From Start-Up to Grown-Up

By Alisa CohnBusiness Entrepreneurship Careers

From Start-Up to Grown-Up episodes

January 02, 2024#58, Josh Reeves, CEO and Co-Founder of Gusto — Upholding the platinum rule, taking control of your attention, and a framework for hiring people who are in love with your problem
If you’re looking for inspiration to upgrade your leadership for 2024, you’ll want to listen to my conversation with Josh Reeves, CEO and Co-Founder of Gusto on the newest episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up.
These are just three topics from our talk that are fantastic guides to follow into the new year:

➡️ The key to hire the right people for your company

➡️ The one rule that will help you manage everyone.

➡️ The most important meeting to add to your calendar (hint: it’s with yourself.)

Josh Reeves is the CEO and co-founder of Gusto, a startup on a mission to create a world where work empowers a better life. By making the most complicated business tasks simple and personal, Gusto is reimagining payroll, benefits and HR for modern companies. Gusto has offices in San Francisco and Denver, and its investors include Google Capital, General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the founders of Instagram, Stripe, Nest, PayPal, Yelp, Box and Eventbrite, among others.

Learn more about Gusto | Website
https://www.gusto.com
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1 hr 12 min
December 19, 2023#57, Jon Beckstrand, CEO of MasterControl — Developing a leadership code, how to look forward to hard conversations, and ways to repurpose stress
Does your company have an employee bill of rights?
Jon Beckstrand put one together for his team as CEO of MasterControl.

That’s just one of the strategies that Jon has used at MasterControl to grow the company and successfully execute a pivot. We talked about his leadership philosophy, his tools for learning, and how he’s come to embrace having difficult conversations.

Listen to the rest of it for helpful strategies you can use right now to become a better leader.

Jon Beckstrand is responsible for the overall direction and vision of MasterControl. Since his leadership began in 2002, MasterControl has enjoyed robust growth, introduced an array of new solutions, continued the company's push for innovation, and advanced its position as a leading provider of quality management software and services for regulated companies.

Over the course of his 20 years in the software industry, Beckstrand has served on the executive team of a midmarket financial services-focused software provider and advised software and IT companies on company strategy and mergers and acquisitions as part of a team at KPMG in Chicago and Silicon Valley.

Learn more about MasterControl | Website
https://www.mastercontrol.com

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Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
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1 hr 16 min
December 05, 2023#56, Bob Muglia, Former CEO of Snowflake — Having a values-based vs. performance-based company, rooting out dysfunction, and getting fired by Steve Balmer twice
What is the real impact of one bad apple on your team?
What’s it like to work directly with Bill Gates? What’s your playbook for coming in as CEO of a promising company - like Snowflake - and taking them from 0 revenue to $100M in 5 years?
On this episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up, Bob Muglia, the former CEO of Snowflake and author of The Datapreneurs: The Promise of AI and the Creators Building Our Future, answers all of these and more.
You’ll learn about his time at Microsoft, including getting fired by Steve Ballmer not just once, but twice, the good and bad lessons he learned from Microsoft in how to lead people. You’ll hear his exact playbook when he came into Snowflake, a company with 0 revenue. And you’ll learn key leadership lessons like how he builds a values-based company and how he holds people accountable without making them feel bad.
Bob Muglia is a data technology investor and business executive, former CEO of Snowflake and past President of Microsoft's Server and Tools Division. As a leader, Bob focuses on how innovation and ethical values can merge to shape the Data Economy's future in the era of AI. He serves as a board director for emerging companies that seek to maximize the power of data to help solve some of the world's most challenging problems.

Learn more about his book, The Datapreneurs | Website
thedatapreneurs.com
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 9 min
November 21, 2023#55, Jerry Colonna, Author and Executive Coach — the distinction between vulnerability and honesty, the power of radical self-inquiry, and why you need to heal core wounds to be a great leader
Not all feedback is created equal.
Giving positive feedback offers far more benefits than simply showing gratitude for someone’s work.
It also helps as a vital step to personal self-discovery and self-inquiry. This is a central theme of Jerry Colonna’s brand new book, Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong.
Jerry joins me on the newest episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up to discuss the process of radical self-inquiry, why it’s essential for you to do if you want to grow, and the difference between honesty and vulnerability.
Jerry helps people lead with humanity and equanimity. His unique blend of Buddhism, Jungian therapy, and entrepreneurial know-how has made him a sought-after coach and leader, working with some of the largest firms in the country.
In his work as a coach, he draws on his experience in Venture Capital (VC) as Co-founder of Flatiron Partners, one of the most successful, early-stage investment programs. Later, he was a partner with J.P. Morgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of J.P. Morgan Chase.
As a partner with J.P. Morgan Chase, Jerry launched the Financial Recovery Fund with The Partnership for the City of New York, a $10 million-plus program aimed at creating grants for small businesses impacted by the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Along with a strong commitment to the nonprofit sector, Jerry is the author of two books: REBOOT: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up and REUNION: Leadership and the Longing to Belong.
Reboot was met with critical acclaim, stirring up a big question in the hearts and minds of people: “How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?” Jerry’s second book, Reunion, builds on this question, asking us what benefit we get from the conditions we say we don’t want.

