upside

Interview begins: 7:00
Debrief begins: 47:40

Priyanka Bakaya is the founder and CEO of Renewlogy. Founded in 2011, Renewlogy has the technology to break down plastics into its basic molecular form, where it can then be reused for other products or as fuel. In the last year, Priyanka has used the Renewlogy technology to begin Renew Oceans, a non-profit currently working in India to capture and recycle ocean plastics.

Priyanka has been well recognized and awarded for her efforts in plastics recycling. Still, plenty of hurdles exist in Renewology's, and she discusses the challenges caused by poor recycling and waste infrastructure and strict regulations.

We discuss:

• AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:51)
• Early entrepreneurial experiences (7:09, 14:03)
• Australian and Indian culture (10:56)
• Renewology's focus (17:05)
• Recycling and contamination in the US (18:04)
• Why are plastics hard to recycle? (25:06)
• Chemical process of breaking down plastics (30:14, 35:53)
• Challenges in scaling (32:27)
• Business model (37:27)
• Reusing Renewlogy technology for Renew Oceans (40:26)
• Big picture potential of renewable plastics (43:55)

Learn more about Renewlogy: http://renewlogy.com/
Learn more about Renew Oceans: https://www.renewoceans.org/
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This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:15
Debrief starts: 54:23

Casey Allen is the founder of Enterprise Rising, a Minneapolis-based conference specific to SaaS startup topics. 2020 will be Enterprise Rising's fifth year, and they pride themselves on focusing on under-discussed or taboo topics related to founding a startup.

Casey himself has started five companies as well as a B2B SaaS accelerator and discusses his personal experience going from one to the next. This year, he will also be launching a boot camp called SeedMN for first-time angel investors with the hopes of teaching successful founders how to give back to the startup community.

We discuss:

• AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:37)
• Starting a conference and the first few years of failure (8:06)
• Opening one of the first tech accelerators in Minneapolis (12:09)
• Fundraising an accelerator in 2009 (15:09)
• Building the reputation to launch an accelerator (20:27)
• The struggle and mental obstacles behind founding five startups (22:13, 34:58)
• Starting a company in the right community (27:14)
• The Twin Cities' DNA for enterprise SaaS (31:48)
• The pattern of fear of success vs. fear of failure in startups (37:55)
• Metrics for conference success (39:51)
• Special markets in Minneapolis: b2b sports tech, enterprise health tech, and edtech (45:00)
• SeedMN for first time angel investors (47:19)

Learn more about Casey: https://angel.co/caseyallen
Learn more about SeedMN: http://seedmn.com/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:25
Debrief starts: 49:00

Anthony Vennare is the cofounder and CEO of Fitt, a discovery platform that broadcasts different health and wellness opportunities and locations in different cities. Fitt functions similar to Yelp or Eater for fitness, with the ultimate goal of connecting communities and fitness enthusiasts to health events and people in their cities. Alongside his company, Anthony also runs a fitness newsletter branded as Fitt Insider.

After opening and growing a gym business with his brother in the Pittsburgh area, the two began Fitt in 2017. In today’s episode, Anthony discusses their experience owning and closing this gym as well as the succeeding projects that followed, such as writing for health and wellness magazines and helping others start their own fitness businesses.

We discuss:

• Marine Corps experience (7:18)
• Starting and growing a gym (10:08)
• Creating content and working on other projects as freelance fitness enthusiasts and ultimately creating Fitt (20:00)
• Fitt’s business model and Mindbody partnership (22:00)
• Why Fitt works (25:40)
• Approach to networking and growth (28:00)
• Media strategy: Fitt Insider newsletter and podcast (31:40)
• Launching in Fitt in a city (33:55)
• Advertising and sponorships through the platform (38:05)
• Acquiring new fitness users (39:30)
• Future growth and revenue (40:55)

Learn more about Fitt: https://fitt.co
Get the Fitt insider: https://insider.fitt.co/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 7:45
Debrief starts: 49:27

Mike Preuss is the co-founder and CEO of Visible, an investor reporting platform for startups. Beginning in 2014, Visible is a completely remote company used by over 2,000 businesses. They help founders update their investors on their business and maintain accountability and trust throughout growth.

