Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms. 

• Saundra gives an overview of what Evofem Biosciences is, and their product Phexxi [02:15]
• Why did Saundra choose to pitch for their product and what makes it unique? [03:28]
• Saundra talks about her career in women's health and what made her want to move up the corporate ladder [04:24]
• Saundra shares why helping women, not just professionally, is important to her [08:11]
• Saundra talks about working in Biotech, and how it brought her to San Diego [12:19]
• When and how did Evofem come to be? [16:03]
• Saundra takes us through the path to having Phexxi and what the product does for women [19:02]
• Saundra talks about the side effects of birth control, hormones, and how Phexxi can be empowering to women [21:00]
• Why is DTC important for Saundra, and the challenges they faced before they were able to launch the product [24:06]
• Why do retail investors relate more to DTC, and how did Phexxi get Annie Murphy for their ads? See their video with Annie Murphy [27:07]
• Saundra shares the future of Phexxi, and other projects they're working on [30:17]
• Saundra talks about how she built the company the way she did, and why culture is everything to her [31:58]
• Saundra's favorite taco spot, Haggo's Organic Tacos [36:45]

Resources:

• Annie Murphy’s Phexxi commercial

Follow Saundra Pelletier online

LinkedIn | Twitter

Evofem Biosciences

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Phexxi

Website | Facebook | Instagram

• Les gives an overview of what Raw Botanics is [02:11]
• Les shares his background and what made them launch Raw Botanics [03:10]
• Brendan shares his agency background, and how he and Les met [04:44]
• Brendan and Les talk about being in the agency industry, and what they have observed and learned from their clients in the wellness industry [06:46] 
• Brendan shares the founding story of Raw Botanics, from figuring out when to launch their product in the market to finding doctors for their brand [10:56] 
• Brendan shares  the long and painful process they had to go through in finding partners and sourcing out people [11:53] 
• Les talks about CBDs that target specific concerns, what their best-selling products are, and what makes their product better and different from the others [15:25]
• Brendan talks more about CBN as a better sleep aid in terms of achieving deep sleep, and how it differs from melatonin [17:15]
• Brendan talks about experimenting with their products and making sure that they work [20:12] 
• Les talks about the products they offer, the current state of their brand and where people can get their products [20:54]
• Raw Botanics' competitors in San Diego, how their products and target market differ and what they've learned from these competitors [22:34]
• Les and Brendan share their favorite taco spots, South Beach, Brigantine, and Las Olas [25:22]

Resources:

• A Better Night Sleep with REST Softgels... the data is here to prove it!

Follow Brendan Smith online

LinkedIn

Follow Les Kollegian online

LinkedIn

Raw Botanics

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms. 

• Chris gives an overview of what LENND is [03:11] 
• Josh gives an overview of what Classy Live is [03:53]
• Josh shares his background, how he ended up in San Diego, his journey toward non-profit and tech space, and how he and Chris met [04:50]
• Chris shares his background in tech, including building businesses and being on the buyer side of tech [07:17]
• Josh and Chris talk about how he and Chris came up with the idea for LENND early on, how it evolved, and some highlights on their journey [09:28]
• Chris talks about how and what their company was doing pre-covid, how covid affected the events industry, what they learned from it and how they adapted [13:21]
• Chris shares some of the challenges virtual events companies are facing as in-person events are starting to come back [17:52]
• Josh talks about how the pandemic gave them an idea for LENND and a solution to help marketers and nonprofits, and why they decided to launch a new brand, Fondi [19:23]
• Chris shares his perspective on how they came up with Fondi, including the name of the brand, and why they had to reject a $350K deal during COVID [21:09]
• Chris talks about having a good network in the non-profit space and how it helped them to get customers for their brand, and how they partnered with other platforms [24:00]
• Chris and Josh talk about the importance of listening and talking to your customers and how you can learn something from them [26:45]
• Chris talks about their partnerships with other platforms [28:15]
• Josh talks more about their partnership with Classy, and how their partnership evolved [31:22]
• Josh shares some of the unique cases used in Classy Live, such as broadcasting from underwater [32:44]
• Josh talks about how hybrid works in widening the audience and exposure to events, as well as the challenges in building communities around these events [33:47]
• Chris shares the operational and logistical challenges involved in merging both virtual and in-person events [34:23] 
• Josh and Chris talk about working together and what non-profit organizations can learn from them [35:58]
• Josh and Chris share their favorite taco spots, Tuetano Taqueria, Mitch's Seafood, and the taco stand at K58 in Baja [38:14]

Follow Josh online

Twitter | LinkedIn

Follow Chris online

Twitter | LinkedIn

LENND

Website

Classy

Website

• Neal introduces Tom and Allen [01:54]
• Tom gives an overview of what Loyal Foundry is [02:22]
• Allen and Tom talk about their background and career trajectory [03:03]
• Why did Tom and Allen pivot out of VC during the early 2000s? [06:52]
• Tom shares why he's interested in mobile tech, particularly in mobile apps [08:29]
• On how iPhone changed the mobile game [10:25]
• Tom talks about his startup company Verve, what it was like being the CEO, what made him decide to sell it, and how the company is doing now [11:36]
• Allen talks about his connection with Tom, and what their team is currently focusing on [13:47]
• Tom shares how the app market is doing today, including the current changes and trends they have noticed [15:28]
• Tom talks about what he hates about ad tech, why they like the ad market and what they’re doing to help publishers and developers [16:52]
• Allen talks about what it’s like experiencing selling and buying apps [19:53]
• Allen shares the factors they're looking for from developers such as good category and high ratings and engagement [22:01]
• Tom shares the difference between Apple Store and Google Play, and what makes Apple Store better in terms of accepting apps [23:17]
• Tom shares how they get information and insights of the apps they're interested in [24:01]
• Tom and Allen share their favorite taco spots in San Diego, Rudy's Taco Shop [28:56]

Follow Tom online

LinkedIn

Follow Allen online

LinkedIn

Loyal Foundry: Website | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram

1.  San Diego's 9am.health snags $16 million for virtual health subscription to help manage diabetes

2. San Diego ranked No. 1 in women-owned micro-business starts over the past year

3.  San Diego startups see steep drop in investment after record year

4. San Diego's Halozyme Therapeutics to buy Antares Pharma for nearly $1B in cash

Shout outs: 

San Diegans moving to Mexico to save money on housing

Fundraises:

Mosaic.tech - $25M from Founders Fund

Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms. 

