Founder Storiez

Rom Carmel, CEO & Co-Founder of Apono, shares a deeply personal founder story from running his first business at age seven in Nigeria to leading a $54M, post-Series B cybersecurity company today.

In this conversation, Rom reflects on how growing up in Lagos shaped his adaptability, how Israeli intelligence changed his leadership style, and how he evolved from perfectionist founder to empowering CEO.

He also reveals the story behind meeting his co-founder Ofir, getting stuck together in Seychelles during COVID, and spending nine months speaking with 100 CISOs before building Apono.

This is a masterclass in founder psychology, co-founder alignment, and what it really takes to scale a company without losing yourself.

🎙 Founder Storiez. Conversations that reveal what really makes great founders. 

📌 Subscribe for more founder and investor stories 

📌 Leave a comment with your biggest takeaway

In this episode, we sit down with Ori Barzilay, Partner at Team8, to explore what truly drives exceptional founders and investors.

Ori shares his journey from elite military service and competitive sports to becoming one of the youngest partners at a tier-1 venture firm. We discuss winning mentality, humility, intuition in investing, founder-team dynamics, execution as a moat, and why Israel’s tech ecosystem continues to defy the odds.

A thoughtful conversation on leadership, grit, and building long-term success—inside and outside venture capital.

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Zohar Einy, Founder & CEO of Port.io, shares the real story behind building one of the fastest-growing developer platforms in the world.

Zohar opens up about raising a $100M Series C at an $800M valuation, one week before his wedding, how partnership (both personal and professional) became an amplifier rather than a distraction, and why self-awareness, paranoia, and humility are essential traits for elite founders.

From growing up on a farm, to elite military service, to multiple acquisitions, to building Port into a near-unicorn redefining developer experience, Zohar explains how belief, relentless execution, and inner work shaped his leadership style.

This episode dives into:

Why founders in strong relationships often outperform

How self-awareness directly impacts company performance

What great boards and investors actually look like

Why success breeds danger if it leads to complacency

The future of autonomous software engineering

How to stay humble while building something massive

This is not a tactics episode.
It’s a founder mindset masterclass.

Jacques Benkoski, Managing Partner at USVP, joins the show for a candid, wise, and insightful conversation on venture capital, company building, and life.

Jacques opens up about:

• Growing up without money and raising kids young
• The emotional moment he finally felt financially secure
• Why are many serial entrepreneurs driven by unresolved childhood scarcity
• Why the venture industry has lost its discipline
• What “original venture capital” actually looks like
• Why founders must choose their customers
• The real role of a mentor (and the one line that changed his life)
• How he thinks about legacy, purpose, and what truly matters

📘 Jacques’ Book: The Market Entry Strategy
A practical, step-by-step guide to choosing customers, differentiating your product, and building a go-to-market motion that actually works.

If you’re a founder, operator, VC, or anyone who appreciates wisdom earned through decades of experience, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Founder Stories,  we sit down with Dan Povitsky, co-founder of Vine Ventures, to explore the deeply personal and professional story behind one of the fastest-growing venture firms in the world.

From an immigrant upbringing and academic family roots to launching a $60M fund at the height of COVID, Dan shares the principles, lessons, and personal growth that shaped his journey, including how faith and authenticity became the foundation of Vine’s culture.

Highlights:

• The immigrant mindset that fueled Vine’s creation
• What it takes to win deals against top-tier firms
• How personal growth makes better investors
• Why Vine leads every deal, and what that means for founders
• The role of spirituality, authenticity, and community in venture capital
• Lessons on leadership, humility, and staying steady through market cycles

“At the end of the day,” Dan says, “it’s about being sure this is exactly what you want to be doing — for reasons that will motivate you for a long time to come.”

Connect with Dan: LinkedIn 

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.