Tech Startup Network Podcast with Ashley DiBiase

Sarah Mattina is a strategic communications consultant with nearly a decade of experience across startups, venture capital, and financial communications. She has held in-house roles leading communications at JetBlue Ventures, the National Venture Capital Association, and Southwest Airlines, and has advised founders and funds alike at Edelman Smithfield.

As founder of Mattina Media, Sarah partners with her clients on funding announcements, product launches, and executive visibility, with a specialty in translating complex offerings into compelling, media-ready narratives.

During this episode, we discuss:

• How Sarah started her career in aviation but how she wanted to pivot from an internal comms role to external comms role
• What led her to starting her own PR firm with two previous clients that saw her LinkedIn post and wanted her to do fractional work
• If you don’t ask, the answer is always no
• We’re all our own worst critics at the end of the day
• How VCs and startups benefit from working with a professional for PR & comms
• Why it’s important to have owned and earned media
• What the communications flywheel is and how you can repurpose media multiple times
• When to get started with bringing in an external PR & comms expert
• How VC firms become media engines

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things PR and media!

Phylicia Koh is a General Partner at Play Ventures a leading early-stage VC fund that invests globally in gaming, consumer apps and gaming-adjacent tech. Phylicia has led investments into Alter (avatar tech company acquired by Google, Arya (AI-driven couple intimacy platform), BibleChat (fastest growing AI-powered faith app, #4 US App Store). She most recently led Alinea's $10.4m Series A (personal financial investing app for Gen Z).

Before joining Play as Employee #1, Phylicia spent 9 years in marketing and growth, working with the likes of Mighty Bear Games, Voice Labs, Homage, Ethnicraft Online, as well as for the Singapore Economic Development Board.

• During this episode, we discuss:
• What Phyl does at Play and what they invest in
• How she started her career in growth and what led her to transition into VC instead
• Her career break with her “year of yes” and how that led her to try various opportunities
• How game companies are at the forefront of user acquisition
• The big adjustment getting into the gaming industry
• Her advice on how to beat the learning curve
• Why curiosity, initiative, and problem solving are good qualities to have
• How the stranger something sounds, the more excited she is about it
• The reality of the mindset of “there’s an app for that”
• What she looks for in startups before investing
• The attractiveness of how quickly you can get an MVP live due to AI
• Why founders need to be excited about what they’re building
• The normality of pivoting and change

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things gaming and VC!

Philip Toussaint is the founder of Ecopreneur, an EdTech company that helps schools and students manage, track, and fulfill community service hours. A Stonehill College graduate from the Class of 2019, Philip’s professional journey began at the age of 19 in sales and marketing, where he developed a deep passion for these fields. Outside of work, he enjoys being outdoors, volunteering, hitting the gym, and watching movies. Philip is committed to both personal growth and making a positive impact across the world.

During this episode, we discuss:

• What Ecopreneur is
• When Phil knew it was time to pivot
• How to understand when it is and isn’t the right time to roll out new features
• Why you need to do market research ahead of time
• How Phil built his advisory board
• His process for building his personal brand
• The importance of being involved as a founder
• Why you need to do what doesn’t scale
• The value in taking time off and having good habits
• What Phil’s day looks like as a founder
• Why having a co-founder is key
• His advice for getting into edtech

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things edtech!

Megan Kane is the founder of Rellia, a platform that connects early-stage digital health, medical device, wellness, and diagnostic companies with industry experts, healthcare practitioners, and engaged investors.

During this episode, we discuss:

• What she does at Rellia, an incubator
• How she got the idea for Rellia and the gaps she noticed for healthtech startups
• Why having a positive community is so important
• How Rellia has grown and changed throughout the past year
• What Rellia offers for anyone who’s in healthtech
• Her advice for building community and why it’s important
• How she went full-time with Rellia after building it on the side
• Why you can’t plan everything perfectly in tech
• What she does with consulting in addition to Rellia
• Her advice for healthtech founders for being successful
• How to ask someone for help
• What will be coming for Rellia in 2026
• Her favorite part of what she does at Rellia

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things healthtech!

Elliott Parker is CEO of Alloy Partners, a venture builder that co-creates advantaged startups with corporations and entrepreneurs. He previously launched dozens of startups at High Alpha, the pioneering venture studio, and helped Fortune 100 firms design and execute growth strategies at Clayton Christensen’s firm Innosight. Elliott is passionate about helping big organizations move fast and think boldly—and wrote The Illusion of Innovation to inspire transformation through bold experimentation.

During this episode, we discuss:

• How Elliott builds startups from corporations
• Why corporations may want to spin out an idea into a separate startup rather than keeping it within the corporation
• Examples of corporations he’s supported to help create startups from
• When corporations should NOT create separate startups
• Why “learning problems” are what become startups while “execution problems” stay within the corporation
• Elliott’s journey for starting Alloy
• The industries that he finds the most opportunities in
• How he can create companies in as quickly as 8-16 weeks
• Why right now is the best time to build a new company
• How there are $100 million companies coming with extremely small teams

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things VC!

Cory Borman is the co-founder and tech-savvy mind behind Swoon Learning. With a diverse background in software, design, and marketing, Cory has a proven track record of success in various industries. His experience spans from shipping over 200 educational products at Pearson Education to starting Communication Lab during the pandemic — a business working with children who are on the Autism spectrum. Cory's personal experience with ADD fuels his passion for creating effective learning solutions, especially for neurodivergent learners. His expertise in technology and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) complements Carla's educational vision, making Swoon Learning a unique and impactful force in the tutoring landscape.

From hardware design engineering to educational leadership, Carla Bayot's journey has been defined by innovation and a passion for learning. As co-founder of Swoon Learning, she brings a wealth of experience to her role, including years as a math tutor, while successfully working on hardware products for leading tech and consumer electronics companies including Apple, NASA, XBox, and Anova. Her experience working remotely between the US and Asia honed her skills in online tutoring, utilizing virtual classrooms and file-sharing techniques to effectively engage students. This experience fostered her collaborative approach and ability to connect with students from various backgrounds. Carla's dedication to student success drives Swoon Learning's mission to provide personalized and engaging educational experiences that empower every learner.

During this episode, we discuss:

• What led Carla and Cory to starting Swoon Learning together
• How their software is a supplement, not a replacement
• The challenge of getting schools to accept and adopt new technology
• Why you need solid vendor relationships
• The hedgehog concept
• What’s become known as the “Zoom Generation”
• How Swoon Learning plans to grow in the next year
• Their process for implementing feedback and requests
• How to balance activities and academics

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things learning!

Corporate attorney Lindsey S. Mignano, based in San Francisco, is a go-to expert for startup founders, small business owners, and international companies looking to break into the U.S. market. A former attorney at an international law firm, Lindsey now leads her own boutique practice, SSM Law, where she helps emerging tech companies navigate everything from formation and fundraising to mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions.

Lindsey has advised hundreds of startup founders and small businesses at every stage of growth. She helps founders turn an idea into a company, raise venture capital, and navigate the legal landmines of scaling in a competitive tech market. She brings deep insight into how early-stage companies operate and what legal pitfalls they face. Reporters often turn to Lindsey because she makes complex legal and business issues easy to understand, speaks the language of both founders and investors, and has a profound understanding of what is happening in Silicon Valley and beyond.

In addition to her legal work, Lindsey is a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and venture capital. She founded Venture Betches and Syndicate Betches, two fund-of-funds designed to bring investment opportunities to women and BIPOC investors and to support fund managers from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

During this episode, we discuss:

• What she does at SSM Law
• When startups come to her law firm for help
• Types of mistakes startups make that they realize when they’re getting ready to raise and how Lindsey helps them fix that
• The business and financial metrics they should have in place before raising a round
• Why it’s not a good time to raise right now
• How solo female founders have an especially hard time with raising
• What her most successful startup founder clients do to differentiate themselves from other startups to get funding
• Advice for anyone looking to raise in the next year
• The most popular verticals she sees VCs investing in for early stage startups

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things startup law!

Elizabeth McCluskey is a Managing Director at TruStage Ventures, the venture capital arm of TruStage. She leads the TruStage Ventures Discovery Fund, which invests in early stage fintech companies led by underrepresented founders. Over the last four years, she has deployed ~$15M to companies building solutions in lending, financial wellness and banking technology. Elizabeth is responsible for sourcing, diligence, and deal execution, as well as supporting a portfolio of 25 companies. She is an active community builder and thought leader in the fintech space, regularly appearing on panels, podcasts, and articles to share advice and commentary.

Beyond fintech, Elizabeth is passionate about empowering and mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs building solutions rooted in community, sustainability, and health. She is an Executive in Residence at Johns Hopkins University’s Ward Infinity Accelerator, where she provides strategic coaching, network introductions, and advisory support to early-stage ventures. She also serves on the Investment Committee at the Agora Initiative, the Advisory Committee at Sidelines VC, and as a Founding Member of Brydge Club.

Prior to TruStage, Elizabeth was a Principal at Impact Engine, where she helped launch the investment firm’s first venture capital fund. There, she invested in early-stage software companies in economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and health equity.

Elizabeth began her career at UBS in investment banking and wealth management. She graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and received an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. She is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

During this episode, we discuss:

• How Elizabeth started her career in banking before transitioning to VC
• Her focus on underrepresented founders
• The angel investing she does on the side
• How there are more women writing checks now
• Advice for any underrepresented founder who is looking to raise a round
• A few portfolio companies she’s been proud to support
• How companies can crack into both B2C and B2B audiences
• Her advice for anyone looking to make their first angel investment
• What she would recommend to fintech founders looking to get funded
• Her shoutout to Lexsy and founder Kristina Subbotina

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things VC!

Vijay Ravindran, the CEO and founder of Floreo, combines his extensive expertise from pivotal roles at Amazon and The Washington Post to spearhead innovation in immersive technology for autism therapy. His tenure as the Chief Digital Officer at The Washington Post saw groundbreaking advancements in digital media and content delivery, revolutionizing how news is consumed in the digital age. Ravindran's leadership, honed through his experiences at Amazon including leading the launch of Amazon Prime, underscores Floreo's mission to leverage virtual reality (VR) for transformative autism therapy. With a deep-rooted commitment to harnessing technology for societal benefit, his strategic vision intertwines lessons from the forefronts of tech and media, propelling Floreo as a pioneering force in utilizing VR to enhance the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum.

During this episode, we discuss:

• His personal story of starting Floreo
• What Floreo offers
• How they incorporate feedback and lived experience
• How AI is used in the company
• What is coming up for Floreo
• Roadblocks Vijay has faced as a founder
• His advice for anyone looking to build a startup
• How to maintain resiliency when things don’t go right the first time
• What he’s learned from working with investors

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things VR!

Natalie Hoop is a Fractional Strategic Operations Partner who helps startups scale without stalling or burning out their teams. She specializes in revenue and operational turnarounds — from rebuilding sales operations that drove +238% sales growth in 30 days to improving gross margin by 68 points in four months.

She partners with founders at Seed to Series B companies to fix the work behind the work — aligning people, process, and profit. Natalie is also the creator of The Fractional Launch Lab, a coaching program helping executive leaders build sustainable fractional businesses.

During this episode, we discuss:

• How Natalie got into operations
• What inspired her to start her own business
• When a company may need an operations person
• How to know if something needs to change within your ops
• Why ops are crucial for getting acquired
• The clear correlation between operations and revenue
• The hill she will die on with operations
• Her shoutout to Molli Health

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things ops!