Startup Wins: Founders, VCs & Builders

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Ellie Sarmadi, CEO of Thravos in Ep 9 (Season 1) of Startup Wins shares keen startup tips for succeeding in almost any industry.  And host Brandon Na ⁠dives deep with Sarmadi with her years of experience on Wall Street to her investments in Startups to her current efforts to level the playing field for the benefit of everyone in the sports ecosystem. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host & previously produced 3 seasons of an Edu focused podcast called EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll (EduK8 S2 E12) or AI leaders like James Brady (EduK8 S3 E1) & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Brandon entered the VC world w/ his MGP Vikki Meyer Fininen & built Good Peoples Ventures.  Shortly before GPV was formed, Brandon started "Startup Wins" to provide actionable advice from amazing startup founders, VCs & amazing  experts to "build" startups changing the world.  

Amazing guests include: 

• Olga Denisova - ep 1 
• Kevin Henrikson - ep 2 
• String Nguyen - ep 3 
• David Yi - ep 5  
• Kimberly Kovacs - ep 6 
• Mike King - ep 7 
• Beth Massa - ep 8 
• Dan Shapiro - ep 9 Pt 1 & Part 2 
• Ellie Sarmadi - ep 10

Past episodes are also available on "Startup Wins" on YouTube

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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Part 2 of Serial Startup Founder & Senior Research Fellow at the Wharton School's Generative AI Lab Dan Shapiro gives some of the BEST actionable advice for future startup founders hoping to reach the $100 mill Revenue mark. On his fourth startup after exiting to Google in 6 months with Sparkbuy, Dan gives anyone wanting to truly build a impactful company in Hardware the needed advice to truly execute. Leading more than a 100+ employees at the Top 3D Printing Company Glowforge has given Educators to Small Business Owners and almost anyone the perfect 3D Printer that is regularly profiled at CES as a Hot Product.

Startup Wins Host Brandon Na  ⁠⁠breaks up the interview into a 2 part special series.  Today is the 2nd of the 2 episodes.  

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Brandon manages  Good Peoples Ventures w/ his GP partners including Managing General Partner Vikki Meyer Fininen.  Shortly before GPV is formed, Brandon starts "Startup Wins", your next favorite podcast, to provide actionable advice from amazing startup founders, VCs and amazing operators or experts in core functions of "building" multigenerational organizations changing the world.   

Amazing guests of Startup Wins include:

Startup Wins Episodes:
Olga Denisova - ep 1,  Episode on ⁠YouTube
Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, Episode on YouTube
String Nguyen - ep 3, YouTube
David Yi - ep 5, YouTube
Kimberly Kovacs - ep 6, Spotify/Podcast link, YouTube link
Mike King - ep 7, Spotify
Beth Massa - ep 8, Spotify 

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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Serial Startup Founder Dan Shapiro provides some of the best 0 to $100 mill revenue tips w/ Startup Wins Host Brandon Na.  Dan shares his personal journey across 4 startups & many more cos that have helped him w/ his latest Seattle based 3-D Printing co Glowforge. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Brandon entered the VC world w/ his MGP Vikki Meyer Fininen & built Good Peoples Ventures.  Shortly before GPV was formed, Brandon started "Startup Wins" to provide actionable advice from amazing startup founders, VCs & amazing  experts to "build" startups changing the world.  

Amazing past guests incl:  

• Olga Denisova - ep 1 & ⁠on YouTube 
• Kevin Henrikson - ep 2 & on YouTube 
• String Nguyen - ep 3 & on YouTube 
• David Yi - ep 5 & on YouTube 
• Kimberly Kovacs - ep 6 & on YouTube 
• Mike King - ep 7 & on YouTube
• Beth Massa - ep 8 & on YouTube
• Dan Shapiro - ep 9 Pt 1 & Part 2 & on YouTube (Pt 1 & Pt 2)
• Coming up: Ellie Sarmadi

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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Reusable Food Packaging Startup CEO of Ozarka, Beth Massa (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethmassa/), shares how one tries to grow a companyta company in Europe (specifically the Netherlands) with Startup Wins Host Brandon Na (⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonna⁠ / ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wins⁠) as an American. Beth tells the dramatic and interesting entrepreneurial story of working in the world's largest ecommerce company to moving across the globe and living the European dream while fighting for both sustainability on top of the neverending challenges for women in the startup world. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Amazing past guests include: 

Startup Wins (https://bit.ly/4mJGE0r) Episodes: 

Olga Denisova - ep 1, https://bit.ly/4lXiz4X, Published 7/14/2025 ⁠YouTube https://tinyurl.com/2eh24ce9

Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, http://bit.ly/45Zeze5, Published 7/28/25 YouTube https://bit.ly/3Ib8Ry8

String Nguyen - ep 3, https://bit.ly/45sf6X3, Published 8/21/25 YouTube https://tinyurl.com/32x6u6eh

