In this episode of Founder StorieZ, I sit down with my good friend Dor Fledel, co-founder and CEO of Spera, which was acquired by Okta.

Dor opens up about his childhood lessons in competitiveness, how tennis and debating shaped his mindset as a founder, and the intrinsic motivation that drove him forward. We dive into:

• How Israeli culture and 8200 shaped his journey.• 

• Building Spera from 0 → 1 → acquisition.

• The decision-making framework behind selling to Okta.

• How to choose the right co-founder and handle disagreements.

• The truth about founder loneliness and the importance of support systems.

• Mistakes Israeli founders make when selling to U.S. customers.

• When to follow your gut vs. customer feedback.

If you’re a founder, operator, or future entrepreneur—this episode is packed with insights on resilience, decision-making, and building for the long term.

👉 Subscribe for more Founder StorieZ episodes featuring top founders and leaders.

Dean Sysman, CEO and co-founder of Axonius, built a $2 billion cybersecurity company—but his real story starts long before that. In this raw, powerful conversation, Dean opens up about growing up with financial hardship, battling childhood obesity, and forging an unbreakable mindset.

From extreme sports injuries and military service to failed POCs and an unwavering commitment to his wife, daughter, and co-founders—this is the story of a founder who lives by one mantra: Make Each Day Count.

🎯 Topics we cover:

Dean’s childhood struggles and drive for independence

How personal pain became the fuel for purpose

What it took to survive multiple failed product launches

The breakthrough moment that changed everything

Health, fatherhood, legacy—and why he tracks everything

The truth about billion-dollar startups and staying grounded

This episode is not just about building a massive company. It's about building a meaningful life.

Call-to-Action: 👉 If Dean’s story inspired you, please like, subscribe, and share this with someone chasing their own mountain. 

Connecting with: Dean | Ephraim

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dheeraj, who arrived in the U.S. with just $900 and went on to found tech giants Nutanix and DevRev. From growing up in one of India’s poorest states to building multi-billion dollar companies, Dheeraj shares deeply personal stories of sacrifice, resilience, and ambition.

In this episode, discover how education became his gateway, how he balanced family and entrepreneurship, and why staying grounded and humble has been key to his success. Raj opens up about leadership lessons, embracing vulnerability, investing in people, and using philanthropy—especially in computational biology and education—to make a lasting impact.

What You’ll Learn:

Overcoming adversity and the immigrant experience

The role of hunger, perseverance, and innovation

Building and leading billion-dollar tech ventures

Balancing personal values with professional success

The power of philanthropy and legacy

Timestamps:
00:00 Starting from Scratch: A Humble Beginning
00:28 The Power of Education and Perseverance
01:22 Building a Life in the US
02:35 Overcoming Hardships and Family Support
04:23 Lessons in Adversity and Entrepreneurship
07:11 Balancing Wealth and Humility
15:24 The Journey of Nutanix
17:54 Founding DevRev and Future Ambitions
19:09 The Importance of Hunger and Innovation
29:19 The Role of Investors and Early Customers
31:54 Authenticity and Integrity in Leadership
33:34 Embracing Systems and Design
35:01 Mentorship and Personal Growth
40:06 Balancing Dualities in Leadership
51:09 Philanthropy and Purpose
55:39 Reflections on Life and Legacy

About Dheeraj:
Dheeraj is the founder of Nutanix and DevRev. His story is a testament to perseverance, humility, and visionary leadership. He is passionate about innovation, education, and giving back through philanthropy.

About the Host – Ephraim Yarmak:
Ephraim runs TGVG Fund, a micro VC backing early-stage cyber founders. He’s all about real conversations with builders who lead with purpose.

Enjoyed this episode?
Follow the podcast, leave a review, and share with someone who needs a dose of inspiration.

Three top-tier rising VCs – Jordan Siegel (RedPoint), James Green (CRV), and Morgan Gerlak (TCV) – pull back the curtain on venture capital. In this candid conversation, these friends and competitors share their journey from career pivots and childhood lessons to competitive deal wins and investment philosophies. Discover how they evaluate founders, maintain relationships in a cutthroat industry, and navigate the evolving VC landscape. Perfect for aspiring investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone fascinated by the startup ecosystem.

• 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
• 00:35 Morgan's Career Challenges: Overcoming rowing setbacks that shaped his approach to failure
• 01:52 Jordan's Career Pivot: Transitioning from engineering to business consulting
• 02:52 James' Childhood Influences: Early lessons in communication and resilience
• 05:01 Friendship in Competition: Balancing relationships while competing for the same deals
• 08:23 Founder Evaluation: What makes a great founder? Grit, market fit, and relentless drive
• 13:46 Dealing with Failure: Staying motivated in a high-rejection industry
• 16:59 Deal Hunt Stories: The lengths they've gone to win competitive deals
• 21:11 Market Trends: Current investment climate and future predictions
• 22:18 Israel's Startup Scene: Future exits and opportunities
• 23:11 VC Challenges: The hardest aspects of the job
• 24:53 Fund Creation: Insights on starting a new venture fund
• 27:26 Work-Life Balance: Managing personal and professional boundaries
• 31:10 Mentor Relationships: The importance of non-transactional connections
• 39:34 Advice for Aspirants: How to break into venture capital
• 43:36 Closing Thoughts: Final reflections on the VC journey

Links: 

• Morgan Gerlak

• Jordan Segall

• James Green

In this episode, we speak with Yair Kuznitsov, CEO and co-founder of Anecdotes. Yair recently led the company through a successful Series B funding round, securing a total of $55 million. Yair provides fascinating insights into the strategic decision to extend Series B rather than rushing to Series C and how Anecdotes is positioned to disrupt the GRC market with its unique approach to data and AI solutions.

The conversation explores Yair leadership philosophy, including the value of trust in business partnerships and learning from competition. Yair candidly shares his personal growth journey from technical expertise to executive leadership, the impact of remaining in Israel during challenging geopolitical situations, and how building a company during COVID-19 shaped his perspective.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a business leader, or simply interested in the human stories behind successful startups, this episode offers valuable lessons on resilience, strategic thinking, and maintaining balance while building a game-changing company.

Episode Highlights:

• Raising $55M and strategic funding decisions
• Disrupting the GRC market with innovative solutions
• Transitioning from technical expert to CEO
• Building trust and learning from competition
• Managing stakeholder expectations
• Personal growth and maintaining resilience
• Balancing professional challenges with personal interests 

Founder Storiez brings you unfiltered conversations with the world's most compelling entrepreneurs. No fluff, no platitudes—just raw wisdom from those who are redefining what's possible.

In this powerful episode, Tomer Targin CEO of Yotpo, shares his extraordinary journey of surviving stage 4 lymphoma twice while building a successful company. Tomer reveals how cancer transformed his approach to leadership, family, and life itself. Through meditation, gratitude, and unwavering positivity, he turned devastating diagnoses into fuel for personal growth and business innovation. Learn how Yopto evolved through deep customer understanding and authentic brand-building, and discover the mindset that helped Tomer overcome chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and entrepreneurial challenges. This is a story of resilience, purpose, and the power of maintaining perspective when facing life's greatest tests.

Founder Storiez brings you unfiltered conversations with the world's most compelling entrepreneurs. No fluff, no platitudes—just raw wisdom from those who are redefining what's possible.

"The biggest risk isn't failing—it's not pushing yourself far enough." — Gil, CEO of Orca Security

In this episode, we dive deep with Gil Geron, CEO & co-founder of Orca Security. With over $600M in funding and a unicorn valuation, Gil reveals the mindset that's disrupting the cloud security landscape.

This isn't your typical success story. Gil opens up about the childhood experiences in Israel that forged his resilience—from parents who deliberately pushed him beyond comfort to early leadership challenges that taught him to embrace the impossible. You'll hear firsthand how these formative experiences translated into building a company that's reshaping an entire industry.

The conversation takes unexpected turns as Gil discusses:

• The psychological impact of raising hundreds of millions in VC funding
• How he evaluates which boundaries to push (and which to respect)
• Practical strategies for making high-stakes decisions under pressure
• The reality of balancing intense CEO responsibilities with family commitments
• Implementing AI solutions that deliver genuine customer value

Whether you're building your own venture or simply fascinated by the inner workings of billion-dollar startups, this episode delivers rare, actionable insights from someone who's currently in the arena.

Founder Stories brings you unfiltered conversations with the world's most compelling entrepreneurs. No fluff, no platitudes—just raw wisdom from those who are redefining what's possible.

Listen now.

In this powerful episode of Founder's Stories, Bruce, Managing Director of Blumberg Capital, takes us through his remarkable journey in venture capital and shares deeply personal insights about life, loss, and leadership. From humble beginnings to managing over a billion dollars in assets, Bruce's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, relationships, and unwavering values.

