The Startup Life

In this episode, we talk to Simone Santana (Founder of Akami, LLC) as we discuss how to get your business to survive during COVID, what a gratitude journal is, and more.

**More On Simone**

As CEO of a consulting firm, Simone the Mastermind specializes in strategic intelligence and planning, business transformation, and collaborative culture. Her executive track record has produced exceptional bottom-line results in various business types, from small businesses to multi-million dollar franchises.

I am Simone the Mastermind. I am a mom of two, author, speaker, and full-time entrepreneur as of 2014. I am a business strategist that assists entrepreneurs with scaling their businesses by developing strategies that aid in minimizing workloads and maximizing revenue.

With over ten years of experience in business strategy, administration, and leadership, I have the expertise needed to level up your business and remind you of your confident and motivated self.

Here at my consulting firm, Akamai Enterprise, I cater to the needs of business owners to guide them on overcoming organizational challenges, exceeding goals, and skyrocketing sales.

Not only do I understand your pain points and your desires, but I also assist you intending to both so you can do what you love when you want, while your bank account is going cha-ching in the process.

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Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

In this episode, we talk to Bob Fisch (Founder & Former CEO of rue21) as we discuss how he led rue21 to 11 profitable years in a row, why he is a millennial baby boomer, and his latest book "Fisch Tales: The Making Of A Millennial Baby Boomer".

**More On Bob**

On his first day of work out of college, Bob Fisch was one of 100 new hires who heard the CEO of Abraham & Straus (A&S) New York identify ambitious milestones in career advancement. The new employees were told that only one of them would have what it takes to attain each of the milestones.

That employee turned out to be Bob Fisch. A mere dozen or so years later, true to the CEO's prediction, Bob was the one who rose to the rank of president—at Casual Corner, a division of U.S. Shoe. While learning his trade at A&S, Bob had the good fortune to work alongside future retail legends like Mickey Drexler (The Gap, J. Crew) and Michael Jeffries (Abercrombie & Fitch).

Bob himself is recognized as a pioneering merchant for his bold and successful innovations in value-priced, fast-fashion retailing, notably at rue21. He took the company from bankruptcy to a fast-track winning streak that included a hot-stock IPO, building a national network of 1,200 stores, and a billion-dollar-plus valuation.

Prestigious retail magazine Chain Store Age named Bob one of "10 CEOs to Watch in 2010." The criteria for making the very short list wrote the magazine, was "the influence they wield in their respective categories—and because they are willing to shake things up a bit."

That describes Bob perfectly in his role as a disruptor who always is searching for better ways to inspire people and to ignite excitement in his stores, among customers and staff.

His latest foray into disruption has been in the form of what Bob calls "generation splicing." It sounds technical, but more than anything it's about reframing your outlook on life and opening yourself up to finding wisdom from unexpected sources. A self-described Baby Boomer Millennial, Bob Fisch's life has been uplifted by his dedication to mutual mentorship with Millennials. He teaches them business, and they teach him life.

More than that, he wants everyone to know, regardless of age, that their best is yet to come. With a "whatever it takes" attitude and an excitement to help others reach their fullest potential, Bob's wisdom, knowledge, experience, and practical methodologies have the power to transform lives and put people on trajectories that they could have only imagined.

Bob's keen awareness of the human condition laid the groundwork for what would become his book, FISCH TALES. Focused on concepts like "Mutual Mentoring" and inspiring mantras like "We Will Win Together" Bob has fostered a cross-generational understanding among his friends and colleagues that is unprecedented, and now he's determined to take his message global.

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Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

In this episode, we talk to Daniel Scrivner (Former Head Of Design at Square & CEO of Flow) as we discuss how to think about your pricing, the story of how he came to Flow, and the differences between business cultures between the United States and Japan.

Promo Code: STARTUPLIFE

Daniel Scrivner is the CEO of Flow. Previously he was the Head of Design at Digit and Square. He's worked for some of the most respected brands in the world including Apple, Nike, Disney, and Target. Daniel advises world-class teams at companies like LendingHome, Empower, TrustToken, Designer Fund, and Notation Capital. He's an early-stage investor in businesses like Superhuman, MixMax, Notion, Good Eggs, Burrow, Madison Reed, Stance, Almanac Brewing, and many more. And he's been invited to speak at some of the world's most prestigious organizations including Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z), General Assembly, Techstars, Designer Fund, and 500 Startups. Links / Email: [email protected] About Me: https://www.danielscrivner.com Investments: https://www.blackletter.com Accolades / D&AD Black Pencil (Apple.com in 2010) Best Apps of 2016 (Won First Place in 'Most Innovative' for Digit) 2017 Google Play Awards (Nominated in 'Standout Startups' for Digit) Advisor to some of the world's best companies (LendingHome, Empower, TrustToken, and more) Mentor to Designer Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Techstars companies Nominated to Kleiner Perkins Design Council

In this episode, we talk to Kathy Caprino (Leadership Coach & Author Of "The Most Powerful You") as we discuss her origin story, her new book, and so much more.

