Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital

While many professionals have in the past belittled the creator economy, according to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy was worth about 250 billion in 2023 and is set to nearly double by 2027. 

And that is just one of the myriad reasons why you should tune in to our conversation today with Scott Clary, who is living this very trend. An entrepreneur, investor, author and podcaster today with a combined following of about 2 million!

Join us as we dove deep into Scott's journey and the importance of personal brand monetizing influence and the nuances of the creator economy. 

Key Takeways

1/ Focusing on things that really fit the “right now”.

2/ Be proud of your own work; and stay long enough to see it through.

3/ Building companies is more than building jobs - think about transfer of power, hiring the right person, and think beyond the face value.

4/ Always validate product market fit.

5/ Trust yourself more.

About Scott

Scott D. Clary is a Canadian entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator, speaker & podcaster. He is the host of the 'Success Story' Podcast where he interviews inspirational people, mentors and leaders, and the founder of a weekly business newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers.

He's sold and marketed to the most iconic F500 / F100 brands throughout his career. His work has been featured in over 100+ news sites and publications. He speaks globally at industry conferences and has had articles and insights featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Hackernoon, The Startup and others.

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

In light of the nostalgic festive period, this week, we are diving back into one of our favorite episodes this year with the one and only Vivy Yusof.

Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger-turned-entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond.

FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry.

Key Takeaways

1/ Grow your career by embracing your passion and the support of your loved ones.

2/ Engagement and loyalty come from authentic, organic growth with your audience.

3/ Fame comes with consequences; it’s a personal choice you made, so pick your battles.

4/ Ride the waves when they hit; obsession is really needed to make something successful.

5/ Pivot when it doesn’t make business sense.

6/ When you find a co-founder, try to find someone who's the opposite of you.

7/ Know your niche; never try to be like your competitor.

-

Originally aired: January 27, 2023

Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation. 

In his recent publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change. 

In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1/ 3 key elements of big bets: innovative solutions, unlikely partnerships and alliances, and a real focus on data results, measurement, and tracking.

2/ It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes.

3/ We know we can be successful, but it takes a big bet mindset to embark on these efforts.

4/ Keep taking the risks you took in your twenties and thirties as you get a little older; so that you can give yourself a chance to earn those rewards.

5/ Crossing boundaries and taking risks to reach your goals, to make things work.

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

Rejection has been a recurring theme on this show, serving as a powerful catalyst for success.

This week's Billion Dollar Bite features Kendra Scott's appearance in Austin, hosted by Beyond The Billion and Brown Advisory. From her initial setbacks in business to the journey of building a billion-dollar jewelry empire and the challenging decisions made along the way, we invite you to catch a glimpse of Kendra's success and the hardships she faced in this brief episode.

Key Takeaways

1/ Failure serves as a real-life business school: when you fail, you learn, and then you rise.

2/ Prioritize hiring based on core values rather than titles.

3/ Concentrate on building the best business; opportunities and resources will naturally follow.

4/ Pivoting and taking risks are essential for achieving breakthroughs.

5/ Select your investors as carefully as you would choose a spouse.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

At Billion Dollar Moves, our ultimate goal has always been showcasing the often untold stories of what it really takes to achieve that coveted ‘unicorn status’ beyond what’s often humble-bragged about; to challenge today’s status quo of what ‘patterns of success’ looks like, that often does not look like you or me.

Join us in our latest recap episode as we dive deep into the meaningful conversations that reshape the traditional definition of success. Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment as we relive these beautiful inspiring snippets from this season. 

TIMESTAMPS

Nirvana Chaudhary

Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary, CG Group—Making Your Mark 8:51-9:51

Rachel Lim

Coming into her own: Rachel Lim, Co-Founder, Love Bonito 41:47-42:25

Eric Toda

Meta's Eric Toda on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity 30:55-31:59

Gola

Turning Fear into Power: with Gola, Exiled Iranian Singer 21:14-21:39

Nathaniel Harding

Investing in the Midcontinent with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures 44:56-47:29

Jeff Maggioncalda

Pivot or Persevere? | Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda 34:50-35:44

Lisa Edgar 

Investing in Venture Capital Funds | Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital 09:38-10:14

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

In keeping with the theme of my material from Helsinki, Finland just as one of the biggest events in Finland happens: Slush, today’s episode is with my friend, Taneli Tikka, truly one of the OGs of the Finnish startup ecosystem, who also actually started the Foundation that owns Slush!

Taneli founded his first startup Taika Technologies at the tender age of 21. Before going bankrupt, Taika akin to Silicon Valley startup General Magic, had patented technology that helped companies like Nokia and Linux in their core development.

