Give First

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Jonathan Levin, co-founder and CEO of Chainalysis, the billion-dollar blockchain intelligence company that helps businesses and governments make sense of crypto.

Jonathan shares what it takes to create a category before the market believes in it, from years of hearing no to the conviction that blockchain would reshape finance with or without Chainalysis.

He is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, "Chasing Unicorns," which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Jonathan Levin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonylevin/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with James Garvey, co-founder and CEO of Self, the credit access unicorn that has helped millions of people build and rebuild their credit.

James opens up about stepping away from the company and returning to the CEO seat to refound it, and the values and communication habits he credits for keeping Self on course.

He is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, Chasing Unicorns, which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow James Garvey on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkgarvey/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Jon Lensing, co-founder and CEO of OpenLoop, the unicorn building the infrastructure that lets any company offer virtual healthcare to the people it already serves.

Jon shares why he left medicine to reimagine healthcare around convenience, how the company survived a make-or-break pivot when COVID hit, and the mindset he uses to place bold bets without risking the business.

He is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, "Chasing Unicorns," which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Jon Lensing on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-lensing/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Kurt Workman, co-founder and executive chairman of Owlet, the company behind the smart sock that tracks a baby's heart rate and oxygen and sends the data to a parent's phone.

Kurt shares the personal story that sparked Owlet, the moments that nearly ended the company, and what it took to build hardware that parents and doctors could trust.

He is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, "Chasing Unicorns," which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Kurt Workman on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-workman-28707131/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Matt Oppenheimer, founder and chair of Remitly, the cross-border payments company he grew from a mall booth into a billion-dollar business.

Matt reflects on the focus and grit it took to scale Remitly across borders, the fundraising road that tested him, and knowing when it was time to hand off the CEO seat.

He is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, Chasing Unicorns, which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Matt Oppenheimer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattoppenheimer/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with Etosha Cave, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Twelve, the billion-dollar company turning carbon dioxide and water into jet fuel.

Etosha shares what it really takes to build a deep tech unicorn, from the funding playbook for hard science to the hard calls about focus that shaped the company.

She is one of 13 unicorn founders featured in David Cohen and Amir Hegazi's new book, “Chasing Unicorns,” which lays out the PRIDE framework behind Techstars' billion-dollar companies.

Follow Etosha Cave on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/etoshac/

Read Chasing Unicorns here - https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Unicorns/dp/1068476079

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with James Oliver Jr., Techstars alum, entrepreneur, and author of Burn Bright, Not Out.

James shares his journey navigating the pressures of high achievement and the hidden cost of hustle culture. He introduces the Burn Bright Spectrum, a framework to help founders recognize the difference between healthy ambition and burnout, and explains why rest, micro-wins, and alignment are essential to long term success.

The conversation explores founder mental health, breaking stigma in the startup community, and how sustainable performance drives deeper impact than constant grind.

Follow James Oliver Jr. on LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-oliver-jr/ 

Order Burn Bright, Not Out ➡️ https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Bright-Not-Out-ShatteringThe-ebook/dp/B0GG8FCCQZ

Check out the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund ➡️ https://give.socialgoodfund.org/KabilaMentalHealth?ref=ab_7QGjqr7P0pr7QGjqr7P0pr

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with John Fein, partner at Firebrand Ventures and former Techstars managing director.

John reflects on the winding path of his career, from moments of uncertainty to finding renewed purpose through startups, venture, and community building. He shares how small acts of generosity, like answering a random email or making an introduction, can create lasting impact and open entirely new chapters.

The conversation explores John’s journey through Techstars, the evolution of Firebrand Ventures and The Hill Fund, and his long term commitment to the Kansas City startup ecosystem. Along the way, David and John discuss imposter syndrome, paying generosity forward, and why Give First is less a philosophy and more a practice that compounds over time.

John Fein LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfein/

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, Brad Feld talks with David Hornik, founding partner at Lobby Capital.

David shares how a relationship driven approach has shaped his career in venture capital, from investing to community building. He reflects on why generosity compounds over time, how trust creates durable networks, and why long term thinking matters in both business and life.

The conversation also touches on the origins of the Lobby conference, David’s connection to Adam Grant’s Give and Take, and how the Give First mindset shows up in his work with founders, students, and investors.

David Hornik LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhornik/

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In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen talks with Seth Levine, Partner at Foundry and co-author of Capital Evolution. Seth looks back on the early days of Techstars, the original Boulder community that shaped it, and how Foundry is approaching its final fund while still actively investing.

The conversation explores why so many people are questioning capitalism today. Seth breaks down the decline in economic mobility, the growing wealth gap, and the rise of populism on both sides of the political map. He explains why he believes capitalism can still work, but only if more people have access to ownership and economic participation.

Seth also shares insights from interviews featured in his book and highlights ideas like broader employee ownership, baby bonds, and modernized investing rules. He ties these themes back to the Give First mindset and how expanding opportunity can strengthen communities and the future of entrepreneurship.

Seth Levine LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethjlevine/ 

Get Capital Evolution here 📖 https://www.amazon.com/Capital-Evolution-New-American-Economy/dp/1637747780 

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