Follow her on LinkedIn

Check out her website here

**More On Kathy**

Kathy Caprino, M.A. is an internationally-recognized career and executive coach, writer, speaker and leadership trainer dedicated to the advancement of women in business. A "Finding Brave" expert," she helps women build careers of significance and reach their highest potential. Kathy is a former corporate VP and trained coach and marriage and family therapist, a Senior Forbes contributor and offers career consulting, executive, leadership and communications coaching and training, as well as keynotes and workshops. Her Amazing Career Project™ course teaches the 16 essential steps to career transformation, and the Amazing Career Certification trains coaches to help women "dig deep, discover their true work, and illuminate the world with it. " Founder/President of Kathy Caprino, LLC -- a premier career and leadership coaching and consulting firm -- and the founder of the Finding Brave™ podcast, Kathy is a sought-after speaker and trusted voice on LinkedIn and Thrive Global. She's a top media source on career success and leadership and has appeared in hundreds of leading publications (including Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Business Week, Forbes, Oprah Magazine, SELF, etc.) and on national TV and radio. For more info, visit: http://kathycaprino.com http://findingbrave.org http://www.amazingcareerproject.com http://certification.amazingcareerproject.com Kathy's book Breakdown Breakthrough explores the top 12 hidden crises working women face today, and her new book, The Most Powerful You: 7 Bravery-Boosting Paths To Career Bliss, is due July 2020 from HarperCollins Leadership and Murdoch Books. Take Kathy's 6-day Amazing Career Challenge to get started. http://kathycaprino.com/amazing-career-challenge/ Specialties include: - Career, Executive, and Leadership Growth coaching and consulting - Action Style Assessment and Career Transition Consulting - The Amazing Career Project career success course - Finding Brave podcast, programs & resources - Amazing Career Certification training program for coaches

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Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

Editor's Notes:

This episode was recorded on April 21, 2020

Rob Chesnut has transitioned out of the role of Chief Ethics Offier of Airbnb since this recording.

In this episode, we talk to Robert Chesnut (Former Chief Ethics Officer of Airbnb)as we discuss his early days at eBay, how he drives integrity into the culture of a company, and we dive deep into his book "Intentional Integrity".

Follow Rob on LinkedIn

**More On Rob**

Rob has spent a 35-year legal career exploring and helping to enforce rules that we all live by. Most recently, Rob spent 4 years as Airbnb's General Counsel and Chief Integrity Officer, helping Airbnb navigate a complex regulatory framework across as it grew into one of the world's leading hospitality companies. Today, Airbnb offers over 7 million accommodations and 40,000 handcrafted activities, all powered by local hosts. With more than half a billion guest arrivals to date, and accessible in 62 languages across 220+ countries and regions, Airbnb promotes people-to-people connection, community and trust around the world. While at Airbnb, Rob developed the company's unique ethics program, "Integrity Belongs Here," that promotes an environment of ethics and compliance within the company. Prior to Airbnb, Rob helped transform Chegg, Inc., from an offline textbook rental company into a multi-service digital learning platform. As general counsel, he helped take the company public in 2013. Prior to Chegg, Rob spent 10 years working for the global online marketplace eBay. He joined the company in 1999 as the company's third lawyer and was promoted to run the company's North American legal division in 2001. He joined eBay's senior executive leadership team in 2004 as the founder of the company's Trust and Safety Department, where he was responsible for creating and overseeing all site rules and policies for the eBay global community of over 150 million users. Rob and his team of nearly 2000 employees built and operated eBay's fraud detection and prevention infrastructure, the first such system for an Internet person to person ecommerce site. Rob was eBay's spokesperson for site policies and fraud, and he was interviewed in over 200 television, newspaper, radio, and magazine stories around the world, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, for his pioneering role in combating Internet fraud. Rob's legal career began in the U.S. Justice Department, where he worked for nearly 14 years with the U.S. Justice Department, including 10 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Northern Virginia. As a federal prosecutor, Rob ran the Major Crimes unit for the district and prosecuted a wide variety of cases, including bank robberies, kidnappings, murder, and drug trafficking organizations. He handled the prosecution of CIA, FBI and other employees of the intelligence community for espionage, including CIA employees Aldrich Ames and Harold Nicholson. He is a recipient of the Justice Department's John Marshall award for litigation, and the CIA's Outstanding Service Medallion. Rob is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Virginia. He lives in San Francisco, CA with his wife Jillian. He has two children, Bianca and Cliff.

Follow The Startup Life Podcast Facebook Page

Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

This episode was recorded on Jan. 17 2020.