Learn more about Jerry at reboot.io | Website
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Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 8 min
November 07, 2023#54, Jim Kwik, Brain Coach and Author — How to find your dominant question, what we can learn from trauma, and the framework to move your vision forward
We often ask each other “What’s your why?”
Go a step deeper and ask: “What’s your dominant question?”
Jim Kwik is a brain coach and the author of the #1 WSJ bestseller, “Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life.” One of the many fascinating things we discuss is the idea of the dominant question - why it’s so important and useful if you want to do big things in this world.
Listen to this brand new episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up to hear all about the most important question to ask yourself, a process to make sure you move your vision forward, the simple methodology you can use to move your vision forward.

Jim Kwik is an internationally acclaimed authority in the realm of brain optimization, memory improvement and accelerated learning. With over 30 years of experience, Jim has dedicated his life to helping people tap into their brain’s full potential. From overcoming learning challenges after a childhood brain injury, Jim embarked on a journey with the mission to leave no brain behind. Through his teachings, Jim inspires others to unlock their inner genius, empowering them to live a life of greater power, productivity, and purpose.
This November, Jim is unveiling an expanded edition of his New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, "Limitless - Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, Unlock Your Exceptional Life." Since its debut in 2020, "Limitless" has emerged as a touchstone in the field, garnering praise from global thought leaders and luminaries. The book has equipped countless readers with tools for unparalleled productivity, personal transformation, and professional triumph – including the future of work, brain nutrition, brain types, and how AI will impact our daily lives. This new edition is tailored for those keen on staying ahead in our fast-changing world.
Recognized globally for his expertise in brain empowerment and renowned as the world's #1 brain coach, Jim’s influence is vast. Through Kwik Learning, present in 195 countries, he's revolutionizing global learning methods. From students and tech mavens to CEOs, from Hollywood celebrities to professional athletes, Jim's teachings resonate with a diverse audience. Industry giants like Google, Virgin, Nike, SpaceX and 20th Century Fox, along with institutions like Harvard and the United Nations, have embraced his methodologies. His collaborations with entities such as the U.S. Air Force and the Cleveland Clinic further highlight the extensive scope of his influence.
Jim is also behind the phenomenal success of the podcast "Kwik Brain with Jim Kwik." His podcast boasts millions of listeners and more than 60 million downloads, and is a testament to his ability to connect and inspire.
Learn more about Jim here — Website
https://www.jimkwik.com
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
53 min
October 24, 2023#53, Gareb Shamus, Founder of ACE Comic Con— Going from passion to product, how to keep yourself in the game, and why inclusion fosters new businesses
Gareb Shamus is a visionary in the Superhero and character-based franchise worlds. Throughout the last 30 years, he’s made a tremendous impact on geek and nerd culture and formed relationships with an unrivaled collection of artists, writers, toy developers, game designers, and celebrities. Gareb founded Comic Con as we know it today, producing 180 events with millions of tickets sold, reaching billions of people worldwide. He is also the founder of Wizard, ToyFare, and Anime Insider magazines with over 100 million issues sold in 75 countries His most recent endeavor, ACE Universe, achieved instant success having produced seven events over two years with the most popular Superhero celebrities that were live-streamed to massive global audiences.

Comic Con, the largest comic, sci-fi, and fantasy event in the world, almost never happened. That’s because as a young founder, Gareb Shamus, the founder of ACE Comic Con, was on the brink of shutting down his upstart comic magazine, Wizard. Gareb turned to his father and got some surprising, life-changing advice.
This episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up is a highlight reel of Gareb Shamus, a superhero visionary, who championed inclusion in his business by focusing on a niche market. You will learn about perseverance, how to take the fuel of your passions and harness it into a product, and how inclusion drives profits.
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 19 min
October 10, 2023#52, Joe Landolina, Co-Founder and CEO of Cresilon— Starting a company in his dorm room, finding the right investors; and the importance of transparent communication
At 17 years old, inventor and entrepreneur Joe Landolina invented a medical breakthrough that is transforming at-home and in-patient wound care. Landolina conceived an adhesive hemostatic gel composed of plant-based polymers that could adhere to a wound site and simultaneously support the natural clotting process.

