In this episode of the CEO Podcast, Clint sits down with Alex Atzberger, the CEO of Optimizely, to discuss his impressive career journey and the transformative growth of Optimizely. From his early days during the dot-com boom to working alongside industry leaders like Bill McDermott at SAP, Alex shares invaluable insights into leadership, innovation, and the power of AI in marketing.

Timestamps:
00:13 - Introduction and Career Background
02:14 - Growth and Vision of Optimizely
03:01 - Overview of Optimizely's Product
04:00 - Leadership Lessons from Bill McDermott
06:44 - Impact of AI on Marketing
10:29 - Building Confidence in AI Solutions
13:00 - Typical Day as a CEO
15:29 - Building and Leading Company Culture
17:53 - Recommended Books
19:44 - Essential Tools and Apps
21:15 - Managing the Economy and Future Outlook
24:34 - Reflecting on Opportunities and Mentorship

In this episode, Clint sits down with Scott Clark, co-founder and CEO of Distributional, to discuss his journey from founding SIGOPT to leading a new venture focused on AI confidence. Scott shares insights on optimizing AI systems, the importance of consistent and reliable behavior in AI, and the challenges of balancing creativity and control in AI models.

We delve into Scott's experience with raising capital, including his recent Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, and the lessons he's learned from his first startup. Scott also talks about the evolving landscape of Silicon Valley, the impact of remote work on recruiting, and the importance of building a strong company culture.

Tune in to hear Scott's thoughts on the future of AI, the shift from prototypes to production, and the critical role of confidence in deploying AI systems at scale. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a startup founder, or just curious about the future of technology, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

Timestamps:
00:12 - Introduction and Guest Background
00:37 - Founding and Selling SIGOPT
01:29 - Challenges in AI Optimization
02:12 - Acquisition by Intel and Role at Intel
02:43 - Realization of AI Confidence Problem
03:36 - Founding Distributional
04:33 - Balancing Creativity and Reliability in AI
05:59 - Mainstreaming of AI and Future Predictions
08:24 - Interesting AI Use Cases and Industry Trends
10:13 - Fundraising Experience and Lessons Learned
12:45 - Changes in Fundraising Landscape
14:30 - Typical Day of a CEO
16:18 - Recruiting and Building a Team
19:09 - Silicon Valley and Remote Work
21:09 - Building Company Culture
23:24 - Thoughts on Paul Graham's Founder Mode Essay
25:34 - Reading Recommendations
28:09 - Essential Tools and Apps
29:20 - Economic Outlook and Planning for 2025
33:13 - Importance of Confidence in AI Production
34:09 - Acknowledging Those Who Gave a Chance
35:34 - Closing Remarks and Future Prospects

In this episode, Clint sits down with Tyler Moebius, the CEO and Chairman of Smart Media Technologies, to delve into his journey in the ad tech industry and the innovative strides his company is making in the Web3 space. Tyler shares his insights on the evolution of Web3, the impact of AI, and the future of blockchain technology.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:09 - Tyler's journey to becoming CEO of Smart Media Technologies
00:28 - The mission and vision of Smart Media Technologies
02:28 - MyOlympic Rewards Program at the Paris Olympics
03:44 - The state of Web3 and blockchain technology
06:32 - The opportunity in loyalty programs and Web3
08:13 - The impact of AI on Smart Media Technologies
09:46 - Understanding NFTs and smart contracts
12:16 - A day in the life of Tyler
14:18 - Company culture and hybrid work environments
16:09 - Reading recommendations and leadership insights
19:59 - Addressing mental health in the tech industry
22:43 - Economic outlook for 2025
26:06 - Reflecting on who gave Tyler a chance in his career
27:06 - Closing remarks

In this episode of the CEO.com Podcast, we sit down with Rich Veldran, the CEO of GoTo, to discuss his incredible career journey, leadership insights, and the future of AI and remote work. Rich shares his experiences from his early days at Procter & Gamble to his transformative role at GoTo, formerly known as LogMeIn.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:21 - Rich's career journey
00:54 - Transition to GoTo and the impact of the pandemic
02:00 - Merging companies and brands
03:37 - The history and growth of LogMeIn and GoTo
05:03 - Acquisitions and product integrations
06:10 - Balancing innovation and integration
07:00 - The complexity of cloud telephony and AI
08:46 - The future of AI in business
10:50 - Public vs. private company management
12:07 - The evolving SaaS model
14:06 - A day in the life of a CEO vs. CFO
16:12 - Embracing remote and hybrid work
18:25 - The global talent pool and remote work benefits
19:50 - Reading recommendations
21:21 - Leadership style and development
23:34 - AI agents and human interaction
24:38 - Financial and market perspectives for 2025
26:44 - The importance of focusing on controllable factors
26:54 - The chance that made a difference in Rich's career

In this episode of the CEO.com Podcast, Clint sits down with Ania Smith, the CEO of Taskrabbit, to discuss her incredible career journey and the insights she's gained from her experiences at Uber and Airbnb. Ania shares how Taskrabbit connects people with skilled taskers for home services, the challenges of managing a marketplace, and the role of AI in enhancing customer experience.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:26 - What is Taskrabbit?
01:21 - Ania's journey to becoming CEO
01:59 - Lessons from Uber and Airbnb
03:38 - The role of AI in Taskrabbit
06:02 - Hybrid vs. remote work
08:07 - Leadership insights
10:44 - A day in the life of a CEO
12:53 - Partnership with IKEA
14:42 - Reading recommendations
16:15 - Economic trends and predictions
19:06 - Addressing mental health in the workplace
21:38 - Building a unique company culture
23:45 - The importance of giving and taking chances

In this episode of the CEO Podcast, we chat with Beth Houck, the passionate and driven CEO of SonarMD. Beth takes us through her inspiring journey—from being the right-hand person at several startups to finally stepping into the CEO role in 2021. She opens up about the highs and lows of leading a healthcare startup, how SonarMD is changing the game in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and why company culture is at the heart of everything she does.

We also dive into some big topics: the role of AI in healthcare, the ins and outs of raising capital, and how Beth stays mentally strong while keeping her remote team motivated. And don’t miss her must-read book recommendations and the go-to tools she swears by.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:19 - Beth's background and journey to becoming CEO
01:23 - Transitioning from COO to CEO
03:42 - What SonarMD does
05:06 - The inception of SonarMD
07:51 - A typical day for Beth
09:20 - Raising capital and investor relations
10:55 - The role of AI in SonarMD
13:08 - Building and maintaining company culture
15:01 - Beth's reading recommendations
16:17 - Favorite tools and apps
18:26 - Staying grounded and focusing on mental health
20:37 - Managing uncertainty in the business landscape
23:03 - Looking ahead to 2025
24:28 - The importance of giving and receiving chances

On this episode, Clint sits down with Lance and Nigel, the dynamic duo behind Vantage Discovery, a groundbreaking generative AI-powered SaaS platform that's transforming the e-commerce landscape.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:37 - What is Vantage Discovery?
02:13 - The journey from Yahoo to Pinterest
04:12 - Raising seed funding
05:28 - Proving the thesis and building the tech
07:15 - Differentiating real AI from the hype
09:07 - The state of Silicon Valley and remote work
11:56 - Building and managing distributed teams
14:16 - A day in the life of a CEO and COO
18:21 - The potential of Vantage Discovery
20:58 - The future of AI in the next 5-10 years
23:30 - Planning for 2024 and beyond
25:22 - Who gave you a chance?

In this episode, we sit down with John Leh, the CEO of Talented Learning, to explore the fascinating world of Learning Management Systems (LMS). Talented Learning is an independent global research and analyst firm that has been studying the learning technology market for over a decade. John shares his journey of founding the company, the importance of LMS in corporate training, and how Talented Learning helps organizations find the right systems to meet their needs.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:24 - What is Talented Learning?
01:00 - How Talented Learning Works
01:14 - Focus on Corporate Market
01:54 - Thought Leadership Marketing
02:16 - Inbound Leads and Client Acquisition
03:07 - Neutrality and Investment Ethics
03:45 - Talented Learning Awards
05:09 - Leaders in the LMS Space
06:16 - Use Cases for LMS
08:54 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
09:46 - Podcast Publishing Schedule
10:43 - Revenue Models
12:13 - Talented Learning Center
12:48 - Advertising and Neutrality
13:09 - Reading Recommendations
14:42 - Favorite Books and Business Insights
16:40 - Impact of AI on Learning Systems
20:31 - AI and Employment in the Industry
22:07 - Market Trends and Economic Impact
24:40 - The Importance of Giving and Taking Chances
26:27 - Closing Remarks and Contact Information

On this episode of the CEO Podcast, Clint sits down with Yaky Yanay, the CEO of Pluri, a groundbreaking biotech company specializing in 3D cell technology. Yaky shares his unique journey into the biotech industry, inspired by a graph on life expectancy, and how Pluri is revolutionizing various sectors from healthcare to food security.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:09 - Yaky's journey to biotech
01:55 - What is 3D cell technology?
04:04 - Cell-based coffee production
08:18 - Being based in Israel
10:22 - A typical day for Yaky
12:02 - Cultivated meat
14:48 - Medical applications
17:31 - Future areas for cell technology
20:20 - Thoughts on aging and longevity
22:42 - Financing and investments
24:41 - Reading recommendations
26:55 - The importance of mentorship

In this episode, we sit down with Mo Al Adham, the CEO and co-founder of Frec, to dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative solutions his company offers in the wealth management industry. Mo shares his personal story of frustration with traditional money management and how it led him to create Frec, a platform that democratizes sophisticated investment strategies for everyone.

Timestamps:
00:09 - Introduction and Background
00:21 - Founding of Frec
00:43 - Frustration with Traditional Wealth Management
01:15 - Technology in Financial Services
02:08 - Introduction to Frec's Main Product
02:49 - Direct Indexing Explained
04:15 - Tax Loss Harvesting
05:40 - Historical Context and Technology Evolution
06:43 - Differentiation from Competitors
07:43 - Revenue Model
09:11 - Additional Revenue Sources
10:00 - Potential Expansion into Mortgages
10:49 - Company Size and Team Structure
11:28 - Benefits of a Small Team
12:32 - Hiring Philosophy
13:03 - Typical Workday
14:09 - Importance of Planning
14:38 - Customer Acquisition Strategy
16:00 - Word of Mouth Growth
16:11 - Advice for Founders
17:48 - Reading Interests
19:06 - Economic Outlook for 2025
20:46 - Thoughts on Bitcoin
 22:06 - Reflecting on Opportunities Given
24:10 - Conclusion and Thanks