The PlayerZero Podcast

Billee Howard is the co-founder & CEO @ BRANDthrō - the AI-driven SaaS platform for emotionally optimized CX. Throughout her career, she’s been a passionate innovator, customer advocate, marketing strategist, and storyteller. Today she advises the world’s top brands and their leadership on how to build data-backed strategies that drive emotional engagement across all stakeholder groups. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

How to pivot from transactional to relational relationships (00:52)

The changing power dynamic for brands (09:33)

The secret sauce of predicting trends (21:48)

Democratization of insights and reimagining the future (25:00)

Perspectives on data security and privacy (29:27)

The less glamorous parts of being an entrepreneur (40:44)

Where to find Billee Howard:

* Linkedin

* BRANDthrō

Where to find Max Matson:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Pankaj Kedia is a tech intrapreneur turned early-stage AI / deep tech investor, venture partner, CXO advisor, and board member. Pankaj currently serves as the founder and managing partner of 2468 Ventures and is a board member and CEO advisor to numerous early-stage start-ups and non-profit organizations. In our conversation, we discuss Pankaj’s journey from intrapreneurship to entrepreneurship, his personal experiences at the forefront of the Internet revolution, and what characteristics to look for in a company/founder during early-stage AI investing. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

What’s an intrapreneur? (0:00)

How did you get started in tech? (9:20)

Where are the opportunities in AI? (15:56)

What do you look for in an investment? (23:01)

Advice to founders in the AI space (28:36)

The difference between conviction and buy-in (34:35)

What are the social implications of AI? (41:45)

The power of data (47:43)

Where to find Pankaj Kedia:

* Linkedin

* Twitter

* Threads

Where to find Max Matson:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Terry Rodriguez and Salma Mayorquin are the founders of Remyx - by alleviating the dependence of large, curated data sets with synthetic data, combined with their AutoML engine for model customization, Remyx AI's platform enables users to efficiently process and analyze image and video data. In our conversation, we talk about machine learning, the jump from software to hardware in computer vision applications, and how to increase user trust in data models. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

* Introduction to Terry Rodriguez and Salma Mayorquin creators of Remyx AI. (0:00)

* How did you get into machine learning? (7:17)

* Building the eyes for the robots. (21:14)

* Why did you gravitate towards machine learning? (32:37)

* How to increase user trust in the model? (40:02)

* Advice for budding entrepreneurs looking into the field. (53:14)

Where to find Terry Rodriguez:

* LinkedIn

* Remyx

Where to find Salma Mayorquin:

* LinkedIn

* Remyx

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Dwayne Samuels is the founder of Samelogic - an AI company that harnesses the power of your community and team with AI to build products that solve real problems. In our conversation, Dwayne and I discuss entrepreneurship in the Caribbean, adjusting to life in the United States, winning an international tech competition hosted by Microsoft, and how L stands for Learning. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

* Introduction to Dwayne Samuels & how he got into product management (00:00)

* What was your first product (10:28)

* Data silos and user feedback (19:36)

* Staying effective outside of work (31:52)

* Ethical consideration in the industry (36:21)

* Organizational value vs. individual value (44:15)

Where to find Dwayne Samuels:

* LinkedIn

* Samelogic

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Dr. Jennifer Prendki is the founder of Alectio - the DataPrepOps Company™ (by the way, she invented that term). In our conversation, we talk about the drawbacks of big data and how to make the most of small datasets for training AI. Listen on to find out how Jennifer went from PhD in particle physics to leading data science at massive companies, growing startups, and ultimately taking the plunge to start her own entrepreneurship journey with Alectio. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

Introduction to Dr. Jennifer Prendki & the impact of science on AI and ML (00:00)

Making the jump from particle physics to AI (12:37)

Jennifer’s time at Walmart, Atlassian and in the startup space (19:36)

What’s the problem with big data? (22:14)

Drawing the line between useful and harmful data (31:57)

The problem with synthetic data generation (37:30)

What the future of AI holds… (40:48)

Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable (49:42)

Outro & Jennifer’s most memorable moments as a founder (54:01)

Where to find Dr. Jennifer Prendki:

* LinkedIn

* Alectio

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Erica Jenkins is a fractional product management consultant working with startups and B2B SaaS platforms. In today’s episode, she discusses her perspectives and hot takes on the SaaS industry and the hyper surrounding AI, discusses valuable lessons from her past as a successful founder & in-house product leader, and lays out a roadmap for working with founders both as an internal executive and consultant. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

Introduction to Erica and the many blueprints to success (00:00)

Making the jump from marketing to product (2:29)

What it’s like having your startup acquired? (8:58)

The life of a fractional product leader (22:30)

Erica’s perspectives on AI tooling (29:14)

Building relationships > making sales (38:48)

Working with first time founders as a consultant and how to avoid the ego monger (45:03)

Outro and Erica’s hot take on the state of the industry (49:29)

Where to find Erica Jenkins:

* LinkedIn

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Nate Andorsky is the founder of Patent355 - a behavioral science-driven product studio that partners with high growth companies to help them build, validate assumptions and accelerate their product growth. He’s also a multi-time founder and author of “Decoding the Why” - in which he outlines strategies for building technology based on the 95% of human emotions and thoughts that occur before the customer is consciously aware of them. Here’s an overview of our conversation:

Introduction to Nate and his journey with behavioral science (00:00)

Using behavioral science to align your current wants with your future needs (08:23)

How to tell if a startup is struggling purely based on the number of new product features they release (16:06)

Why Nate started Patent355 (20:27)

Why raising that next round won’t solve all your issues (27:52)

Nate’s perspective on the current tech business and investment landscape (35:10)

Applying behavioral science to a practical product marketing example (41:19)

The future of behavioral science and Nate’s hot take (48:21)

Outro & where to find Nate (53:41)

Where to find Nate Andorsky:

* LinkedIn

* Patent355

* “Decoding the Why”

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Pierce Healy is the co-founder of Zelta - an innovative AI venture that’s helping lead the charge in revamping the way businesses make customer-centric decisions. With a firm grounding in the tech and consulting industry, Pierce leverages his comprehensive knowledge to mold the future of AI and its real-world applications. In our discussion, we unpack what exactly Zelta is all about, delve into the latest trends Pierce is observing in the AI industry, and talk about how Pierce took the leap from a comfortable consulting career to co-founding an AI company.

Introduction & Pierces background in tech & consulting (00:00)

What is Zelta? (09:18)

Case studies and high level goals for Zelta (17:50)

New trends Pierce is seeing in the AI industry (22:57)

Bringing the customer closer to the decision (26:21)

Making the jump to co-founding a company (31:48)

Zelta’s biggest challenges (36:39)

The importance of early customers as partners and advocates (39:27)

Pierce’s hot take on the state of the industry & comparing AI and crypto (44:59)

Outro & where to find Pierce (49:28)

Where to find Pierce Healy:

* LinkedIn

* Zelta

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Tyler Carlson is the co-founder of Resquared - the ultimate AI-powered tool for anyone looking to sell to small businesses. In our conversation we discuss the role of AI in product makers’ lives, Tyler and his co-founder’s journey as a YC-backed startup, the challenges of scaling a company over the long term and much more. Here’s an overview of our discussion:

Introduction and background (0:00)

The Mom Test (7:56)

How AI is making us all more like priests (18:25)

Tyler’s vision of the future (23:29)

Lessons learned from joining YC (27:34)

The most important things you can do for your business (42:57)

Tyler and Max’s hot takes and wrap up (50:59)

Where to find Tyler Carlson:

* LinkedIn

* Resquared

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero

Barkha Herman is the founder of South Florida Women in Technology - a community of women in tech who are passionate about helping each other out & empowering more women to succeed in the tech industry. In this episode, Barkha discusses the universe of opportunity that AI has opened up for anyone who wants to get into tech, how to go far when all you have is grit and determination, and lays out some key strategies for women looking to make their mark in the tech industry.

Introduction and background (0:00)

Emerging trends in the tech industry (15:29)

Making AI more equitable (20:43)

Fundamental solutions to getting more women in tech (25:33)

Key strategies for women who are looking for tech roles (37:37)

The growth vs fixed mindset (42:27)

Conclusion and contact information (48:08)

Where to find Barkha Herman:

* LinkedIn

* South Florida Women in Technology

Where to find Max:

* LinkedIn

* PlayerZero