Ryan Ridgway, Founder of Cirrus Capital Partners, joins The Innovator’s Playbook to discuss how capital fuels innovation and why not all growth should be venture-funded. Ryan shares his journey from entrepreneur to investor, how sales shaped his leadership mindset, and what today’s AI boom means for founders and operators. This episode explores capital efficiency, AI consolidation, and the leadership traits investors look for when backing companies built for long-term impact.

Dr. Brianna Rhue is a practicing optometrist, multi-practice owner, and the CEO of Dr. Contact Lens. In this episode, she shares her journey from the exam room to building a high-growth health-tech platform serving clinicians nationwide.

The conversation explores leadership without formal training, lessons learned as a non-technical founder, and why customer success and systems matter more than shiny technology. Brianna also offers a grounded perspective on AI, focus, and the mindset shift required to move from founder to CEO in today’s fast-changing landscape.

Steven Meyer, CIO at New York Ophthalmology, joins The Innovator’s Playbook to explore the real challenges holding healthcare technology back—and what it will take to move the industry forward. Steven shares his journey from hands-on technician to healthcare technology leader and offers clear insights into EHR fragmentation, AI’s untapped potential in medical practices, and the growing importance of practical cybersecurity.

Listeners will learn how AI can drive smarter decisions, why open data matters, and what strong leadership looks like in high-pressure healthcare environments.

Serial entrepreneur Todd Blankenbecler, CEO of Zeeno Robotics, joins Seth Narayanan on The Innovator’s Playbook to share what he’s learned from decades of building, scaling, and selling companies in the orthodontic tech industry.

He reveals lessons from startup grind to acquisition strategy and explains how robotics and AI are transforming everyday workflows in dental and medical practices.

This is a must-listen for founders, innovators, and technologists navigating growth, exits, and the next frontier of intelligent automation.

How do you lead innovation responsibly in an AI-powered world?

In this episode, Rodrigo Senra, VP of Engineering for Data & AI at Loadsmart, joins Seth Narayanan to share lessons from 30 years in tech — from building Brazil’s Python movement to pioneering AI in logistics.

They discuss how AI is transforming freight automation, the real risks behind the hype, and why ethics and curiosity may be the ultimate competitive edge.

🎧 Perfect for CTOs, data leaders, and innovators building AI-driven products that actually make a difference.

What happens when AI stops being a feature and becomes the foundation of commerce itself? In this episode of The Innovators Playbook Podcast, host Seth Narayanan speaks with Ankush Goyal, CPTO of Fabric. From scaling Orbitz to building an AI-native CRM at RelateIQ and Salesforce, and transforming post-purchase platforms at Narvar, Ankush reveals why legacy rule-based systems are no longer enough. He argues that bolt-on AI is a dead end, that product and technology leadership must converge, and that engineers who fail to evolve beyond coding will be left behind.

What happens when AI stops being a feature and becomes the foundation of commerce itself? In this episode of The Innovators Playbook Podcast, host Seth Narayanan speaks with Ankush Goel, CPTO of Fabric. From scaling Orbitz to building an AI-native CRM at RelateIQ and Salesforce, and transforming post-purchase platforms at Narvar, Ankush reveals why legacy rule-based systems are no longer enough. He argues that bolt-on AI is a dead end, that product and technology leadership must converge, and that engineers who fail to evolve beyond coding will be left behind.

What does it take to turn a personal challenge into a groundbreaking company? In this episode of The Innovators Playbook Podcast, host Seth Narayanan speaks with Akshita Iyer, Founder & CEO of Ome Kitchen. From her neuroscience background to building a connected device featured on Shark Tank, Akshita shares the behind-the-scenes reality of scaling hardware, navigating supply chain chaos, and pushing through doubt with grit and vision. Whether you’re an innovator, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of smart living, this conversation will inspire and inform

Lesley Jordan, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Clinicom, joins Seth Narayanan to share how AI is transforming the landscape of mental and behavioral healthcare. From adaptive assessments and longitudinal patient tracking to LLM-generated SOAP notes and robust HIPAA/CFR compliance—this episode uncovers the building blocks of a tech-first healthcare platform.

Key discussion points:

• The difference between augmented and artificial intelligence in healthcare
• How Clinicom uses IBM Watson for clinical narrative generation
• Secure patient data handling and global compliance strategies
• Balancing product vs. tech leadership in a startup environment
• Using AI for population health insights and future innovation

If you're building in healthtech or curious about how AI can support clinicians and patients, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of The Innovators Playbook, host Seth Narayanan sits down with Chris Mallinson, Director of Software Engineering at Nanotronics, to explore the high-stakes world where robotics, AI, and precision manufacturing converge.

Chris shares how his teams build cutting-edge inspection tools for the semiconductor industry, the challenges of integrating hardware and software, and why one small mistake can cost up to $30,000.

You’ll hear about:

• The shift from monolithic systems to modular, scalable software
• How AI is used (and avoided) in robotics to balance innovation and risk
• Why hardware constraints still slow down automation
• Where the next breakthroughs in semiconductor inspection may come from
• Advice for students and engineers looking to break into robotics

Whether you’re in tech, manufacturing, or just curious about the future of automation, this conversation offers rare insight into one of the most advanced engineering fields today.