Build Tech Stack Equity

In this episode, we interview Aaron Samuels, the Managing Partner, and Co-Founder of Collide Capital, a venture capital fund that invests primarily in black, Latin, and female founders. He has a diverse background, having worked as a spoken word artist, strategy consultant, product manager, and co-founder of Blavity, a media company focused on black culture and news.

Aaron Samuels shares his journey from being a spoken word artist to becoming a fund manager at Collide Capital. He discusses the structural obstacles faced by underrepresented founders in the tech industry and how his experiences at Blavity led him to start a venture capital fund. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration, passion, and the ability to build teams when evaluating startups. He also explains Collide Capital's investment focus on software, including enterprise, SaaS, fintech infrastructure, supply chain, and gen Z productivity. Aaron highlights the value-add services provided by Collide Capital, including their willingness to go the extra mile for their founders. He also shares insights on raising a fund, the importance of finding the right investors, and the need for a well-researched approach when pitching to LPs.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Aaron Samuels is Founder and Managing Partner of Collide Capital. Prior to Collide Capital, Aaron began his career as a spoken word artist before working at Bain & Co. as a strategy consultant and TeleSign as a Product Manager. Combining his love for storytelling, strategy, and technology, Aaron co-founded and served as COO at Blavity, the largest global Black Media company, and AfroTech, the largest Black Tech conference in the world.

Time Stamps:

02:48 Background of Aaron and Collide Capital

04:43 Realization of structural barriers for underrepresented founders

08:44 Creating Collide Capital to invest in underrepresented founders

10:41 Blending operational and investment expertise at Collide Capital

12:28 Valuing collaboration and teamwork in founders

14:48 Founding companies out of passion, not logic or reason.

17:04 Seed stage investments focus on scaling existing solutions.

19:01 Chek size that best fit for new founders

20:57 Focusing on software, enterprise, SaaS, fintech, supply chain, and Gen Z productivity.

23:13 Value-added service is the founders' support and involvement.

25:05 Journey and comparison in raising funds to raise as a startup

28:31 Researching potential investors, convincing them that you're the best person for the job.

31:45 Considering fund size and track record when raising fund one

33:56 Looking for positive signs of success when investing in seed

35:25 How to get in contact with the Collide Capital team

Resources

Company website: https://www.collidecap.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CollideCapital

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/collidecapital/about/

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

In this episode, we sit down with Shani Dowell, the founder of Possip, a groundbreaking platform that bridges the gap between parents and schools to enhance student outcomes. Dowell takes us on her inspiring journey, from her background in consulting to her passion for education and the founding of Possip in 2016.

Join us as Dowell discusses the challenges faced in improving student outcomes and explores the vital role parents and teachers play in achieving this goal. We delve into the future of education and the profound impact technology has on the industry. Dowell also shares insights on fundraising and emphasizes the significance of finding the right investors for long-term success.

Discover how Possip empowers parents by providing a platform for valuable feedback to schools. With its inclusive approach, more than half of the feedback received is in languages other than English, ensuring accessibility for non-English speaking parents. Through open-ended sentiment questions, parents can express praise, seek answers to questions, or voice concerns. The technology organizes this qualitative data into subcategories, offering quantitative insights without sacrificing the richness of feedback. The collected data facilitates decision-making at the district level, and schools receive tailored recommendations based on the feedback.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Shani Dowell is a visionary entrepreneur and leader in technology and education. As the founder of Possip, her work helps revolutionize how schools and districts engage with their families, students and staff. A former middle school Math teacher, Shani started her career as a consultant at Bain & Co. and helped launch the Boston office of the Posse Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to increase student retention and engagement on college campuses. Shani has also worked for education organizations across the country - seeking to create the strongest school possible for students, families, staff, and the broader community. Shani earned her BA at Howard University in Washington, DC, and her MBA at Stanford University.

Time Stamps:

03:08 Introduction to Shani Dowell's background

07:34 Paint point that led to the idea for Possip

09:21 The challenges of improving student outcomes

12:41 The role of technology in education

14:59 Use of text prompts and web links for parent engagement

16:56 Importance of building something you understand

19:56 Finding the right tech developer

21:16 Leveraging strengths in tech

24:08 Getting customers and understanding the education market

25:58 Finding the right price point for Possip

27:59 Business model and pricing

32:52 Fundraising journey and the importance of finding the right investors

35:40 Best fit investors for Possip

37:57 What's coming next for Possip

39:56 How to get in contact with the Possip team

Resources:

Company website: https://possip.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/possipit

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PossipIt/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/possip/

In this episode, we delve into the inspiring journey of Mariana, a Peruvian entrepreneur, and her mission to promote diversity and create opportunities in the world of technology. Join us as we explore the origins of Laboratoria, a tech-based education and job placement company founded by Mariana and her partner. After returning to Peru to marry and start a business, Mariana's passion for merging technology and social impact led to the birth of Laboratoria. Discover how Laboratoria's goal to provide tech education, job placement, and mentorship for underprivileged youth has transformed the lives of disadvantaged young people, fostering inclusion and diversity in the tech sector.

As Laboratoria's web shop thrived, Mariana and her partner faced a significant challenge in building a diverse team of software developers. Recognizing the scarcity of such talent and the lack of diversity in the field, they seized the opportunity to empower women in tech. Hear Mariana's firsthand experiences of attending male-dominated tech meetups and the inspiration behind creating Labia, a boot camp designed to equip women with the skills needed to embark on successful careers in software development.

Join us as Mariana reflects on the changing landscape of software engineering in Peru and the positive impact that Laboratoria and Labia have had in bridging the gender gap. Learn how they have shattered stereotypes and inspired thousands of women to pursue careers in tech, creating a more inclusive and vibrant future.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Mariana is the co-founder and President at Laboratoria, an organization empowering women who dream of a better future to start and grow careers in technology. Running bootcamp programs for women across Latin America, Laboratoria is helping shape a more diverse, inclusive, and competitive digital economy in the Region that can create opportunities for every woman to develop her potential. For her work as a social entrepreneur Mariana has received multiple recognitions, including being named one of Peru's leading innovators by the MIT, and one of the world's most influential women by the BBC. She holds a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York.

Time Stamps:

03:06 Mariana's background and professional journey

05:17 Starting a web shop and discovering the world of software development

07:57 Exploring the need for diverse tech talent in Peru

10:58 Software development: the immersive boot camp program

14:33 Benefits of the women in tech program bootcamp

17:15 Types of customers and companies hiring Laboratoria alumni

18:39 Laboratoria business model for job placement boot camps

22:33 Laboratoria metrics and use of technology

24:10 Using technology to educate women in tech and incorporating it into business

28:12 Challenges of attracting tech talent for nonprofit education services company

30:26 Laboratoria upcoming plans for 2023

32:27 Skilling up women in AI and data science

34:25 How to get in contact with the Laboratoria team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.laboratoria.la/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/laboratoria/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Laboratoriala

In this episode we sit with Kerry Schrader, the co-founder of Mixtroz, a former HR executive with extensive experience in people management, who shares her journey of creating Mixtroz alongside her daughter, to address the challenge of making authentic connections at events. Kerry explores the origins of Mixtroz and the inspiration behind their innovative concept of "mixed introduction." She discuss the common issues faced by individuals at events, both before and during the pandemic, where making genuine connections with strangers seemed daunting. She also sheds light on how her passion for social engagement led her to create Mixtroz, events designed to foster meaningful conversations and connections.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Kerry delves into the importance of meaningful connections in today's society, whether in-person or in virtual settings. Kerry shares the premise of Mixtroz and how their technology-driven platform aids individuals in making these connections effortlessly. She emphasizes that attending an event is only the first step while building relationships and having meaningful conversations is the other half of the equation. Kerry reveals how Mixtroz helps bridge this gap, allowing people to connect with those who truly matter.

As the discussion continues, Kerry highlights the prevalent tendency of individuals to stick to familiar faces at events, neglecting the opportunity to meet new people. Kerry elaborates on the idea behind launching Mixtures, a software platform specifically designed to assist event leaders in facilitating meaningful engagement. She emphasizes that while Mixtures isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, it serves as a valuable tool to help individuals forge deeper connections and foster a sense of community.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Kerry Schrader BBA, MBA, is the co-founder/CEO of Mixtroz. She is the 37th Black Female to ever raise over $1M in pre-seed funding. Kerry has more than 25 years of experience positively impacting the human assets of large companies including Ford, Alcoa, and Sears Holdings Corporation. Mrs. Schrader is a former board member of Creative Startups, Birmingham's Inaugural Mayor's Small Business Council, and UAB's O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center's Advisory Board. She is currently a board member of the Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center. In addition to being included in Inc. Magazine's 2022 100 Female Founders list, Kerry and her daughter were named "Powerful Women" by Entrepreneur Magazine on their inaugural list and Kerry has been included in Forbes Next 1000. Most importantly, however, KERRY is a breast cancer survivor!

Time Stamps:

03:13 Kerry's background and professional journey

05:34 Pain point on live events that led to creating Mixtroz

09:00 Maximizing engagement at events

11:10 Mixtroz technology for event organizers

13:24 Utilizing Mixtroz data to increase engagement

16:10 Event Planning and Targeting Customers

18:53 Power of Meaningful Social Connectivity in Mental Health Awareness

20:52 Enhancing Engagement in Virtual Events with Mixtroz Platform 24:41 Building an Engaging Event Platform

27:16 Journey of Bootstrapping and Fundraising for a Startup

32:58 Barriers to Raise Capital as a Black Female Founder

36:55 Overcoming Challenges to Launch a Tech Startup

41:32 Conversation on Supporting Black Companies and Female Founders

44:48 How to get in contact with the Mixtroz team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.mixtroz.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mixtroz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mixtroz

In this episode, we sit with Sheridan Claybourne, an entrepreneur whose journey began at the age of 15 with a passion for startups and a knack for making profits. Discover how Sheridan's early success in acquiring and selling sneakers led him to launch his own company, Lendtable, and embark on a remarkable entrepreneurial career. Sheridan shares his experiences working in the finance industry, including stints at renowned firms like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Tune in as he discusses his decision to leave these prestigious positions behind in pursuit of creating startups that could address the flaws he observed in the existing financial landscape. Learn how he identified opportunities to generate outside returns and provide non-accredited investors access to private equity funds through his FinTech ventures.

Explore Sheridan's diverse background, from working at a credit-boosting startup to becoming a machine learning product manager at Dropbox. Find out why he ultimately decided to forge his own path and how his varied experiences equipped him with the necessary skills to launch Lendtable. Discover how this platform is revolutionizing the way small and medium-sized businesses access financial services.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Sheridan is Co-Founder & CEO of Lendtable - the first platform for providing "wealth-building loans". Born in Chicago, Sheridan was the youngest African-American to ever get into Northwestern at age 15. Since enrolling in school, he built his first business (Snatcher - automatically buying and selling limited edition items/tickets) to $10million+ in revenue in 3 years. During which, he spent time working at Goldman and J.P. Morgan in their Special Situations Group. This ignited his passion for fintech and creating financial equality for all people. In its first 3 months, Lendtable raised $1million+.

Time Stamps:

03:13 Sheridan's background and professional journey

07:41 Exploring the possibilities of fintech to create a positive impact

10:59 Exploring wealth-building loans for 401k match and employee benefits

12:26 Benefits of debt financing for wealth building

14:35 Exploring guaranteed returns and artificial intelligence in financial platforms

16:46 Collecting data and leveraging third-party vendors

18:54 Direct-to-consumer 401k matching services

20:08 Significance of user interface and user experience in consumer-facing technology

21:21 Collaboration between co-founders to create a fintech business

25:43 Team makeup, fundraising journey, and learnings raising capital for a start-up

29:44 Seed and pre-seed round investment considerations for a startup

30:03 Identifying the best investors for a startup

32:13 Generating wealth through referrals and word of mouth

34:51 What's next for the Lendtable team

35:54 How to get in contact with the Lendtable team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.lendtable.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lendtable/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lendtable

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lendtable

In this episode we sit with Harold Hughes, the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, Harold shares his journey from being a first-generation American in South Carolina to becoming a tech entrepreneur in Austin, Texas. Inspired by his experiences at Radio Shack and driven by a passion for uniting people, Harold founded Bandwagon — a technology-based solution to break down barriers and foster community through the love of sports.

We delve into the concept of affinity groups and community building, exploring how technology can be harnessed to create meaningful connections among people from diverse backgrounds. Their platform allows fans to access exclusive content, join fan clubs, and celebrate their favorite teams, regardless of geographical limitations. Discover how Harold's vision bridges gaps and builds a stronger community, empowering individuals to engage, support, and understand one another better.

In addition to Bandwagon, Harold discusses his latest innovation, Poet (Proof of Experience Token). Poet allows artists and athletes to invite their fans to submit content directly to their pages, with commercial rights belonging to the creators themselves. This innovative approach empowers entertainers and athletes to control their brand while enabling fans to share their experiences and build deeper connections with their favorite icons.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Harold Hughes is the founder & CEO of Bandwagon, a South Carolina-based live experience technology company. Under his leadership, Bandwagon has raised more than $3M in venture capital and successfully acquired IdealSeat, Inc. in 2020. Their customers include Fortune 50 brands, entertainers, as well as professional and collegiate athletes. As a first-generation American, Harold prioritized education, receiving two bachelor's degrees (Economics and Political Science) from Clemson University and later received his MBA from Clemson while he led business development at a Fortune 1000 company based in Greenville, South Carolina. As a web3 builder and community leader, Harold published "A Kids Book About Blockchain" to help educate people "from 6 to 60" about the revolutionary technology that Bandwagon specializes in. To that end, Harold is also an active angel investor, primarily investing in women, people of color, and Black founder-led companies. Most notably, he has invested in Partake Foods, the Jay-Z-backed CPG company making allergy-friendly snacks, and companies like Goodr, Chipper, Athletic Greens, Republic, Stix, and the National Cycling League.

Time Stamps:

03:18 Harold's background and professional journey

05:31 Exploring the pain point behind Bandwagon fan club

08:05 Benefits of poet and fan club for artists and fans

11:50 Exploring the benefits of using Poet for content creation and monetization

14:47 Benefits of connecting fans and artists through data

17:55 Leveraging blockchain technology to build value in an ecosystem

22:06 Building a blockchain platform

24:47 Recruiting and go-to-market strategy for blockchain-based platform

28:19 Value propositions and benefits of token access for artists and entertainment brands

31:03 Data analysis and funding for expansion of the brand

32:29 Leveraging social capital for successful fundraising

36:19 Potential of proof of experience technology

38:18 Discussing Bandwagon's product roadmap and connecting with fans

39:37 How to get in contact with the Bandwagon team

Resources:

Company website: https://bandwagonfanclub.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/builtxbandwagon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bandwagon-fan-club/

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of AI-driven drug discovery and its potential to revolutionize the field of structural biology. Our guest, Raphael Townshend, the founder of Atomic AI, shares his journey from engineering to AI and his profound interest in the structural biology space. Raphael discusses his background in engineering and how his focus on AI, particularly computer vision, led him to pursue a Ph.D. in AI with a keen interest in structural biology. He explains how he discovered the relatively unexplored area of structural biology and recognized its potential for AI algorithms to make a significant impact.

The conversation takes a deeper dive into the potential impacts of AI on drug discovery, with a particular focus on its application in finding cures for diseases with no known remedy, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, various cancers, and infectious diseases. Raphael explains how AI has already demonstrated remarkable success in folding molecules, an achievement that once required extensive time and resources. By leveraging AI algorithms, researchers can now significantly reduce the time and cost involved in the drug discovery process.

Discover how AI algorithms are reshaping the landscape of drug discovery and paving the way for more efficient and cost-effective treatments. Tune in to this episode to explore the future possibilities of AI in structural biology and its potential to transform healthcare and improve countless lives.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Raphael Townshend is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Atomic AI, a biotechnology company using artificial intelligence to enable the next generation of RNA drug discovery. Prior to founding Atomic AI, Raphael studied for his Ph.D. at Stanford University, where he wrote his thesis on Geometric Learning of Biomolecular Structure and taught in Stanford’s machine learning and computational biology programs. He has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30, and his work has been featured on the cover of Science, recognized by the Best Paper award at NeurIPS, and published in other top venues such as Nature, Cell, and ICLR. During his Ph.D. program, Raphael also held positions at DeepMind and Google on their artificial intelligence and software engineering teams and founded the inaugural workshop on machine learning and structural biology.

