Ishveen Jolly, founder and CEO of OpenSponsorship, joins us in this episode to discuss the gritty middle part of building companies, the challenges of two-sided marketplaces, and the importance of adaptability in the ever-changing business landscape.

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Alex Meredith is the co-founder of Honest, a product growth studio. In this conversation, we explore the concept of product-led growth as a business strategy. We delve into aligning a company around its product, identifying a North Star metric, and using the ICE scoring system. Tune in for insights on measuring and analyzing product performance.

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Lucas Philips is a born-and-bred New Yorker and a third-generation serial entrepreneur. In this conversation, we explore Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) as Lucas shares his experiences and insights. He discusses his transition from Silicon Valley startups to the acquisition and modernization of existing small businesses, notably Newark Auto. Join us as we delve into SBA Loans, modernization processes, growth strategies, and the 'silver tsunami' in the small business market.

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Dominic Costanzo is the VP of Portfolio at 43North, a startup accelerator sponsored by Empire State Development. In this conversation, we explore the key elements that differentiate a good startup from the rest, the role of timing and luck in startup success, and 43North's unique investment strategy. We also delve into Dominic's perspective on the ever-evolving AI trend.

LaSean Smith is the founder of CAGR Investments, a firm specializing in compound annual growth rate-based investments in software companies. In this conversation, we explore investments, business models, entrepreneurship, and script contents, focusing on key topics like business decision-making, financial assessments, and the preference for personal capital over venture capital for business growth.

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Join me in this insightful conversation with LaSean Smith, founder of CAGR Investments, as we delve into the art of leveraging capital for startup success. We discuss the nuances of raising capital, the impact of capital on business growth, and the importance of market validation. LaSean shares his unique perspectives on avoiding conventional capital raising pitfalls and understanding the motivations behind different types of capital.

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(00:00:42) Intro, Capital injection

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Chris Zeunstrom is an American entrepreneur currently residing in Lisbon, Portugal. He owns Crispy Strom Industries Inc., where he focuses on solving problems, creating products, and building businesses—through the thoughtful application of design and technology. Chris is the Founder of Ruca, a global design cooperative, and founder support network, and Yorba, a reverse CRM and passport to a more ethical internet.

In this conversation, we explore design cooperatives as a flat structure, self-organizing agile, support structure, and profit sharing. We talk about the cooperative approach and its pros and cons, empowering people with choices. We delve into Ruca and how it has empowered other areas of business, and the origins and goals of Yorba, aiming to build a better way to manage relationships between people and platforms, focusing on data privacy and security in today's digital world. We also explore sustainable changes, cleaning our digital footprints, and managing relationships with third-party vendors, all while prioritizing benefit over profit, venture VC's, and profit strategies to sustain business.

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Jason Piperberg is a prolific illustrator who has showcased his versatility in comics, book covers, and more. In our conversation, we delve into his life as a comic artist, the essential role of intellectual property for artists, and the nuances of AI's emergence in the world of art, spotlighting topics like storytelling through art, the value of originality, and the future of generative AI in the creative space.

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Other links mentioned:

- https://ko-fi.com/jasonpiperberg

-(https://raisingdion.fandom.com/wiki/Raising_Dion_(comic_book)

- (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Turner_(comics)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Lee

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mignola

- https://www.indyplanet.com/spaceman-and-bloater-vol-1/

- https://www.nimbal.org/form/professor-nimbal-comic

- https://zoop.gg/c/binarysea

- [www.necrocomic.com](http://www.necrocomic.com/)

- https://jasonpiperberg.gumroad.com/

- https://writeinvisibleink.com/

- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-are-a-storyteller/id1438577381

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jung_Gi

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00:00:00 Intro and background

00:04:05 Comic book artist career

00:05:57 Visual storytelling

00:11:16 Art speaks

00:14:58 Freelance art

00:17:55 Employment vs freelance

00:22:50 IP and diverse income streams

00:28:26 Passive income streams

00:31:17 Intention and purpose

00:32:49 Stories are survival information

00:36:41 AI

00:42:18 Viable path

00:45:40 Human perception creates value

00:49:28 A tool vs a replacement

00:53:41 Closing

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Sam Gimbel is the co-owner of Honest and formerly the Co-Founder of Clark and VP of Product at Clover. In this conversation we explored the intricacies of product strategy, the importance of low-tech experimentation, and the double diamond framework. We touch on topics such as AI investments, CRISPR technology, and the shift in business priorities in the current economic paradigm.

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00:00:43 Intro and Background

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Alex Porter is the founder and CEO of Mod Tech Labs, an automated optimization solution reshaping real-time content. In this conversation, we explored the intricate world of virtual production, dove deep into 3D content's vast applications across industries, and discussed the challenges and triumphs of fundraising in the ever-evolving tech industry.

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