In this episode, we talk to Jill Soley (Marketing Leader & Award-winning Author) about the rise of influencer marketing, if Mike Trout could use a personal brand coach, and her latest book "Beyond Product"

Check out her website here

**More On Jill**

She been launching and growing innovative cloud-based software products at startups and large companies for the past 16 years. Some of those products, like Adobe Creative Cloud, have spurred new growth for mature businesses and others have had lesser fates. She learned many lessons the hard way and seen a lot of the same mistakes made over and over and over again by super-smart product and technology leaders. Why? It is impossible to know everything and it is easy to get caught up in what you do know. She authored Beyond Product to help entrepreneurs avoid common pitfalls and build their ideas into successful businesses.

Currently, She is the VP Product at Issuu (Issuu.com) working to help marketers and other creators share their stories and reach their audiences. She previously led Product Management and Product Marketing at Cloverpop, a venture-backed technology startup that helps companies drive business outcomes through improving their decision practices. She also ran Freshworks marketing through a period of rapid growth, expansion upmarket, and development of its US presence and she launched Adobe's Creative Cloud, which transformed their mature shrink-wrap software to a growth service and subscription business.

Her career began in documentary film and educational multimedia, learning how to educate through stories and elicit others' stories - critical to marketing and product success. She has a BS and MBA from MIT and am Mom to my two favorite boys on this planet.

Follow The Startup Life Podcast Facebook Page

Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

In this episode, David Wachs (Founder & CEO of Handwrytten) as we discuss how he used unemployment to start a company, how he has shifted his company during the pandemic, and he shares how he is spending time with his family.

**More On David**

A serial entrepreneur, David's latest venture, Handwrytten, is bringing back the lost art of letter writing through scalable, robot-based solutions that write your notes in pen. Developed as a platform, Handwrytten lets you send notes from your CRM system, such as Salesforce, the web site, apps, or through custom integration. Used by major meal boxes, eCommerce giants, nonprofits and professionals, Handwrytten is changing the way brands and people connect. Prior to his current initiatives, David founded Cellit, a mobile marketing platform and mobile agency. Under David's leadership, Cellit became a leading player in the mobile marketing space and invented the concept of mobile customer relationship management (Mobile CRM). Cellit developed one of the most robust and widely-used mobile marketing platforms in the world, delivering millions of SMS and MMS messages to consumers on a daily basis. With a marquee client roster including Abercrombie and Fitch, Toys R Us, Sam's Club, Chicago Tribune, For Rent Media Solutions, Pizza Hut and more, Cellit was recognized as one of the top 500 fastest growing companies in America, as #262 on the Inc. 500 in 2010, delivered many award-winning mobile campaigns, and built one of the best teams in the mobile industry. Cellit was sold to HelloWord (f/k/a ePrize) in January of 2012. David is also a frequent speaker on mobile technology and has presented for the Direct Marketing Association, South By Southwest, Advertising Research Foundation, and the National Restaurant Association. David has been interviewed by FOX News, Direct Marketing News, Crain's Chicago Business, the American Express OPEN network, AMA's Marketing News, Bloomberg Radio, and "Tech Talk with Craig Peterson" and has been quoted in numerous articles, including The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Variety, Startup Nation and US Banker Magazine. David writes for Inc. Magazine with his column "Stepping Away from the Day to Day".

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Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Kourosh Maddahi (Celebrity Dentist & Author)as we discuss how he was able to get his celebrity clients, what he wishes was taught in medical school, and how our microbiome might be the best defense against the coronavirus.

Purchase his book here

Check out Lumineux Oral Essentials

**More on Dr. Maddahi**

Award-winning Beverly Hills dentist Dr. Kourosh Maddahi has been one of Beverly Hills premier cosmetic specialists for over three decades. During that time he has developed his practice to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience for people looking to transform their smiles.

After graduating with honors from UCLA in 1983, Dr. Maddahi completed his dental degree at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry in 1987 and opened his Beverly Hills dental office later that same year.

Follow The Startup Life Podcast Facebook Page

Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

Since then more than 6,000 patients have come through our doors to take advantage of Dr. Maddahi's award-winning treatment.

In this episode, talk to Martin Vares (Co-Founder & CEO of Fractory) as we discuss his company, the world as it evolves with automation, and more.

Check out Fractory

Follow The Startup Life Podcast Facebook Page

Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.

In this episode, we talk to Mike Radnia (Co-Founder of Besa Mi Vino) as we discuss his company, its social impact, what its like starting a company with his brother.

Order from Besa Mi Vino

Promo Code: BESAGIFT

Follow Mike on LinkedIn

Follow The Startup Life Podcast Facebook Page

Want gear from The Startup Life? Check out our gear!

Check out other great podcasts from The Binge Podcast Network.

Written by: Dominic Lawson

Executive Producers: Dominic Lawson and Kenda Lawson

Music Credits:

**Show Theme**

Behind Closed Doors - Otis McDonald

**Break Theme**

Cielo - Huma-Huma

Sponsors/Partners

Purchase a Flexio Series sprayer from Wagner

Use code BETTEREVERYDAY for 30% everything sitewide at ladder.sport. That's "BETTEREVERYDAY" for 30% off at ladder.sport.