Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital

I am thrilled to have Todd Caponi, a sales historian, keynote speaker, and three-time author whose work sits at the intersection of transparency and behavioral science. He's a multi-time C-level sales leader who led teams through two successful exits.

In this episode, Todd Caponi, a sales historian and author, shares insights on transparency, negotiation, and the evolution of sales strategies. Discover how historical practices influence modern sales, the importance of transparency, and how AI impacts the sales profession in 2026.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Todd Caponi

03:22 The Journey into Sales and Negotiation

06:38 The Evolution of Negotiation Practices

10:43 Understanding Transparency in Sales

16:12 The Cost of Discounting in Sales

19:17 The Human Element in Sales

23:01 The Impact of AI on Sales Negotiation

27:09 Cold Calling in the Age of AI

30:15 Lessons from Sales History

34:18 Negotiation at High Stakes

Todd's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi/

Book – https://toddcaponi.com/four-levers-negotiating/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am excited to have Vineet Budki has spent fifteen years turning volatility into a career - from Emirates cabin crew to CEO of Sigma Capital, a $100M crypto fund with 300+ investments.

In this episode, Vineet Budki from Sigma Capital shares his journey from building startups in India to running a crypto fund, and why education is still the biggest unlock for crypto adoption. He breaks down how to build a diversified portfolio, why NFTs are really membership clubs with utility, how AI will take emotion out of investing, and what it takes to build a fund that scales.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Vineet Budki's Journey

01:48 Early Startup Experiences in India

04:12 Transition into Crypto and Fund Building

05:20 The Role of Education in Crypto Adoption

06:45 Understanding Bitcoin's Utility

09:03 Crypto Portfolio Strategy and Diversification

12:13 Different Types of Cryptocurrencies and Use Cases

17:11 NFTs: Utility and Future Potential

20:12 Valuations and Market Growth in Crypto

21:52 Impact of AI on Crypto Investing

23:02 Building a Scalable Crypto Fund

25:51 Future Trends in Venture Capital and Crypto

28:55 Learning and Adapting in a Rapidly Evolving Space

31:01 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs and Investors

Vineet's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/vineetbudki/

Website – https://sigmavc.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am thrilled to have Sam Marchant a Partner at 21 Ventures, backing pre-seed and seed founders across MENA and Southeast Asia with $500K–$1.5M cheques in AI, FinTech, and Industrials.

In this episode, Sam Marchant, a partner at Twenty One VC, shares his unconventional journey into venture capital, insights on investing in MENA and Southeast Asia, and the impact of AI on startups and investment strategies. Discover how regional markets are evolving and what founders need to succeed today.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Sam and his journey into VC

01:14 Sam's unconventional path into venture capital

02:09 Early entrepreneurial experience with a low sugar cereal business

03:00 Balancing IQ and EQ in VC decision-making

04:04 Launching AI-focused venture builder Inaugural

04:57 Joining Twenty One Ventures and regional market insights

07:15 Building media assets to highlight regional startups

08:32 Market inflection points in MENA and Southeast Asia

11:21 Sector focus: Overfunded and underfunded areas

13:51 Supporting founders beyond capital: fundraising, commercial, human

17:41 Leading rounds in a competitive market

20:32 Big vision and innovation in the Middle East

24:45 Key traits for founders: belief, focus, commitment

27:43 Cultural diversity and universal goals in Dubai

29:13 The future of AI agents and user experience

32:20 Building a media business to showcase regional talent

Sam's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/

Website – https://www.21vc.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am happy to have Kira Shishkin, the founder and CEO of informed.now, the leading news-by-SMS service reimagining how Americans stay informed without the bias and noise of traditional media.

In this episode, Kira Shishkin, founder and CEO of informed.now, shares insights on building a bias-free, primary source-driven news platform, the importance of trust in media, and innovative growth strategies. Discover how his background and experiences shape his approach to creating healthier news consumption habits.