To refine and manufacture the gel technology he invented, Landolina with his partner Isaac Miller founded Cresilon (formerly Suneris), which has since grown into a medical device company headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. As Chief Executive Officer, Landolina is now gearing up to take the company's proprietary product VETIGEL to the veterinary market-offering a faster, more reliable solution in hemostasis for veterinarians performing both routine treatments and complex operations in clinics every day. As the face of Cresilon, Landolina meets with investors, clinicians, and industry key opinion leaders, alike, to keep a pulse on the market, meanwhile leading all strategic initiatives internally.
Landolina's research background is in biocompatible polymers; in 2013, he was selected as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar in recognition of his outstanding potential in scientific research. In 2014, Landolina was named a TED Global Fellow and has since traveled around the world representing Cresilon. Landolina is also a former Innovation Consultant at his alma mater, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and on the board of eLab NYC, which supports the development of NYC as the new world leader in life sciences entrepreneurship.
Joe Landolina is a force of nature! He was doing chemistry experiments as a teenager, and ended up starting his company, Cresilon, at 17-years old.
We talked about his back story and how he learned management and leadership skills, as well as plenty of ups and downs along the way. We also talk about where he got his first clean room (hint: you can buy one too) and what happened when he tried an experiment on his cousin.

Learn more about Cresilon | Website
https://www.cresilon.com/

Connect with Alisa!
Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Website: http://www.alisacohn.com
Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 14 min
September 25, 2023#51, Joel Jackson, Co-Founder and President of Lifeforce — Working with celebrity founders, taking in feedback without getting defensive, and frameworks for learning from experience
Joel Jackson is co-founder and President of Lifeforce, the first clinically integrated health optimization platform. He is a Canadian entrepreneur and executive who has led technology organizations across healthcare, consumer goods, and wellness. Most recently, Joel was CTO of Upgrade Labs, a personal optimization and recovery company based in Santa Monica, California. Prior to Upgrade Labs, Joel led the engineering team for The Honest Company, a direct-to-consumer company focused on improving the health and sustainability of baby products.

How do you manage working with someone who has a larger-than-life personality?
Joel Jackson, Co-Founder and President of Lifeforce, has worked with figures like Jessica Alba, Dave Asprey, the biohacker and founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and his new venture Lifeforce was co-founded with self-help guru, Tony Robbins.
Joel shared so many valuable insights in this conversation, including what it was like to have to shut down his first startup, how he’s able to handle big personalities, and his process to deliver blame-free debriefs on projects. We also talk about how he’s learned to take in feedback without getting defensive - a valuable skill for all of us.

Learn more about Lifeforce | Website
https://www.mylifeforce.com/
Connect with Alisa!
Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Website: http://www.alisacohn.com
Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 15 min
September 11, 2023#50, Jerry Neumann and Elizabeth Zalman, Authors of Founder Vs. Investor — Learn to love fundraising, handle board dynamics, and how to speak VC
Liz is an infrastructure and information security expert. She is a two-time founder / CEO of venture-backed companies, building the first to a successful exit and the second to a multi-hundred-million-dollar business. Elizabeth has raised more than $100 million in venture capital from the most renowned investors in the world, and is a frequent speaker and guest at industry events and tech podcasts.

Jerry Neumann has been an investor and early-stage advisor to groundbreaking technology companies for more than 25 years. He has been called one of New York’s “50 Most Important VCs” by Business Insider. Jerry also teaches innovation and entrepreneurship at Columbia University.

This episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up has lots to celebrate, as my guests Jerry Neumann and Elizabeth Zalman launch their brand new book, Founder Vs. Investor, and this is also the 50th episode of the show!!

I couldn’t have asked for better guests for this milestone, who shared a wealth of knowledge for startups and founders about how to actually love fundraising, what you can do to better manage the dynamics of a mercurial board room, and get a walkthrough from Jerry about how to speak VC!

Find out more about Jerry and Elizabeth | Website

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Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 16 min
August 28, 2023#49, Joe Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO of Loom — Why it’s essential to track your time; how to get better at fundraising; getting your head right to make good decisions; and how to decide to keep building your company, even if it means sleeping on a mattress
Joe Thomas is the CEO and co-founder of Loom, the video communication platform for async work. Joe leads Loom in its mission to empower effective communication, wherever work happens. Prior to Loom, Joe served as Director of Product at MyLife.com and Director of Operations at MediaPass. He also co-founded Redesign Agency while in college at Indiana University.

While leading Loom, Thomas has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, Forbes Cloud 100, and America's Best Startup Employers.

When Joe Thomas started working on Loom, he and the team pivoted 3 times in 9 months. But they finally got the idea right, and now “Loom” is a noun, meaning “send me a video.”
In this great discussion, Joe and I go deep in what it’s like to tinker with a concept over and over until you finally get it right. We discuss what he learned in his many “at bats” at fundraising, how and why he tracks his time, and the value that his meditation practice has brought to him as a CEO and as a human.
This new episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up has so many pearls of wisdom from Joe - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Find out more about Joe and Loom | Website
Connect with Alisa!
Follow Alisa Cohn on
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Website: http://www.alisacohn.com
Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)
Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon
1 hr 14 min

About From Start-Up to Grown-Up

From the publisher's feed

One of the top startup coaches in the world, Alisa Cohn, talks to founders, creators, advisors, investors and builders of all kinds about their insights and experiences in growing from Start-up to…