• [02:20] Jayce gives an overview of what FarmRaise is
• [03:28] Jayce talks about how she grew up on a farm, the grant they got from USDA and how it got her interested in the finance aspect of agribusiness
• [06:18] Jayce shares how she met her co-founder in business school, and how their separate thesis helped them see a business opportunity to help farmers
• [09:00] How did Jayce and her co-founder find funding for their business project and turn it into a profitable one?
• [10:00] Jayce shares the things she learned from business school and how she applied them to her business, including the importance of running tests
• [11:19] Jayce talks about what it was like to run the business during the pandemic, how the pandemic affected the farm community, and how they helped farmers through financial opportunities
• [14:43] Jayce gives an update on how the business is doing now, how big their team is, and what their platform does to help farmers and future plans of FarmRaise
• [16:32] Jayce talks about what made her move to San Diego
• [18:40] Jayce shares her favorite taco spots, Oscars
• [19:44] Jayce shares a job opening in their company and what they're looking for in their applicants 

Follow Jayce online

Twitter | LinkedIn

FarmRaise: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn

• An overview of what Safu Sake is [02:16]
• Paul talks about his background as a physician by training and how he got into business school [03:58]
• On why Paul chose sake as the main product for his business [04:47]
• Reina gives a backstory about her background in the food and beverage industry, and how she and Paul got connected [06:18]
• How Paul and Reina tested out sake for the business virtually during a pandemic [10:17]
• Reina talks about how Safu Sake's the first to export sake in their area [13:41]
• Paul talks about the history of the brewery and how they've designed a sake that they've never done before [15:11]
• On how Paul managed to work as a doctor, go into business school, and set up his business in the middle of a pandemic [16:48]
• How did Paul and his team get Safu Sake and their product into the market [18:32]
• Paul shares Safu Sake's milestones[19:08]
• Paul shares where people can get Safu Sake [21:02]
• Can you make sake outside Japan? [21:31]
• Paul and Reina's favorite taco places, Tacos El Gordo, Wahoo's Fish Taco, South Coast Grill, and Lanea in Santa Monica, LA [25:30] 

Follow Paul online

Twitter | LinkedIn

Follow Reina online

LinkedIn

Safu Sake: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms. 

• [02:10] Sashee gives an overview of what Tea Drops is
• [02:35] Sashee shares her background and her entrepreneurship journey that lead to launching Tea Drops
• [03:54] The things Sashee learned from her parents as she was growing up, including buying and selling homes, and how to run a store
• [05:42] Sashee shares what she learned working at eBay and how it helped her on running her own business
• [09:57] Sashee shares how she came up with Tea Drops and the process from ideating it to turning it into an actual business
• [13:05] Sashee shares where she got her funding and help for her business, including using her own funds and entering pitch competitions
• [16:46] Sashee shares some of her struggles in sharing her products in San Francisco versus when she moved to LA
• [17:26] Sashee talks about Tea Drops and how the business is going since its launched and the pandemic affected Tea Drops positively in terms of sales
• [20:36] What made Sashee move to San Diego, how Tea Drops work as a team, including having get-togethers and working remotely, and a job opening in their company
• [24:34] Sashee shares her favorite taco spots, City Tacos 

Resources:

• Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson

Follow Sashee online

Twitter | LinkedIn

Tea Drops: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

2. New cannabis testing lab opens in Miramar area

3. Making It In San Diego: Robot server helps Tofu House restaurant overcome pandemic challenges

4. Qualcomm, ESL Gaming launch mobile Esports tournament

5. EV Charger maker Beam acquires Chicago battery maker and doubles company

Shout out section: 

• San Diego Angel Conference on March 24th
• inaugural SD NFT Conference on April 9 & 10 (use discount code NFTINCLUSION for 20%)
• Startup San Diego Convergence on April 13 & 14
• 5.10.30 Innovation Day at Petco Park by Connect on April 28th
• San Diego ranks second for California's most supernatural sightings
• Blueprint Equity’s new fund
• Cox is making all calls to Ukraine free

• Introducing Mark [02:00]
• Mark provides an overview of what Poseida is [02:20]
• Mark shares how he ended up in life sciences and how it led him to San Diego [04:04]
• What San Diego and the biotech industry were like when Mark moved to the city [07:14]
• The founding story of Poseida and what the company is currently working on [08:40]
• Mark shares the development of CAR-T [10:33]
• An update on the technology, the current programs in Poseida’s clinic and trial dates [12:39]
• Mark talks about Poseida going public during the pandemic, and how it started [14:55]
• How the pandemic affected the world of biotech IPO [16:56]
• What makes working in biotech rewarding [17:25]
• Mark shares details about Poseida’s first strategic collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical [18:27]
• Mark shares what the biotech community is like during a pandemic and what war talent is [19:59]
• Mark’s favorite taco spot, Not Not Tacos, and Yesenia’s  [22:30]

Follow Mark online

LinkedIn

Poseida: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn