The IVY Podcast

Academy Award and Emmy award-winning producer, Brian Grazer, has been making movies and television programs for more than 30 years. As both a writer and producer, he has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards®, and in 2002 he won Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind. Over the years, Grazer's films and TV shows have been nominated for a total of 43 Oscars and 162 Emmys for shows such as 24 and Arrested Development. In this fascinating conversation during an IVY Ideas Night, Grazer recounted many illuminating and often hilarious anecdotes from his journey to the top of the Hollywood food chain, and opined about the important connection between entertainment & entrepreneurship.

Please enjoy our conversation with Brian Grazer. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

As the Founder and former CEO of TaskRabbit, Leah Busque has over 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. In 2008, she founded TaskRabbit, the world’s leading on-demand service marketplace, which connects consumers that are looking for help with everyday tasks, with independent workers willing and able to lend a hand. Leah has since expanded TaskRabbit internationally, raising more than $50 million in venture funding, and has inspired legions of startups in the collaborative consumption space.

In 2012, Fast Company named Leah one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business,” and her achievements have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Time.

At an IVY Entrepreneur Night in San Francisco, Leah discussed the entrepreneurial tools necessary to become a creative leader, pioneer revolutionary concepts across diverse industries, and launch a successful business around the world.

Please enjoy our conversation with Leah Busque. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

Amanda Signorelli is the CEO of Techweek, a massive media conference whose purpose is to support entrepreneurs and innovators in the tech world, provide them with a platform for networking and collaboration, and ultimately, to spread wealth creation to diverse people and places. 

Amanda came to Techweek from a management background at McKinsey & Company, where she saw firsthand how advancements in technology could disrupt large corporations. During her tenure, Techweek has grown to operate in 9 different markets: Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Kansas City, D.C., New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami. 

In this illuminating discussion, Amanda revealed how she tapped into the entrepreneurial and tech communities in cities all around the country and mobilized them to come together and share their knowledge and resources to their mutual advantage.

Please enjoy our conversation with Amanda Signorelli. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

One of the true pioneers of Internet commerce, Jed Katz has spent his career developing, advising and investing in early stage technology ventures. Jed is a founding partner and Managing Director at Javelin Venture Partners, which holds investments in some of the most successful startups including Thumbtack, Masterclass and Clutter. Jed’s entrepreneurial journey started as the COO and Founder of Rent Net, the Internet’s first rental and relocation guide, which he eventually sold for over $900 million. In this in-depth conversation with IVY’s co-founder Beri Meric, Jed gives invaluable advice on how to attract venture capital, how to know when it’s right for your venture, and what qualities he looks for in a great entrepreneur.

Please enjoy our conversation with Jed Katz. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

A 24-year veteran of the FBI, Christopher Voss knows a thing or two about high-stakes negotiation. In 2003, he was chosen to be the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator, an elite role he held for four years. Voss has since applied his singular experience to the world of business. In his best-selling book, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended On It‎, Voss reveals the field-tested techniques FBI agents use to talk criminals and hostage-takers around the world into (or out of) just about any scenario you can imagine — and shows how we can all use these strategies to become powerful negotiators both in business and in life. He is also the founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm which instructs businesses and individuals in the implementation of these techniques.

At an IVY Ideas Night in Los Angeles, Christopher recounted stories from his days at the FBI, and broke down the tactics you can use to become a better negotiator.

Please enjoy our conversation with Christopher Voss. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

From her small start selling goods on eBay, Corri has quickly become a leading expert in the luxury consignment industry with her multi-million dollar business, eDrop-Off, which specializes in the resale of authentic designer handbags, clothings, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. More recently, Corri was inspired by the birth of her daughter Zelda to launch a second site, Glitter and Bubbles, a guide for moms looking for inspiration in fashion, décor, and food. In this illuminating discussion, Corri revealed the entrepreneurial tools necessary to build a company from the ground up and how to unlock your potential by pursuing your passion.

Please enjoy our conversation with Corri McFadden. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

Brian Halligan’s background in venture capital helped him become a huge success when he co-founded HubSpot in 2006, growing the business into a leading marketing software company with more than $20 million in profits and over 300 employees. Brian was named Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011, a Glassdoor 25 Highest Rated CEO in 2014 and 2015, and an Inc. Founders 40 in 2016. In this illuminating discussion, Brian drew on his experience as a marketing expert to reveal how to expand your network and build game-changing ventures from scratch.

Please enjoy our conversation with Brian Halligan. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

All Jim Obergefell wanted was to marry John Arthur, his partner of 20 years, before he died of ALS. But in 2013, Ohio would not recognize gay marriage. And so, by fighting to get his union to John legally recognized, Jim unexpectedly changed history. In 2015, Jim became the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case, Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage across the United States.  Embracing his role as an “accidental activist”, Jim received calls of congratulations from President Obama and Vice President Biden after the historic ruling,

 During an IVY Ideas Night in Washington DC, Jim shared his inspiring story, and discussed his continued work as an activist with organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Ohio.

 Please enjoy our conversation, with Jim Obergefell. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

A Florida native, David hit it big when he was tapped to create a nightclub in Jeff Soffer’s billion-dollar revamping of the Fontainebleau Hotel, which led to the creation of LIV, now one of the most successful nightclubs in the country. Since then he has gone on to create some of the most well-known venues such as LIV, Story, Komodo, and the recently opened Upstairs at OTLA. David is also credited by Rolling Stone magazine as being one of the most important people in bringing electronic dance music to nightclubs in America after he was inspired by the scene in Ibiza, Spain. In this illuminating discussion on the power of resilience, creativity, and passion, David shared his insights on developing projects that converge at the apex of commercial success and entertainment brilliance.

Please enjoy our conversation with Dave Grutman. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

Bobbi Brown is the legendary founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, which is, to date, the most successful makeup artist brand founded by a woman. After moving to NYC as an aspiring makeup artist in the 80’s, she started mixing her own products. And eventually turned it into a multi-million dollar line of cosmetics that she told to Estee Lauder in 1995. Bobbi has written 8 bestselling books about makeup and beauty, her most recent being Beauty From The Inside Out. In this illuminating discussion, Bobbi demonstrates how tenacity, creativity, and originality can transform a passion project into a world-changing entrepreneurial success.

Please enjoy our conversation with Bobbi Brown. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?