Timestamps

00:00 Meet Kira Shishkin

02:16 The Path to Entrepreneurship

02:43 Navigating Today's Media Landscape

05:40 The News Compression Challenge

07:53 Measuring Impact on Misinformation

10:05 How informed.now Grows

12:18 Lessons from Past Ventures

14:15 Community vs Company

18:21 Hiring While Bootstrapped

19:44 How Background Shapes Trust

21:18 Fighting Sensationalism

23:55 Understanding Your Customer

25:40 Advice for Portfolio Founders

27:57 Lessons from the Investor Side

29:31 The Future of News

Kira's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirashishkin/

Website – https://informed.now/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am excited to have Renat Gersch who is the co-founder of 10xGTM and a product marketing and go-to-market strategist with 15 years of experience scaling B2B SaaS companies.

In this episode, Renat Gersch, a seasoned product marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience in B2B SaaS, shares insights on go-to-market strategies, positioning, and building successful startup teams. Discover how to translate vision into traction, avoid common pitfalls, and leverage AI for growth.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Renat Gersch and Her Journey

02:52 The Unicorn Experience: Growth and Challenges

08:11 Positioning: The Key to Buyer Engagement

13:41 The Role of Sales in Building a Pipeline

23:59 Founders and Sales: Timing and Strategy

29:31 Building a Strong Co-Founder Relationship

33:23 The Go-to-Market Roadmap Across Industries

36:48 Healthy Conviction vs. Self-Deception in Founders

39:55 The Reality of Early Pipeline Building

42:52 Advice for Founders: Focus and Growth

45:05 Reflections on Career Growth and Loyalty

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I am thrilled to have Raphaël Boukris, co-founder and CRO of Didomi. Roughly 2% of global web traffic runs through their SDK. He's raised three rounds, made two acquisitions, and sold majority control to private equity. Now the group does 40 to 60m ARR with under 200 people.

In this episode, Raphaël Boukris, CRO and co-founder of Didomi, shares insights on compliance solutions, strategic acquisitions, and scaling SaaS businesses globally. Discover how to navigate international markets, build high-performance sales teams, and adapt to AI-driven sales tools.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Raphaël Boukris and Didomi

02:11 Raphael's journey from startups to compliance tech

04:04 What does Didomi sell and its market focus

06:12 Customer profile and who Didomidoes not serve

07:52 Pricing models and AI impact on SaaS

10:05 Acquisition strategy: Buying vs. building

13:01 Expanding into US and European markets

16:01 Fundraising journey and lessons learned

22:51 Building a high-performance sales team

32:00 The role of AI in outbound sales

35:01 Maintaining lean operations at scale

36:51 Advice for founders and investors

Raphael's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rboukris

Website – didomi.io

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am thrilled to have Vincent Jong, the founder of DataMerge, a B2B data platform challenging ZoomInfo and Apollo with smarter enrichment waterfalls and transparent pricing and Meetbot which is an AI‑first scheduling platform. He also builds AI-first companies through Poolside Ventures and hosts SaaS on the Beach, an exclusive retreat for top SaaS founders.

In this interview, Vincent Jong, shares insights on building AI-first SaaS products, data enrichment, and startup strategies. Discover how he leverages AI to create cost-efficient, scalable solutions and his approach to building successful ventures without external funding.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Vincent Jong and His Ventures

03:42 Vincent's Journey into Startups and Product Management

06:15 The Value of Company Data in Sales and Marketing

09:41 Understanding Enrichment Waterfalls in Data Providers

12:42 Transparent Pricing in Data Services

15:38 Building AI-First Companies Without Traditional Engineering Teams

18:42 The Role of AI in Marketing and Content Creation

26:35 Optimizing for AI Understanding

28:50 Profitability and Competitive Advantage

30:42 Building for Longevity and Growth

34:03 Intentional Decision-Making in Startups

39:36 Creating Meaningful Connections at SaaS on the Beach

Vincent's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentjong/

Website – https://www.poolside.ventures

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am excited to have Fadwa Ouardani, a business angel and VC investor at Leblon Capital, backing founders across the US and Europe.

In this interview, Fadwa Ouardani, a VC investor at Leblon Capital, shares her journey from operator to investor, her views on startup culture, the impact of AI, and advice for founders navigating the global landscape. Discover key traits of successful founders, the importance of company culture, and the future of venture capital.

Timestamps

03:40 Traits of Successful Founders

06:18 Building Strong Company Culture

09:38 Comparing European and American Founders

12:33 The Future of Innovation Globally

15:35 Navigating Founder and Investor Relationships

18:25 Challenges of High Valuations

21:18 Growth Frameworks in AI

24:21 The Role of IPOs in Venture Capital

27:07 Advice for Emerging Managers

Fadwa's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/fadwa-ouardani/

Website – https://leblon-capital.com

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am thrilled to have Alex Shartsis, the founder and CEO of Skyp, a bootstrapped AI email platform powering personalized outbound for sales teams at leading companies.

In this episode, Alex Shartsis, founder and CEO of Skyp, shares insights on building a bootstrapped GTM software company, writing outbound that actually earns replies, and winning a crowded category against far better-funded rivals. Discover how one conference-outreach play packed an enterprise pipeline with 130 leads in a single quarter, why a $20M exit can beat a $20M raise, and what most people still get wrong about AI-generated cold email in 2026.

Timestamps

00:50 What a great sales team actually looks like

02:48 Why Alex bootstrapped Skyp instead of raising VC

07:42 The payback math: when a $20M outcome beats a $20M raise 10:32 Outbound in 2026 — personalization that works vs. slop

15:05 Do follow-up emails work? (why he ignores your first one)

18:02 Email + LinkedIn + phone: the multi-channel workflow

22:42 AI coding tools for non-technical founders & GTM leaders 27:54 Pricing: why Skip refuses credit-based pricing

33:51 Winning a crowded category against better-funded rivals 37:59 Personal brand & newsletter as a GTM engine

41:39 Rapid fire: favorite business book

43:08 What he'd do differently building Skyp

Alex's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/shartsis/

Website – https://skyp.ai/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/

I am happy to have Mike Zisman, the founder and Executive Chairman of Golf Genius Software, the leading tournament management platform serving 11,000+ golf clubs across 62 countries

In this episode, Mike Zisman, founder of Golf Genius Software, shares insights on building a capital-efficient tech company, forming game-changing partnerships, and navigating today's exit landscape. Discover how a single USGA deal transformed the company's trajectory, why raising less capital can make a startup stronger, and what it really takes to build resilient remote teams that stick around.

Learn

• What did it actually take to build enough trust with the USGA to replace their entire tournament management system?
• Michael targets 20% EBITDA margin and reinvest the rest - how did he land on that number specifically
• Michael runs acquired brands as separate brands rather than folding them in. What's the actual criteria for when to keep a brand alive versus absorb it?
• What's your favourite business book ->innovator's dilemma
• What's your favourite business tool ->gmail
• If you could go back, what would you do differently ->understand how a golf course operates

Timestamps

00:00 From MIT Professor to Software Entrepreneur

03:04 Leaving Academia: The Leap Into Building Companies

06:13 The Birth of Golf Genius and Its Early Struggles

09:08 Why Trust and Relationships Win Deals

12:12 The USGA Partnership That Changed Everything

15:13 Raising Less: The Case for Capital Efficiency

18:21 Employee Ownership and Building a Real Culture

21:09 Remote Teams and the Retention Playbook

24:05 Where AI Actually Fits in Business Today

27:05 The Future of Programming and Productivity

28:25 The Brutal Job Market Facing New Graduates

32:16 Why Interpersonal Skills Still Beat Technical Ones

34:19 The Golf Industry's Shifting Strategies

36:24 Reading Market Dynamics and Growth Levers

39:52 Exit Strategies in Today's Market

41:55 How Company Ownership and Investment Are Evolving

43:56 The Future of Venture Capital and Private Equity

49:13 Resilience: The Entrepreneur's Real Edge

Mike's Links

LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-zisman-51528/

Website – https://golfgenius.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/outbound-sales-mastery/