Startups for Good

Paul is an economist and entrepreneur working to accelerate the end of extreme poverty. He is an associate professor of economics at UC San Diego. His research examines the design, implementation, and impact of anti-poverty programs at large scales.

He is co-founder, former president, and current director at GiveDirectly, the leading international NGO specialized in digital cash transfers and consistently rated one of the most impactful ways to give. 

He subsequently co-founded and served as a director of the enterprise payments company Segovia (acquired) and the digital remittance company Taptap Send.

Paul is a recipient of a Sloan Fellowship and has been named a “Top 100 Global Thinker” by Foreign Policy magazine. He holds a PhD in economics from Harvard University.

Paul joins me and we talked about the opportunity to do so much good for just a little bit of money, how people living in extreme poverty choose to use their cash. We talk about the differences between for profit and nonprofit startups. We talk about the advantages to not being 100% committed into one thing, particularly when it's new or experimental, and he gives advice on a number of other issues.

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Returns to quality in nonprofit vs. for profit
• Earn to give
• Mobile money providers
• Setting up teams
• Balancing family, startups & academics
• Universal basic income experiment

Connect with Paul on Twitter 

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Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Charlie Olson is the co-founder and CEO of Pando. Pando was founded after Charlie and his co-founder, Eric Lax, graduated from Stanford's Graduate School of Business in 2017. Since inception Pando has signed hundreds of professional athletes and entrepreneurs into income pools and has raised a Series A from top fintech investors. Prior to his time at Stanford, Charlie worked with Bob Grady at Cheyenne Capital, a private equity firm based out of Jackson, WY. Concurrently, Charlie worked in search fund investing for Professor David Dodson and was a speechwriter and policy analyst for two governors. Charlie also holds two other degrees from Stanford, including a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in US History. Charlie was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Charlie joins me today to discuss his income pooling company, Pando. He explains the concept and shares with us the higher than average results that the company has provided. He shares the type of client that Pando seeks. Charlie also vulnerably shares some of his early challenges as a founder. 

“When you're trying to overcome a challenge, a CEOs job is to be somewhat of the ballast and not allow the team to get too high or allow the team to get too low.”

 - Charlie Olson

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Risk Tolerance
• Challenging limiting beliefs about success rates
• Consumer protections
• Building new markets
• Loss aversion
• Conflict resolution between co-founders

Connect with Charlie on Twitter and Pando at pandopooling.com

The book that Miles mentioned is Lifecycle Investing by Ian Ayres & Barry J. Nalebuff

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Jeff is a serial entrepreneur who brings a wealth of experience in the climate tech industry and has served in multiple executive roles in clean energy, waste repurposing, and venture capital. He also serves as an advisory board member to a Bay Area biotech company. Jeff completed his master’s thesis on economics in PHA production, and is the co-inventor of Full Cycle technology. His zeal for tackling plastic pollution and food waste makes him a force for change.

Jeff joins me today to discuss how he got into plastics and what drew him to applications for improving the environment. He shares with us how inspirational his parents were and how his desire to build things moved him to be a founder. Jeff talks about his fundraising efforts and the growth of his company. We are grateful to Jeff for also sharing with us some hardships and how the company tackled them.

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Science risk vs. tech risk
• Compelling investors on the project
• Maintaining the ownership of the intellectual property
• Investors as plant-building partners
• Symbiotic relationships
• End user cost trends for bioplastics
• Managing a team with rapid growth
• Co-CEO/founding with a twin
• Balancing time between tasks
• Relying on your executive team

Connect with Full Cycle on their website and Twitter

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

David is the CEO of On Deck, a network of communities dedicated to unlocking human potential — helping founders start up and raise early capital, top talent connect with opportunities and explore "what's next" in their careers. 

David joins me today to discuss the Silicon Valley ecosystem and what is stands for. We discuss if a founder needs to have experienced the problem being solved as a requirement to start the company. David shares with us how he met his co-founder in On Deck. He talks about why we want more founders in the world. . I ask David how he imparts the Silicon Valley culture without bringing in the less desirable aspects. He also talks about OnDeck’s newest initiative ODX.

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Knowing if you are ready to start a company
• The necessary depth of familiarity in your co-founder
• Launching a new program
• Managing team growth in a remote world
• Managing change internally
• Fundraising

Connect with David on Twitter or the On Deck website

The Evolve Podcast that Miles mentioned is available here

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

At the age of 15 Jason Wang was given a 12-year sentence at a maximum security prison in Texas. Upon release he earned two master’s degrees and was still unable to find a job due to his criminal history. Jason decided to become an agent for change. He started FreeWorld. FreeWorld empowers people who have been in prison with educational support and technical skills to enter into high wage, high demand careers so they can live fulfilling lives, prison-free. Freeworld aims to break the cycle of recidivism and generational poverty by demonstrating the potential of reentering citizens creating meaningful career pathways and providing critical support services for the individuals and their families to overcome significant barriers.

Jason joins me today to discuss his non-profit and the life path that brought him to start it. He shares with us the three benefits to society of former inmates finding jobs and not only the economic motivations but other social benefits. Jason tells us about the lessons that he has learned on his way to becoming a founder and CEO of a non-profit. Though Jason shares some roadblocks and obstacles he is optimistic of the change that can be made by moving obstacles and giving these former inmates a chance to provide for their families and change their lives.