A serial entrepreneur and investor, Taneli has had more than 10 exits with several highlights in his career from schooling Mark Zuckerberg about social media when he was CEO of IRC-Galleria, then Finland’s largest youth social media platform; to serving as CEO of a State Development Company, which today is known as the Finnish Climate Fund with something like~3.5B Euros in assets. From being raised by a single mom, to building and bankrupting a company and rising from the ashes to become Finland’s favorite and trusted veteran entrepreneur, let’s just say Part One of my conversation with Taneli Tikka is nothing short of inspirational. 

--

FOLLOW TANELI:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tanelitikka/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taneli_Tikka

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

What is our 'true dharma' and how can we build without burnout?

--

Once seen as the face of failure on the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands the road to success is not always smooth and requires more than unrelenting grit. Things of course turned around for him, where as CEO of RISE Suneel helped thousands of people in their physical and mental health journey. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then first lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed company One Medical Group. In 2022, with its acquisition of One Medical Group, RISE is now part of Amazon.

Now, a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel helps others achieve sustainable peak performance by embracing simple habits to bolster emotional resilience and engagement. Core to that is what he captures in his book “Everday Dharma”; today we unpack the wisdom of the pages on mindfulness, play in work, and how we can rise to our essence as leaders. 

--

Links:

Everyday Dharma by Suneel Gupta

FOLLOW SUNEEL:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/ 

Website: https://www.suneelgupta.com/

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

Lisa Edgar has been a trailblazer in the venture industry, a veteran with over two decades in the business backing many of the brand name venture firms we know today from Accel to Benchmark. 

We chat about:

This episode is brought to you by Helsinki Partners. Whether you’re looking to set-up or expand your company, find quality deal flow and investment opportunities, the best location for your event or congress, visit or find your new career in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, they’re your go-to!

PS: Helsinki Partners is unveiling an exclusive 2-week program at Slush for international VC fund managers and LPs eager to dive into the dynamic Nordics and embrace the Finnish venture ecosystem!

📣 Be the FIRST to know when applications open: 

https://tinyurl.com/bdm-helsinki

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. In comes our next guest, Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose

05:53 - The premium of 'track record'

07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack

10:53 - Where does the resistance come from?

12:30 - The role of consultants

16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact

18:20 - Investing in women is not charity

24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP

30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history

Links:

Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company: https://www.pivotalventures.org/

Investing | Pivotal Ventures: https://www.pivotalventures.org/investing

Breaking With Tradition: https://www.pivotalventures.org/articles/breaking-with-tradition-pitchbook-venture-capital

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

True to the saying 'nice guys finish last'; so many of us have accepted that as in the case of Steve Jobs, 'abrasiveness' was part of his genius.

But what if there was another way?

What if leaders could be kind; and that there is a tangible value to kindness in business?

Now all of us probably know the term “goodwill” from an accounting context: 

In this capitalistic world in many ways; this value is decided by the buyer.

Now our next guest argues that in reality, goodwill which should mean a whole lot more than an accounting concept, 

is earned and cannot be bought; and that if done correctly — can be worth a whole lot.

This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, a popular plus-sized clothing brand serving and employing predominantly Black women: where he reinvented the co from the brink of bankruptcy: with what he argues was a recipe of “kindness” that shocked the world.

PROFILE: James Rhee: https://www.redhelicopter.com/

James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, and educator who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He is an award-winning thought leader on topics such as multidimensional transformation, the intersection of capital, race, and gender, the future of capitalism, and values-based investing and leadership. The story of the remarkable transformation and re-imagination of Ashley Stewart, one of the country’s largest clothing brands serving plus-sized Black women, under James’s enlightened leadership as chairman, CEO and investor (2013-2020), has served as proof to millions of people, as well as the world’s leading businesses and organizations, that one can do better by being better.

James bridges seemingly unconnected people, communities, and industries under an inclusive and innovative umbrella. James serves as a member of the Advisory Council of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a Founding Member of Ashoka E-to-E, and the Advisory Board of CEO Action for Racial Equity. He is a Strategic Advisor to start-ups creating the world in which we want our children to live, and formerly served as Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation, and a board member of Conscious Capitalism and the American Repertory Theater. He is a client of both UTA and LGR Literary.

As an investor, James helped manage billions of dollars of growth and distressed capital at two leading Boston-based institutions before ultimately founding his own impact platform called FirePine Group, where he has stewarded the capital of some of the world’s most sophisticated investors. He has been the lead investor and a board director across multiple successful platform investments. Before his career in business and finance, James Rhee was a high school teacher and an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

He is writing a book and devotes time to Howard University as the Johnson Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the faculty at MIT Sloan School of Management as a Senior Lecturer and EIR @ MIT Leadership Center.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal