacy of WorldCom, and how today's fiber and broadband boom traces directly back to that earlier era. They wrap by looking ahead—discussing fiber overbuilds, Starlink, and the future of telecom as critical infrastructure.Whether you're a policy nerd or a broadband junkie, this one’s packed with insider stories and lessons that still matter today.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Lenval Logan—former intelligence analyst and member of the U.S. government’s UAP task force—to discuss his career in the military and intelligence community, and the work he’s done investigating unexplained aerial phenomena. From his early years maintaining B-52 bombers to briefing generals at the Pentagon, Logan’s path eventually led him to support efforts focused on identifying and analyzing objects that defy conventional explanation.Their conversation explores a range of topics, including military pilot reports of unidentified craft, the presence of unknown objects near nuclear sites, and the challenges of collecting credible data in a field often dismissed or ignored. Logan shares what it was like to be in the Pentagon on 9/11, how he became involved with the UAP task force, and why the stigma surrounding these reports has hindered both research and response.Dan and Logan also discuss the launch of Logan’s Phenom app, designed to allow the public to document and report sightings, as well as broader questions about transparency, government disclosure, and the psychological toll on service members who witness unexplained events.Whether you’re a skeptic or simply curious, Logan’s insights offer a measured, inside look at how the U.S. government has approached one of the most enduring mysteries of our time.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Isaiah Chavous and James Paul, co-founders of Noctal, to unpack their journey from student government and film sets to launching one of the most ambitious sound design startups in the creator economy. Isaiah, a former CU Boulder student body president, and James, a Hollywood producer turned community builder, share how their shared grit and deep bond became the foundation for Noctal. Their conversation dives into the early sparks that led to building a platform that uses AI to radically simplify sound design—turning a traditionally tedious process into a powerful creative copilot for content creators. From Hollywood blockbusters to viral Reels, they explain how Noctal is bridging human artistry with cutting-edge technology, giving independent creators and studios alike a faster, more intuitive way to bring their content to life.Dan and the duo go beyond the tech—discussing startup culture, the future of AI, work ethic in the post-COVID era, and what it really takes to build a founding team that lasts. From burning down in the Palisades fire to bootstrapping a global engineering team, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and hustle.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Frank Louthan, Managing Director at Raymond James and longtime telecom analyst, to unpack the wild rise and fall of the telecom and fiber industry during the dot-com boom and bust. Frank covered many of the era’s biggest players—WorldCom, Level 3, Global Crossing—and brings a rare, unfiltered perspective on what really happened behind the scenes.Frank’s journey began as a young analyst navigating an industry in hypergrowth, only to watch it unravel through regulatory arbitrage, inflated IRU swaps, and unsustainable business models. He shares stories from the front lines—legendary earnings calls, telecom execs caught in denial, and how Wall Street slowly woke up to the scale of fraud inside companies like WorldCom and Quest.Dan and Frank dig into the crash and what came after—how companies like AboveNet and CenturyTel rebuilt with discipline and long-term vision, and how those lessons still apply today as bandwidth demand surges with the rise of AI, edge computing, and hyperscale data infrastructure.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookTo nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Jeff Williams, CEO and CTO of Exum Instruments, to explore how his company is transforming materials analysis with its groundbreaking Massbox™ technology. Exum’s innovation allows for rapid, precise elemental analysis, making advanced scientific tools more accessible across industries like aerospace, battery technology, and national security.Jeff’s journey into tech wasn’t a straight line. A passionate rock climber from Florida, he discovered a love for geochemistry that led him to study meteorites and early solar system formations. His experience in cosmochemistry and analytical instrumentation inspired him to rethink how materials are analyzed—ultimately leading to the creation of Exum Instruments.Jeff and Dan discuss the challenges of launching a hard tech startup, the growing deep tech ecosystem in Colorado, and how AI and automation are shaping the future of scientific discovery. Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookLearn more about Exum Instruments: https://www.exuminstruments.com/To nominate a founder or yourself as a future guest speaker, email: contact@loudbearproductions.com

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Greg Keller, CTO and co-founder of JumpCloud, a cloud-based platform that helps businesses securely manage user identities, devices, and access across IT environments.Greg’s journey to tech wasn’t conventional. He majored in foreign affairs, planning for a career in the CIA, but after graduating into a tough economy, he pivoted into software. His career took him from Japan to Brazil to Silicon Valley, where he worked in data architecture and security before eventually settling in Boulder. A chance meeting with Brad Feld introduced him to Techstars, Endeavor, and the startup ecosystem, shaping his path as an entrepreneur.Greg shares how an early startup failure became a turning point, what led to the creation of JumpCloud, and why mentorship and resilience are critical to building and scaling companies.This conversation dives into:The transition from foreign affairs to tech entrepreneurshipLessons from early startup failures and how they fuel successThe founding of JumpCloud and the need for modern identity securityWhy a strong mentorship ecosystem is essential for entrepreneursOrder Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookClick here to learn more about Endeavor: https://endeavor.org/or here for JumpCloud: https://jumpcloud.com/To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Linda Rottenberg, co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, the global organization that has helped scale thousands of high-impact startups across 45 countries. For over 27 years, Linda has been at the forefront of entrepreneurship—championing founders in emerging markets and proving that bold ideas can come from anywhere.Linda shares how Endeavor started as a wild idea (earning her the nickname “Chica Loca”), how it has helped build 80+ unicorns outside traditional startup hubs, and why investing in scale-ups is key to economic transformation. She dives into the multiplier effect of successful founders, the surprising data behind what makes a great entrepreneur, and how Endeavor is expanding its impact as it works toward Vision 2035.She and Dan also discuss:How Endeavor helped launch Latin America’s first unicorns, Mercado Libre Why network value is the biggest predictor of startup successThe rise of Nigeria, Poland, and Lebanon as tech hubsHow Endeavor Catalyst has become one of the largest global venture fundsWhy scaling a company is about more than just making money - it’s about building ecosystemsLinda’s insights are invaluable for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone passionate about global innovation.Order Dan’s Book – Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation that Shaped the Internet Age and Dot-Com Boom: dan-caruso.com/bookClick here to learn more about Endeavor: https://endeavor.org/To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.