“If former prisoners get jobs, what that ends up meaning is that we have safer communities, we are saving taxpayers a lot of money on re-incarnation costs. And we're also helping a population that normally is excluded from the economy actually participate into the economy by paying taxes.” - Jason Wang

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• The role of personal responsibility of inmates
• Some of the causes of recidivism 
• Technical parole violations
• Radical transparency
• Building trust in others
• The role identity plays on leading others
• The opportunities within trucking companies
• Real problems in the real world
• Legitimate first chances

Resources from this episode:

The Sounds Good podcast featuring Jason Wang

Connect with Jason at joinfreeworld.com

The Great CEO Within by Matt Mochary

venturepatterns.com

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Amanda DoAmaral is an educator, activist, and co-founder of Fiveable - a social learning network for students. She spent a half a decade teaching high school history in Oakland, CA, where her passion for creating equitable educational opportunities was ignited. Amanda has been a vocal advocate for inclusive history curriculum and is active within the Milwaukee tech community.

Amanda joins me today to discuss how teaching differs from being a tech startup CEO. She shares what skills she pulled from teaching to help her excel in the tech ed space. Amanda also tells her founder's story. Even as a young company, Fiveable has already acquired another company and Amanda takes us through that process and what made that company desirable. 

“I hope that this is a moment where people shoot for the moon, rebuild, start, try something new, it doesn't have to be the way that it used to be.” - Amanda DoAmaral

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Important learnings from an accelerator
• When to bring on the engineering team
• Things to remember when hiring for equity rather than salary
• Bringing in a co-founder
• Criteria when choosing headquarter location
• The value of student employees at Fiveable
• Premium pricing vs. free content
• How to deal with a seasonal business
• Considering non-profit vs. for profit

Connect with Amanda on Twitter or at fiveable.me

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Andrew Yang is an American businessman, lawyer, book author and philanthropist, as well as a former 2020 Democratic US presidential and New York City mayoral candidate. He is the founder of Venture for America which connects young professionals to innovative companies in economically challenged cities. 

As the first repeat guest on Startups for Good, Andrew joins me to discuss his new book Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy and his new political party Forward.

We discuss how starting a startup is similar to starting a political campaign. He also shares his insights on why he felt compelled to start a new party and why he believes in a multi-party political climate. We also discuss the role of a startup founder in mitigating societies issues. And we discuss the best way for the government to support small businesses. 

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Long form discussions like podcasts vs. short form like social media
• Political monopolies 
• Rank voting - histories and outcomes
• Digital Social Credits
• The benefits of charter cities
• Skinny Cars

Resources discussed in the episode:

Forward by Andrew Yang

Forward Podcast hosted by Andrew Yang

Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein

Connect with Andrew at forwardparty.com

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Paul Gross is the co-founder and CEO at Remora. While at Yale, he conducted experimental research that uncovered solutions to collective action problems like political polarization and the climate crisis. Remora got started when he read a dissertation on mobile carbon capture written by his co-founder, Christina, and convinced her to quit her job as a scientist at the EPA. Then, he recruited his co-founder, Eric, a mechanic-turned-engineer who built hydrogen and electric semi-trucks for some of the world's largest automotive companies.

Paul joins me today to discuss how he convinced his co-founder to quit her government job to join a two person startup. We also talk about the various reasons that the environmental industry is seeing growth as of late. Paul shares his opinion on the future of carbon capture devices regarding size and standards.

“I don't think everyone needs to do that science, because I've already come across so many scientists who are blocked at that point of having an idea, but not being able to start a company around it.” - Paul Gross

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Developing judgement for good science when reading theses
• Creating a systematic approach when seeking new idea 
• Carbon capture vs. catalytic converter
• Finding first adopters of the technology
• When investors share your mission
• How to build culture within an organization
• Their first round capital raise with investors like Lower Carbon Capital and Union Square Ventures
• Working with major fleet companies like Ryder

Books and podcasts discussed in this episode:  Startup School

Connect with Paul at Remora Carbon, on Twitter or send him an email at [email protected]

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle

Ethan Davidoff founded Atlas in 2017 and serves as CEO. Prior to Atlas, Ethan was a founding member of RiskIQ, where he took on a variety of individual contributor and management responsibilities resulting in exponential revenue growth and ultimately an acquisition by Microsoft. Prior to RiskIQ, Ethan owned and operated a software development firm that built smartphone applications for fortune 500 brands. Ethan earned his business degree from UC Berkeley and attended the London School of Economics.  

Ethan joins me today to discuss how his company helps patients pay for their healthcare. He shares his personal story that brought him to his company’s mission. He explains how they found initial customers and how to convince them to work with a startup. 

“Making sure we continue to hire the right people into the right roles, setting the right structure, giving everybody an amazing career path. Making sure we're generous and thoughtful with compensation structures. Making sure we're thoughtful human beings, and we're good to each other and that we don't we find the balance of the intensity and the passion and the killer instinct and the end the long hours of work with, being there to support each other's families, and time off, and mental health and balance.” - Ethan Davidoff

Today on Startups for Good we cover:

• Medical financial aid
• Selecting the right co-founder
• Changing leadership while keeping the company strong
• Challenges to fast growth
• COVID’s impact on the company
• The role of a startup founder
• How concept market fit differs from product market fit
• Ethically promoting the company
• Nurturing the relationship with the early adopters

The book that Ethan mentioned was: The New Great Depression

Connect with Ethan through LinkedIn

Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.

Don’t forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or  LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle