614Startups

Elio interviews Manny Larcher, Co-Founder of Stopwatch Creative and Collaborate and Elevate. In this wide-ranging interview, Manny shares his path from employee to Founder to an essential connector in the Columbus startup ecosystem. Stopwatch Creative is a full-service consultancy and method agency using design and creative marketing campaigns to tell your brand's story. Collaborate and Elevate's mission is to connect individuals to resources, mentors, and information that enables them to grow. Enjoy!

Elio interviews Ben Kozberg, Director of Development of Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation's Entrepreneurs for Kids Everywhere. Ben shares how he discovered the concept of using founder pledges to help fund pediatric research at Nationwide Children's Hospital one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals, the positive response he has received so far from the Columbus startup ecosystem, and how you can use the "Kozberg" method to share new ideas. Enjoy!

Elio interviews Angela Rucci, Co-Founder of Tego. Tego is a personal safety app that allows users to connect with friends and family and travel with them virtually. Angela's personal experience and powerful journey to founding her company are inspiring. Great company with a compelling mission led by an unstoppable entrepreneur.

Elio interviews Hoa Pyles McManus, Co-Founder of SHARE. SHARE is a microtransit company focused on solving the transportation problems of the world's most forward-thinking companies. Hoa discusses her immigrant roots, exit from corporate America, starting a company with her husband, and the future of moving people. Enjoy!

On this episode, Elio interviews Ryan Helon, Head of Investments at Rev1 Ventures. Rev1 is a venture investment firm and startup studio that serves as the hub of the Columbus startup ecosystem connecting startups and corporate innovation teams. Ryan discusses how he got his start as an investor, the array of ways Rev1 helps startups succeed, and the investment philosophy behind Rev1's impressive portfolio of funded companies. Enjoy!

On this episode, Elio interviews Falon Donohue, CEO of VentureOhio. VentureOhio is a non-profit organization committed to increasing access to capital, fostering collaboration and telling Ohio's startup ecosystem story in order to accelerate innovation, job creation, and wealth generation. Falon discusses being raised on a non-functioning farm, her time in the military and how she found the drive and ambition to lead Ohio's premier startup advocacy organization. VentureOhio's VentureDinner is the biggest event on the Ohio startup ecosystem calendar. The VentureDinner honors Ohio's best and brightest entrepreneurs, companies and investors.

On this episode of the 614Startups Podcast, Elio interviews Matt Golis, Founder of GiveGame. GiveGame is a web application that helps not-for-profits effortlessly fund-raise using sports and entertainment. On the encouragement of friends and mentors, Matt moved from Ohio to Silicon Valley in the mid-nineties to begin his entrepreneurial journey as Founder of Rent Payment. In an effort to scale Rent Payment, Matt sought to raise venture funding at the same time the tech bubble was bursting in 1999-2000. Without funding, Matt had to scale his company down and eventually joined forces with YapStone, a company in the rent payment space, where he eventually became CEO. After leading YapStone to scale, Matt has returned to Columbus to launch his latest entrepreneurial venture, GiveGame.  

Thank you for joining us for another episode of the 614Startups Podcast. Enjoy!

On today’s episode, our guest is Michelle Murcia, Founder and CEO of Book+Street. We discuss Michelle’s distinguished corporate career, her transition to working with startups and her founder’s journey of building a fractional CFO practice that helps entrepreneur’s set up financial systems that can take them from early-stage ventures to growth and beyond. 

Our guest today is Tonnisha English, Founder of TJE Communications. TJE Communications is a public relations and digital marketing firm that helps small businesses develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies to brand awareness. Tonnisha discusses her journey from a recent college graduate who couldn’t find work to the founder of a fast-growing PR firm helping startups grow. 

Today in the house we have the man himself Ashwin Rajgopal, Chief Technology Officer of NXTSTOR. We discuss what NXTSTOR is all about and the big problem they are working to solve. NXTSTOR is basically a peer-to-peer marketplace for finding and renting storage space. NXTSTOR primarily serves college students who need temporary storage solutions while away from campus housing whether returning home during the summer or while they study abroad.