David Yi - ep 5, https://bit.ly/4gopYsL, Published 9/2/25, YouTub

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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Payments Processing Startup Founder Mike King, CEO of Moneta Market joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins (⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wins). Mike provides wisdom gained over many years building more than 20 businesses and truly honing in on how to start the perfect startup by brewing it slowly. Don't be surprised if Mike is creating the beginning of another Paypal Mafia. You'll enjoy this podcast immensely. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Amazing past guests include: Startup Wins (https://bit.ly/4mJGE0r) Episodes: 

Olga Denisova - ep 1, https://bit.ly/4lXiz4X, Published 7/14/2025 ⁠YouTube https://tinyurl.com/2eh24ce9

Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, http://bit.ly/45Zeze5, Published 7/28/25 YouTube https://bit.ly/3Ib8Ry8

String Nguyen - ep 3, https://bit.ly/45sf6X3, Published 8/21/25 YouTube https://tinyurl.com/32x6u6eh

David Yi - ep 5, https://bit.ly/4gopYsL, Published 9/2/25, YouTube https://bit.ly/46gRaWV 

Kimberly Kovacs - ep 6, Spotify/Podcast link: https://tinyurl.com/29emmmh3, YouTube link: https://tinyurl.com/5btwedpf

Mike King -

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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7 Time Startup Founder & Startup Financing Expert Kimberly Kovacs joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins. Kimberly not only impresses us with Startup Financing knowledge better than Brad Feld's Venture Deals or The Entrepreneurial Bible to Venture Capital by Andrew Romans, but she shares her rich experience having helped build the predecessor to Carta.com and many other impactful companies in her amazing career. Kimberly currently is CEO of RENW which will revolutionize sustainable packaging. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Amazing past guests include: 

Startup Wins (https://bit.ly/4mJGE0r) Episodes: 

Olga Denisova - ep 1, https://bit.ly/4lXiz4X, Published 7/14/2025 ⁠YouTube https://tinyurl.com/2eh24ce9

Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, http://bit.ly/45Zeze5, Published 7/28/25 YouTube https://bit.ly/3Ib8Ry8

String Nguyen - ep 3, https://bit.ly/45sf6X3, Published 8/21/25 YouTube https://tinyurl.com/32x6u6eh

David Yi - ep 5, https://bit.ly/

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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8 Time Startup Founder & VC David Yi joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins to Share INCREDIBLE Startup Tips from Southeast Asia.  David blows us away with impressive career spanning over many education startups with the latest one raising close to $200 million in venture. His real world startup counseling will help you build the next incredible company that will last many generations. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Startup Wins Episodes: 

Olga Denisova - ep 1, Published 7/14/2025 ⁠https://bit.ly/4lXiz4X

Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, Published 7/28/25 http://bit.ly/45Zeze5

String Nguyen - ep 3, Published 8/21/25 https://bit.ly/45sf6X3

David Yi - ep 5, Published 9/2/25

Kimberly Kovacs - ep 6, Expected publish date ~9/15-21

Mike King - ep 7, Expected publish date ~9/29-10/5

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

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Startup Wins Podcast Interviews LinkedIn Branding Expert String Nguyen in Ep 3 | Founder Tips 

Social Media Branding Expert & Fried Chicken Queen String Nguyen who has more than 100k of followers joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins. String helps smart people with easy marketing and content tips, but in today's episode, String shares never before told secrets and tips on branding and why she even did the podcast. She admits she rarely does interviews, but Brandon figured out a way to convince her to do one more. Perhaps you should as well! 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

Startup Wins Episodes: 

Olga Denisova - ep 1, https://open.spotify.com/episode/6jcnBkeSPzF00MKZYYcsOw?si=ZdWH78fqSmi-Rt_OqC0NhQ

Kevin Henrikson - ep 2, https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nOUmkoCwqPG1YZCvnI55E?si=iOO8V9e8Qq6OdDSN2PD88Q

String Nguyen - ep 3, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKZhfnP85O0

Mike King - ep 4, Expected publish

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

Send us Fan Mail

Startup Founder & Engineering Thought Leader Kevin Henrikson joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins.  Kevin shares his impressive experience co-founding the startup that eventually became Outlook; Scaled Engineering Teams at Microsoft and Instacart as large as 2000+ engineers & gives some of the most amazing actionable advice on building unicorns.  

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures

Send us Fan Mail

Hyper-Growth Marketing Expert & CMO Olga Denisova joins Brandon Na & Startup Wins to Coach Startups and everyone who wants to build multi-generational companies that Jim Collins would be proud of. Denisova, the marketing sarcasm & truths queen knows every acronym under the sun from CMO, IPO, & AI and has leveraged them to build Unicorns including SEMrush, Veam Software and her currently role as CMO of GotPhoto.com -- the shopify platform for photographers. 

Brandon is Managing General Partner of Good People Ventures, former radio show host, previously produced 3 seasons of the podcast EduK8 where he interviewed top VCs like Minnie Ingersoll & AI leaders like James Brady & Author of UNICORN STARTUPS. Available on Amazon! 

• Startup Wins on Apple Podcasts
• Startup Wins on LinkedIn
• Startup Wins on Spotify

Hosted by Brandon Na, Managing General Partner of Good Peoples Ventures