Growth Pioneers

Growth Pioneers

By Douglas ErwinSociety & CultureEntrepreneurshipSelf-Improvement
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Growth Pioneers episodes

  • Two Margaritas and a $750,000 Laser: Jim Belosic on Building SendCutSend in Reno

    Jim Belosic calls himself "a dumb software guy that thought I could outsmart manufacturing." He needed one-off parts for his car projects, got about 100 "no quotes" from local shops, and decided the problem was worth solving himself. He talked his wife into a $750,000 laser over two margaritas, and SendCutSend was born as a hobby that only needed to cover the machine payment.

    Recorded live at Reno Startup Week 2026, Jim and host Doug Erwin, Chief Innovation Officer at Northern NV Now, cover:

    - Why low expectations are the best way to start a business
    - The surprise Boeing order that told him this was more than a side project
    - Candy in every box: designing a customer experience you'd want yourself
    - Core values that actually work: speed in all things, and flexibility
    - What breaks when you grow 100% a year (hint: toilets and power)
    - Why "if you're having trouble hiring, it's your fault," and training your own skilled workforce
    - Stealing ideas from other industries: food-service packaging, cannabis-industry scales, healthcare compliance
    - Bootstrapping for years, then raising $110 million on his own terms
    - Why Reno is "magic" for a manufacturing company
    - "Make it exist first, then automate it," and the vision of making manufacturing accessible to everyone

    Learn more about SendCutSend at sendcutsend.com and about Reno Startup Week at renostartupweek.com.

    45 min
  • AI Is a Superpower, Not a Replacement: Jamie Christensen on Building CitizenWorks

    CitizenWorks founder Jamie Christensen joins Doug Erwin to share how she went from automating her own corporate job to building a thriving Reno AI services business. They explore human-first AI adoption, citizen developers, coding agents, job fears, entrepreneurship, and why the final pass on meaningful work should always be human.

    ## Show notes

    Jamie Christensen is the founder of CitizenWorks, a Reno-based company that helps organizations use AI and automation through workforce training and custom systems.

    Before launching the company, Jamie spent nearly a decade in healthcare operations. She taught herself no-code tools, automated much of her own role, and built a citizen developer program that empowered non-technical employees in HR, payroll, accounting, and recruiting to improve their own work.

    Jamie launched CitizenWorks after maternity leave while raising newborn twins and a two-year-old. She and Doug talk candidly about the financial pressure of that first year, the value of total commitment, and the role Reno Startup Week and Northern Nevada's entrepreneurial community played in accelerating the business.

    The conversation then turns to practical AI adoption. Jamie argues that most organizations are not truly behind; most are simply at the beginning. Her advice is to establish basic AI fluency, give employees safe tools and room to experiment, and let people closest to the work identify the best opportunities. Those internal citizen developers often become the people who create the most useful systems.

    Doug and Jamie also discuss:

    - Why AI is lowering the barrier to entrepreneurship

    - How domain expertise and strong relationships become more valuable as building gets easier

    - Why companies should treat AI as a growth multiplier, not merely a headcount-reduction tool

    - Jevons paradox and the likelihood that cheaper intelligence creates more work and more possibilities

    - How coding agents let non-technical people orchestrate work across multiple systems

    - The difference between using AI to do less and using it to offer customers more

    - Bottom-up experimentation versus top-down mandates

    - Data security, open models, and owning the harness around your AI systems

    - Why model choice matters less than finding valuable use cases

    - The danger of mistaking AI-generated output for truly original thinking

    - Why every consequential message deserves a human final pass

    - The importance of founder community through Kiln, EO Reno Tahoe, and Reno Startup Week

    55 min
  • Building Nevada’s Startup Flywheel with Tristan Pollock
    Doug Erwin sits down with Tristan Pollock, Managing Director of Generator’s Electrify Nevada program, to talk about Reno’s growing startup ecosystem, Nevada’s strategic advantage in energy and hard tech, and why the region is positioned for a new wave of founder growth. They cover Tristan’s path from startup founder to accelerator operator and investor, the role of AI in entrepreneurship, and how Nevada can turn speed, infrastructure, lifestyle, and deep-tech talent into a durable startup flywheel.
    Show notes
    In this episode of Growth Pioneers, Doug talks with Tristan Pollock about the next phase of Reno’s startup ecosystem.
    Tristan shares how his journey from Minnesota to Silicon Valley, 500 Startups, climate investing, and global accelerator work eventually brought him to Reno. Now leading Generator’s Electrify Nevada program, he is focused on helping energy, battery, manufacturing, industrial AI, and hard-tech founders break into Nevada’s ecosystem faster.
    The conversation explores why Nevada has become such a compelling place for founders: proximity to Silicon Valley, fast permitting, major industrial infrastructure, lithium and geothermal strengths, renewable energy, the Tahoe/Reno lifestyle, and a growing base of startup success stories like Positron, Redwood Materials, Ampersand, and SendCutSend.
    Doug and Tristan also dig into AI’s impact on founders, fundraising, outreach, and company building. Rather than treating AI as just better prompting, they talk about it as a new operating layer for entrepreneurs: helping people research, build, automate, and scale faster than ever before.
    The episode closes with a broader conversation about optimism, social impact, the future of work, and why curiosity may be the most important entrepreneurial skill in a period of rapid technological change.
    Key themes
    • Reno’s ecosystem is moving from potential to sophistication.
    • Electrify Nevada helps founders speedrun market entry into Nevada.
    • Nevada’s edge is strongest in energy, batteries, mining, manufacturing, logistics, hard tech, and industrial AI.
    • AI is changing how founders build, raise capital, find customers, and operate.
    • The next regional win is building a self-reinforcing startup flywheel: talent, capital, exits, reinvestment, and local founder density.
    • Optimism and curiosity matter in a moment where technology is changing faster than institutions can adapt.
    58 min
  • Reno Startup Week 2025 - Fueling New Ideas, Fostering Connections & Building a Thriving Ecosystem
    On this special episode of the Growth Pioneers Doug joins host Mary Meyer of the Health Happy Wise and Wealthy podcast to discuss Reno Startup Week 2025.Mary Meyer brings together an inspiring panel of Reno's entrepreneurship leaders—including Doug Erwin, Candi Block, Monica Terrero, Daniel Smith, Melissa Saavedra, and Allison Greene—to give you an insider’s look at Reno Startup Week. Whether you’re an aspiring founder, a seasoned entrepreneur, or just startup-curious, this episode unpacks how a free, week-long event can help launch, grow, and nourish local small businesses and innovation, and why removing cost barriers for entrepreneurs is so vital. Get ready for takeaways on networking, pitch competitions, government support, community organizations, wellness initiatives, and much more, straight from the passionate volunteers and ecosystem builders making it happen.
    Topics Covered: -What is Reno Startup Week and who is it for? -The power of keeping entrepreneurial resources free -How government and nonprofits collaborate to support founders -Pitch competition: structure, prizes, and founder stories -Breakout sessions on funding, scale, tech, retail, and AI -Resource fairs for the Latino community and all small businesses -Health & wellness activities for founders (meditation, yoga, more) -Networking and making real connections in Reno’s startup scene -Closing celebrations and the role of arts, music, and fun.
    Key Takeaways: -Reno Startup Week is intentionally free, maximizing accessibility for all—regardless of financial means or background. -Startup resources and networking should be open to the full spectrum of entrepreneurs, from tech innovators to brick-and-mortar business owners, across all demographics. -Government collaboration (via Nevada’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development) is critical for removing barriers, providing resources, and making real, systemic change for small businesses. -Pitch competitions and resource fairs empower founders to share ideas, gain exposure, and tap into vital networks. -Wellness and personal growth are just as important for entrepreneurial success as strategic know-how. -Networking is built into every layer of the week, from casual coffee to structured sessions and inclusive celebrations. -AI and current tech trends are not just for “techies”—established local businesses will find actionable tools and education. -Reno Startup Week is a living example of how community, public support, and open access create fertile ground for entrepreneurship.
    0 min
  • Helicopters to Hot Springs with Freedom Air
    On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Joe Chauklin the founder of Freedom Air. Freedom Air is a new charter air service in Reno operating multiple turbo prop aircraft and executive helicopters. They discuss the origin of Freedom Air, the need it fills in our community and the intricacies of running a charter service. Special thanks to Joe and team for hosting Reno Startup Week's Poker Tournament fundraiser in August.
    34 min
  • Positron - Building next generation AI hardware in Reno with Mitesh Agrawal
    On this episode Doug speaks with Mitesh Agrawal the CEO of Positron.ai. Positron is advancing the world of AI hardware right here in the Biggest Little City, with their first product that provides 3X the performance of NVIDA at a lower cost. They discuss the changing landscape of AI, the importance of purpose built hardware and Positrons unique value. They discuss the Positron team, their investors and their success to date as well as dive in the future for them in our region.
    51 min
  • Regulated Legal Access to Psilocybin for Veterans in Nevada with Jon Dalton
    On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Jon Dalton, President of the Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicine. JD, a former Navy SEAL of 23 years, shares his personal story of overcoming debilitating depression and anxiety because of multiple traumatic brain injuries and combat related trauma. They discuss the current state of Veterans mental health, suicide rates and treatment modalities. They explore the promise of psychedelic medicine in addressing mental health challenges facing Veterans and the barriers to access. They deep dive into NCPMs role in changing policy in Nevada and outline a legislative framework for providing access regulated legal access.
    53 min
  • Wearable intelligence with Connected Future Labs CEO Sean Montgomery
    On this episode of the Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Sean Montgomery. Sean has a PhD in Neuroscience, is an immersive experience artist, and the founder of a medical wearables company. They talk about Sean's journey to Reno and dive deep into his current product which detects minor cognitive decline. They also have a wide ranging conversation about the future of wearables as it relates to consciousness, subtle energy, meditation and human flourishing.
    51 min
  • A fresh perspective - David Ezell on relocating to Reno
    In this episode of The Growth Pioneers Podcast, I’m thrilled to welcome David Ezell, a brand strategist at Meta and host of the podcast How to Ride a Roller Coaster. David shares his journey as a recent transplant from Dallas to Reno, bringing a unique perspective on ecosystem building in both cities. Together, we dive into his experiences interviewing entrepreneurs, his insights into the dynamics of Reno and Dallas, and the future of entrepreneurial growth here in Reno. David's dynamic personality and passion for the entrepreneurial mindset make this conversation both engaging and inspiring. Join us as we explore the nuances of building supportive communities for entrepreneurs and the exciting possibilities for Reno's future.
    50 min
  • Ecosystem Update
    In this episode of the Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Candi and Juston from the EDAWN entrepreneurial team. They discuss the why behind Startup Week, its impact on the community and some key insights and highlights from this years event. They also discuss the Reno Startup Deck 4.0, the importance of core values in community building, their personal motivations for doing this work and new events and programs for the ecosystem for the rest of 2024 and into 2025.
    52 min

About Growth Pioneers

From the publisher's feed

From the Biggest Little City in the World comes a podcast about Pioneers. Not the covered wagon types, the modern day Pioneers exploring new territory in economic development, entrepreneurship and personal development. Join your host, Doug Erwin as he explores what it takes to build resilient communities, companies and lives in this wide ranging podcast.