How do you spot, then evaluate, the breakthrough technologies of tomorrow? In today’s episode, I sit down with James Wang — a deep tech investor who helps unpack the truths behind venture capital, startup success, and the gritty realities of building frontier technology companies. From founding a startup with his wife to investing in AI, robotics, and synthetic biology, James shares hard-earned insights on what separates funded founders from the rest, why the best product doesn’t always win, and how momentum — not just money — makes or breaks a startup. Whether you’re pitching, investing, or just curious about how it all really works, this conversation offers valuable perspective from a thought-leader in the niche but fascinating world of deep tech investing.

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Episode Resources

Subscribe to James’ Blog (https://weightythoughts.com)

Get more info on Creative Ventures (https://creativeventures.vc)

Angel investor, author, TEDx speaker, and SEC advisor Marcia Dawood joins me to pull back the curtain on what angel investing really is—and why you don’t need to be a millionaire or a finance expert to get started. She shares what most founders get wrong in their pitch, how to evaluate a startup beyond the hype, and why obsessing over the problem is more important than selling the solution. Whether you’re a founder raising capital or someone curious about investing in early-stage companies, this episode is packed with unfiltered insights you don’t want to miss.

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Episode Resources

Marcia’s Podcast: The Angel Next Door (https://www.marciadawood.com/angelnextdoor)

Marcia’s Book: Do Good While Doing Well (https://www.marciadawood.com/dogood)

“Venture Deals” by Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson: (https://a.co/d/eZTwdZy)

Ana left a decade-long career in ad tech to build a beverage brand inspired by Mabí — a traditional Caribbean drink brewed from tree bark. In this episode, she shares how nostalgia sparked innovation, how she bootstrapped her way through formulation fails and supply chain setbacks, and what it really takes to launch a CPG product solo. No funding, no co-founder — just grit, Google, and a vision to bring a forgotten flavor to the mainstream.

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Episode Resources

Try some Bayjoo! (https://bayjoo.com)

After building a fast-growing production company from the ground up, Ben Brownback lost everything—money, team, confidence, and direction. In this episode, he shares the raw, unfiltered story of what really happens when a business collapses, how he found the courage to start again, and why he’ll never build the same way twice. Ben opens up about leadership, failure, fear, and what it means to rebuild smarter the second time around.

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Episode Resources

“Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't” by Jim Collins (https://a.co/d/d13leDe)

“The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership” by Steven Sample (https://a.co/d/bMpm7gr)

What does it take to walk away from a $15M term sheet? Bob Knorr did just that — choosing ownership, control, and vision over outside capital. He built that company (then 2 others) with a poignant blend of business sense, ethics, and intuition. In this episode we discuss how he built a medtech company from the ground up, bootstrapped it with creativity (and a Costco credit card), and ultimately exited to a publicly traded company. We discuss his other ventures and what he’s learned along the way about hiring the right early employees, developing a go-to-market strategy, and how to stay true to a vision while adapting to reality. Throughout every topic we cover, Bob shares hard-earned wisdom for founders at every stage.

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Episode Resources

• Check out what Bob is currently building with his company “Timeless Tartans” (https://timelesstartans.com)

In today’s episode I sit down with Katie Brinkley of Next Step Social to candidly explore the realities of entrepreneurship—how to price your services, when to hire, and some of the tough lessons learned along the way. We discuss the importance of scaling with intention, and how to use your business to actually create the change you believe needs to happen in your industry. We also dig into years of Katie’s expertise to understand why social media success isn’t about posting more, but posting smarter. If you’re an entrepreneur looking to build a business that works FOR you, this conversation is packed with a ton of actionable insights you’ll want to hear.

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Episode Resources

In today’s episode I talk with Arjun Sharma, a seasoned product & project manager who’s worked with over 200 founders across a variety of technical industries. Arjun shares invaluable insights from his experience guiding startups through the entire product lifecycle—from idea to market. Discover the key traits successful founders share, the importance of balancing vision with flexibility, and why having the best product means nothing without a strong go-to-market strategy. Whether you’re a new founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical advice for building and scaling your product.

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Episode Resources

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (https://a.co/d/1AT07NP)

What do successful entrepreneurs have in common? They ask the questions no one else is asking. Today, I sit down with Daniel Yeboah—founder, problem-solver, and challenger of the status quo. From his first paper route to successfully exiting multiple startups, Daniel has always seen opportunities where others see roadblocks. Now, he’s tackling one of the toughest industries—healthcare—with AI-powered, real-time insights for providers. We cover so much in this episode. We break down the myths of building a business, the realities of fundraising, and why running lean is critical in a company’s early stages. There’s a ton in here to chew on, and anyone in the Startup space will take something practical and insightful away from his perspective.

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Episode Resources

• Check out what Daniel and his co-founder are building at Ravella Health (https://www.revellahealth.com)

“Startup Success” by Gordon Daugherty (https://a.co/d/b50Xzn5)

“Eyelids are gross—people should wash them.” That’s the message that today’s guest, Tom Chapman, is on a mission to share with the world. In our interview, we talk about how his experience as a serial entrepreneur is helping him tackle a problem most of us don’t even realize we have. Dry eye disease is exploding, thanks to our screen-heavy lifestyles, and yet almost no one is doing anything about it. Tom and his co-founders started Peeq Pro to address the issue by revolutionizing eyelid hygiene. We dive into what it takes to build a business in an industry that’s still waking up to its own problem, the hard truths of entrepreneurship, and why taking bigger swings is the key to real impact. Tom transparently shares invaluable perspective on everything from starting a company with your spouse, to navigating the challenges of building hardware vs. software. There’s something here for everyone. Let’s dive in!

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Episode Resources

Check out what Tom and his co-founders are building at Peeq Pro (https://peeqpro.com)

What if life insurance didn’t just protect you financially but actually helped you live longer? In this episode, we sit down with Ben Mason, co-founder and CEO of Athlete, a startup that’s disrupting the insurance industry by pricing based on fitness, instead of based on risk level. Ben shares his journey from advertising to entrepreneurship, the hard lessons he learned about chasing ideas vs. listening to customers, and why he believes mental health doesn’t have to be a sunk cost for founders. We dive into the challenges of launching a product in two countries at once, the myths that hold startups back, and how Athlete is planning to navigate data privacy concerns for its customers. Ben’s experience and skillsets are extensive, and I took away so much even from our short time together. You don’t want to miss this one!

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Episode Resources

Check out what Ben and his co-founder are building at Athlete (https://lifeathlete.co)