What You'll Learn:

• How personal loss and grief shaped Bruce's leadership approach
• The evolution of Blumberg Capital and key investment strategies
• Wisdom gained from mentors like Sir Jacob Rothschild
• Building meaningful relationships with entrepreneurs
• Balancing business success with family values and philanthropy

Episode Highlights: 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 

01:04 Personal Reflections and Family Values 

03:24 Dealing with Grief and Life Lessons 

08:25 Family Legacy 

13:02 Journey into Venture Capital 

16:02 Building Blumberg Capital 

24:45 Role of Luck and Key Investments 

42:37 Understanding the Entrepreneurial Journey 

44:04 Building Entrepreneur Relationships 

45:23 Networks and Innovation 

46:42 Core Expertise Focus 

47:49 Success Stories 

55:18 Maintaining Humility 

58:58 Philanthropy 

01:03:14 Next Generation Values 

01:06:33 Business Ethics 

01:22:08 Mentorship and Hard Work 

01:23:58 Final Thoughts

Listen in as Bruce shares invaluable insights on building a successful venture capital firm while maintaining integrity, humility, and a commitment to making a positive impact in both business and life.

Connect with Bruce 

LinkedIn

Connect with Ephraim 

LinkedIn
 

Meet Aleksandr Yampolskiy, the founder and CEO of Security Scorecard, whose journey embodies the American dream. Arriving from Moscow at 14 without speaking English, Aleksandr transformed early hardships into fuel for success, building a cybersecurity company now valued at $1 billion with over $100M in annual revenue.

In this episode, Aleksandr opens up about his family's immigrant struggles, from gathering furniture off streets to relying on food stamps. Host Efraim guides us through Alexander's fascinating evolution from a curious teenager intrigued by an early cybersecurity incident to a visionary leader in the industry.

Discover how Aleksandr built Security Scorecard from the ground up, navigating the challenges of fundraising, team building, and scaling a technology company. He shares authentic insights about leadership, customer obsession, and maintaining innovation in a competitive market. Whether you're an entrepreneur, cybersecurity professional, or someone pursuing ambitious goals, Alexander's story offers valuable lessons about resilience, continuous learning, and the power of long-term thinking.

Key Topics:

- Immigrant journey and early challenges in America

- The genesis and growth of Security Scorecard

- Leadership lessons and building company culture

- Innovation strategies in cybersecurity

- Balancing personal growth with business success

- The future of cybersecurity industry

- Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and immigrants

Timeline: 

00:00 Introduction 

00:51 Immigrant Origins 

02:00 Early Struggles in America 

03:54 Education & Career Beginnings 

10:34 Security Scorecard's Genesis 

14:20 Fundraising Journey 

20:36 Leadership Evolution 

35:35 Learning from Failure 

37:26 The Power of Mentorship 

38:02 Work-Life Integration 

39:48 Partner Support in Entrepreneurship 

42:08 Innovation Strategy 

46:10 Building Accountability 

56:30 Future of Cybersecurity 

01:01:39 Advice for Entrepreneurs 

01:05:21 Closing Thoughts

Connect with Aleksandr: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayampolskiy/ 

Connect with Ephraim: 

https://x.com/ephraimyarmak 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ephraimyarmak/ 

📢 SPONSORSHIP Interested in sponsoring the show? Email Ephraim at [email protected] Thank you for considering!

Conversation with Mo Koyfman, founder and General Partner of Shine Capital, as he shares his remarkable journey from immigrant roots to venture capital success. Mo reveals how his parents' teachings shaped his core values of freedom, family, and meritocracy, while exploring his innovative approach to venture investing through "lateral thinking." 

In this episode, we dive deep into: 

• The power of modeling behavior and patient parenting 

• First principles thinking in venture capital 

• Building Shine Capital from the ground up 

• The concept of "lateralists" and interdisciplinary investing 

• Mo's work with Sefaria, revolutionizing access to Jewish texts 

• Finding clarity and gratitude in both business and life 

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction 

00:55 Immigrant Values & Success 

08:39 Next Generation Values 

10:05 Modeling & Patient Parenting 

15:00 First Principles Thinking 

20:53 Personal Fulfillment Journey 

36:14 Shine Capital Story 

43:29 Learning from Hardship 

44:46 The Lateralist Approach 

52:38 Pattern Matching in VC 01:00:46 Sefaria Vision 

01:15:06 Clarity & Gratitude 

01:22:34 Final Thoughts

 Link to Sefaria

 _______________________________________ 

 Connect Mo: 

Twitter 

LinkedIn

Shine Capital

Connect with Ephraim: 

Twitter

LinkedIn

📢 SPONSORSHIP Interested in sponsoring the show? Email Ephraim at [email protected] Thank you for considering!