Time Stamps:

02:53 Raphael’s background and professional journey in AI

05:36 What are structural biology and the rational design of molecules

08:02 Impact of AI on drug discovery and medical research

09:18 Molecule design for undruggable diseases with AI-guided drug discovery

13:39 Designing RNA molecules for disease treatment using ai algorithms

15:30 Collecting data for AI model training

17:44 Exploring data generation for AI-powered RNA analysis

18:56 Complementing biological and AI scientists for AI model training

20:44 Predicting 3-dimensional protein shapes using machine learning

22:58 Exploring the Pharmaceutical and biotech industry

25:53 Structuring deals for startups in the biotech industry

27:55 Building a biotech company: found raising journey

30:49 Techbio investing and business modeling

34:06 Benefits of partnering models in Biotech and AI product usability

37:53 Progress in RNA drug discovery and AI-powered research

39:04 How to get in contact with the Atomic AI team

In this episode, we interview Barbara, a technical founder who has significantly impacted the tech industry. Barbara is the creator of a Clubhouse group called Let's Imagine Life with Ladies at It, which helps women learn to code and expand their knowledge and skills in tech. With over 3000 members, the group celebrates women in tech and encourages men to bring more women onto their teams. She is also passionate about helping other women reach their potential and make a difference in the tech industry. Recently, she launched an initiative with a nonprofit and an organization in Angola to get 100 Portuguese-speaking African women coding. She has already hired one of them as a QA analyst for her company.

During the interview, Barbara shares her entrepreneurial journey, including how she started in tech and her experience with hackathons. She also talks about her successful software company that is used in over 4000 stores in the US, Canada, and Japan, and her experience creating algorithms for gift receipts and point-of-sale systems.

Additionally, Barbara shares insights into the value of equity versus raises, and how she used her experience with a previous startup to start her own business, Freeing Returns. She explains how her team won a hackathon sponsored by WorldPay and ended up receiving $75,000 in cash and prizes for their solution to fix returns. This success led to WorldPay becoming one of the first customers of Freeing Returns, and the CTO of WorldPay becoming a mentor to Barbara, opening many doors for her in the tech industry.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Barbara Jones is the founder/CEO of Lillii RNB Inc which is doing business as Freeing Returns. Barbara has been in the Retail Technology sector for over 20 years and has been on the founding teams of 2 Retail Technology startups that both exited for close to $100M. Barbara has created Retail Tech Software that is running in over 4000 stores throughout the US, Canada, and Japan. She has been in the POS Architect and Solutions Architect roles for The Home Depot, LL Bean, PepBoys, and many more solving multi-million dollar issues for them. Her newest venture has been to transition Lillii RNB Inc from a System Integration consulting company to an Enterprise Solutions company with their Returns Management and Profit Optimization platform, Freeing Returns™ - which helps retailers find the Fraud and Shrink that's HIDING in their Data. We have successfully closed our Seed round, led by Serena Williams' venture fund and Aperture Venture Capital - bringing our total investments to over $4M.Barbara lives in Lithonia, GA with her husband of 2 years, but is from Austin, TX. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. She is a Gulf War Veteran, an Avid supporter of Women in STEM, and hires and trains minorities in the space of Retail Technology.

Time Stamps:

03:17 Barbara's background and professional journey with Freeing Returns

08:00 Benefits of starting a career in tech

12:48 Exploring the growing issue of retail fraud with Freeing Returns

16:15 How Freeing Returns solve the problem: E-commerce loss prevention

18:49 Identifying areas of loss and solutions for improvement

22:10 Defining the ideal customer and exploring solutions for retailers

25:20 Company target and experience with the product

28:18 Difference between building tech for an enterprise and an SMB

30:32 Potential of data science and AI for real-time alerts and predictive capabilities

33:58 Raising $4 million for a startup company

38:48 Validation through hard work: building resilience and preparing for the next funding round.

41:37 Raising a pre-series round for retail technology platform to support growth and scale

43:57 How to get in contact with the Freeing Returns team

Resources:

Company website: https://freeingreturns.com/

LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/freeingreturns/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/freeingreturns

In this episode, we speak with Manuel Jimenez, a Spanish professional who moved to Colombia to take a high-responsibility position with the Bank of Falabella and ended up creating his own company to tackle the issue of financial exclusion in the country. He shares his experience of moving to Colombia with his family and realizing that the country was not as dangerous as he had initially thought. He talks about his desire to create something with social impact and how he identified the problem of financial exclusion in Colombia.

