In this episode, we speak with Irina Denisenko, Co-Founder and CEO of Knox Systems, a government cloud security and compliance company helping SaaS and AI providers meet FedRAMP requirements so they can sell into U.S. federal agencies.

FedRAMP is the cybersecurity standard required for cloud software to handle sensitive government data. Knox shortens the path by bringing companies into its FedRAMP cloud, where they can reuse existing authorizations and move through the process in 90 days. The company has 16 sponsors across federal agencies and has taken 60+ companies through FedRAMP, with Adobe and Class among its early customers.

Before founding Knox, Irina was COO of Class Technologies and encountered the FedRAMP process firsthand, which led to Knox’s spinout as an independent company.

I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Hans Keirstead, Chairman of the Board at Immunis, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing stem cell-derived biologics to address age-related diseases and immune dysfunction. Immunis’ investigational therapy, IMM01-STEM, is a stem cell-derived secretome designed to modulate immune health and improve muscle mass and function, with initial clinical work focused on sarcopenia-related conditions. 

Hans is a stem cell researcher and biotech entrepreneur with prior experience developing therapies across neurology, immune disorders, and oncology. He previously served as a full professor of anatomy and neurobiology at UC Irvine and has held leadership and board roles across multiple biotechnology organizations.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Jamie Hale, CEO and Co-Founder of Ladder, an insurtech company focused on making life insurance faster and easier to purchase online. Ladder offers a digital application experience built around speed and simplicity, with real-time underwriting that can result in on-the-spot coverage and a process designed to be completed from home.

Jamie co-founded Ladder in 2015 after a career spanning investing and financial services, including roles as a founding partner at Aldenwood Capital and as a partner at Oak Hill Investment Management. Earlier, he worked on new product development at NextCard.

Jamie supports CASA. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Ryan Stroker, Founder and CEO of Avenue One, a technology platform that connects institutional debt and equity capital with local real estate operators investing in single-family rental housing. Avenue One uses data, analytics, and underwriting technology to support acquisitions, financing, renovations, and asset management, enabling institutions to deploy capital more efficiently while giving local builders and property owners access to scalable funding. The platform operates across more than 20 U.S. markets and supports investments in residential rental portfolios at scale.

Before founding Avenue One, Ryan spent years in capital markets and residential real estate investing, including senior roles at Amherst, Royal Bank of Scotland, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and Goldman Sachs.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Brad Stroh, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Achieve, a digital personal finance company focused on helping consumers manage, reduce, and resolve debt. Achieve operates a multi-product platform that includes debt resolution, personal loans, home equity lending, and financial education tools designed to support consumers across different stages of financial health. The company serves individuals navigating high-interest credit card debt, affordability challenges, and long-term financial stability.

Stroh co-founded the business in 2002 as Freedom Financial Network and has led its evolution into Achieve, overseeing the expansion from a single solution into a broader personal finance platform. He brings decades of experience building consumer financial services businesses and working across lending, debt resolution, and capital markets.

Brad supports USA Lacrosse. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Mike Suiters, Co-Founder and CEO of Positive Development, a provider of developmental therapy for children with autism. Founded in 2020, the company offers a comprehensive model that integrates speech, occupational, and mental health therapies, serving more than 1,000 families nationwide. 

Positive Development has become the nation’s largest provider of developmental therapy, focused on improving access, affordability, and quality of care. Mike co-founded the company after working at Sandbox Industries’ Blue Venture Fund, where he helped identify innovative healthcare solutions. 

I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Renaud Laplanche, Co-Founder and CEO of Upgrade, a consumer fintech company offering credit, banking, and payment products designed to help customers manage debt more effectively. Since launching in 2017, Upgrade has helped more than 7.5 million consumers access over $42 billion in credit through personal loans, credit cards, and checking accounts. The platform focuses on fixed-rate products and incentives that encourage responsible borrowing and long-term financial health.

Before founding Upgrade, Laplanche co-founded and led LendingClub, one of the earliest large-scale online lending marketplaces in the United States. He led the company for a decade and took it public in 2014, marking the largest U.S.-based internet IPO that year.

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In this episode, we speak with Snejina Zacharia, Founder and CEO of Insurify, a virtual insurance agent that uses AI and real-time integrations to help consumers compare, purchase, and manage their insurance policies. Insurify partners with hundreds of carriers and serves tens of millions of quotes each year across auto, home, pet, and renters insurance. Its platform enables consumers to receive accurate, personalized rates, access discounts, and complete their purchase online or with a licensed agent.

With a background in enterprise software and global market development, Zacharia founded Insurify to create a more transparent and efficient way for consumers to compare and purchase insurance.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Doug Ricket, Founder and CEO of PayJoy, a mission-driven credit provider operating across emerging markets. PayJoy serves customers who lack formal credit history by using patented secured-credit technology, point-of-sale financing, and credit cards designed to open a pathway into the modern financial system. The company has deployed more than $3 billion to over 17 million customers worldwide, achieving profitability while growing across regions including Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Ricket founded PayJoy in 2015 after early career experiences that shaped his focus on financial access, including Peace Corps service in West Africa, engineering work on Google Maps, and inventions that helped launch the pay-as-you-go solar sector. 

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In this episode, we speak with Melbourne O’Banion, Co-Founder and CEO of Bestow, an insurtech company that builds the software infrastructure life insurers use to digitize operations, launch products, and modernize underwriting and policy administration. Bestow partners with major carriers, providing technology and data solutions that streamline processes from origination through back-end administration.

O’Banion co-founded the company to modernize how life insurance products are delivered and managed, bringing experience from prior entrepreneurial roles and guiding Bestow’s long-term strategy and industry partnerships.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.