Manuel discusses the differences between access to credit and financing in the United States and Spain, and how these resources are more difficult to access in Colombia. He then introduces his company, Aflore, which aims to bridge the gap in the market by providing people with the tools to fulfill their financial roles more effectively. Manuel explains how his research uncovered an informal market in which people lend money to each other, and how Aflore is designed to make people aware of their role in this market and give them the tools to do it more efficiently. He also talks about his partnership with PolyMath Ventures, a venture studio, which generates ideas to become businesses and provides initial funding. He describes how he and his co-founder set out to solve the problem of lack of trust in the financial sector by analyzing how people solve their financial needs without the formal system.

Finally, Manuel shares his vision for the future of Aflore and his plans to expand the company's reach in Colombia and beyond. This episode offers a unique perspective on the issue of financial exclusion in emerging markets and the role that technology can play in addressing this problem.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Manuel is the COO/CPO and co-founder of Aflore, a Fintech company that distributes financial products through a community of Informal Advisors. Manuel was previously Vice President of Banco Falabella Colombia, Head of Sales Channels, where he led areas including branch networks, remote channels (internet/mobile, contact centers, and ATM networks), and customer service. Manuel has more than 20 years of experience in international financial institutions, including roles in Finance, O&T, Business Analysis, Credit Scoring, Product Management, Business Development, and Sales and Distribution. He holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School, a BS in Business Administration from UNED, and a Computer Science degree from Universidad de Valladolid (Spain).

Time Stamps:

03:05 Manuel's background and professional journey

05:17 Taking the decision to move to Colombia and start a company

07:33 A problem to be solved: access to fair credit and building assets

12:51 Exploring the informal financial market

15:06 Business model of a financial services provider

18:02 Serving the informal advisor market in Latin America

19:39 Making a digital transformation: where is tech involved

25:43 Leveraging technology to provide financial products to consumers

27:28 Combining technology and support to create trust with clients

29:06 Benefits of software and human interaction in business success

32:03 Utilizing technology and informal advisors to improve efficiency and manage risk

35:54 Raising equity and debt for track record creation

39:57 Raising capital for Latin American companies

43:46 Reorganizing team and developing channel strategy for growth and profitability

46:41 How to get in contact with the Aquabyte team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.aflore.co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afloreco

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

LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/aflore

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfloreCo

In this episode, we sit down with Alexandra, Co-founder of Eight Sleep, a health and wellness company focused on sleep fitness. Alexandra discusses her background in marketing and communication and how she acquired her skills through hands-on experience. She then delves into the inspiration behind Eight Sleep, which was founded to address the lack of technology available to help people understand and improve their sleep.

Alexandra explains how the company's flagship product, the Pod, was created to bridge the gap between bad sleep and good sleep. The Pod uses sensors to monitor sleep and health biometrics and adjusts the temperature in real-time to create the perfect sleeping environment for each individual's needs in every sleep phase. The conversation also touches on the attention Eight Sleep has received from high-profile fans like Elon Musk, and Alexandra's excitement about the amazing team she has built at the company.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Alexandra Zatarain is the Co-founder and VP of Brand and Marketing of Eight Sleep, the world's first sleep fitness company. Eight Sleep has raised over $165M in venture funding and has helped hundreds of thousands of people get sleep fit with its hardware and digital products. In 2017, Alexandra was named by Forbes to the 30 Under 30 list in Consumer Technology, and in 2020 she was named by INC as one of the top 100 Female Founders. Alexandra is also an angel investor in female-founded companies. She was raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and now lives in Miami.

Time Stamps:

02:59 Alexandra's background and professional journey with Eight Sleep

06:04 Benefits of technology for sleep optimization with Eight Sleep

08:45 What is Eight Sleep technology

10:41 Solving environmental issues through temperature control technology

13:01 Benefits of learning from experts, thinkers, and customers for entrepreneurship

15:39 Conversation on sleep and the evolving role of marketing in business

19:45 Benefits of early-stage brand marketing and technology infrastructure

21:32 Technology behind the most extraordinary sleep experience

24:42 Building a dev team: hiring strategies and expertise needed

27:11 Company hiring and retaining talent in a small company

33:25 Crowdfunding process and successful campaigns

36:31 The value of validation and networking

40:04 Finding the right investors for a hardware company

41:43 Value-added services provided by investors

44:31 Discussing board partners, reference checks, and product roadmap

45:32 What's coming for Eight Sleep in 2023

47:01 How to get in contact with the Eight Sleep team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.eightsleep.com/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eight_sleep

Twitter: https://twitter.com/eightsleep