An Orr Fellow from Indiana University, Mike Preuss was the Business Development Manager for Formspring before Visible.

We discuss:

• AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:23)
• Mike's background and entrepreneurship experience (7:56)
• Orr Fellowship (11:17)
• Managing a remote culture, different time zones, and off-sites (12:44)
• Initial problem and genesis of Visible (18:38)
• Changing the product from investors to founders (21:53)
• Finding clients (26:07)
• Tracking metrics and data (or lack thereof (30:05)
• Visible using Visible (32:38)
• Money model (36:13)
• Investors' and founders' access to information (43:13)
• Visible's potential in a downturn or recession (46:31)

Learn more about Visible: https://visible.vc/
Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikePreuss
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Happy Holidays from the upside team!

Last year, we shared an episode called: JE006: eight crazy months of upside. This year, we're back and sharing the 12 episodes of Christmas — 12 exceptionally notable episodes we recommend listening to again.

The episodes mentioned, in order:

1. CC033: Alex Rubalcava of Stage Venture Partners // investing in early-stage enterprise software
2. UP050: opendorse // helping athletes share more content (feat. Braxton Miller of the Philadelphia Eagles)
3. CC007: the rise of platform in venture capital // a Coffee Chat with Stephanie Manning (Lerer Hippeau)
4. CC032: Kate Shillo Beardsley of Upslope Ventures // scaling early stage investments across the country
5. CC024: investing in the picks and shovels of esports and gaming // a Coffee Chat with Josh Chapman (Konvoy Ventures)
6. UP043: inKind // redesigning restaurant financing with House Accounts (feat. Kevin Tien of Himitsu and Hot Lola’s)
7. CC016: a new source of funding and optionality for early stage founders // a Coffee Chat with Tyler Tringas (Earnest Capital) and Kevin McArdle (SureSwift Capital)
8. UP024: Intrinio // powering fintech innovation with access to financial data
9. UP046: MITO Material Solutions // chemical additives for tougher composites
10. UP042: Threatcare // automated third-party threat detection
11. CC017: building a world class venture firm in Chicago // a Coffee Chat with Ezra Galston (Starting Line)
12. UP008: Loop Returns // creating the perfect ecommerce customer returns experience (live from Columbus Podcast Festival)

Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Take our listener survey: https://upside.fm/survey
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Interview starts: 5:50
Debrief starts: 47:39

Neal Bloom is the founder of Fresh Brewed Tech and the host of the podcast, Tacos & Tech.

Fresh Brewed Tech is a media company dedicated to raising awareness of local tech ecosystems in local areas through storytelling. Having started as a way to connect tech-focused San Diegans, Fresh Brewed Tech is currently expanding and starting to aid other regions by creating local unified tech ecosystems. His podcast, Tacos & Tech, has the same goal as the Fresh Brewed Tech brand.

Neal began his entrepreneurial work with Portfolium. He also currently serves that a chair for Startup San Diego.

We discuss:

• Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:25)
• Neal's story: from aerospace engineering to HR technology and Portfolium (6:00)
• Los Angeles vs. San Diego ecosystems, needs, and assets (10:42)
• San Diego's aggregation of defense, telecom, cyber security, and biotech companies (14:48)
• Fresh Brewed Tech synopsis, highlights, and changes since its beginnings (16:40)
• San Diegans (22:03)
• How Fresh Brewed Tech has become a full-time effort (22:20)
• Storytelling as a way to strengthen and empower startup communities (24:01)
• Fresh Brewed Tech's audience (29:27)
• Learning to run a media company (30:50)
• Startup San Diego. Finding funding, motivation, volunteers, and an executive director (33:35)

Learn more about Fresh Brewed Tech: https://freshbrewedtech.com/
Subscribe to Tacos & Tech: https://plinkhq.com/i/1374814595?to=page
Follow Neal on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NealBloom
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:07
Debrief starts: 49:30

Nick Mathews is the CEO and cofounder of Mainvest.

Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Mainvest began in 2018 with the incentive to provide investment opportunities to smaller community markets through local investors. In just a little over a year, the company has an 85% success rate, helping fund fifteen different companies with another fifteen live right now.

A Massachusetts native, Nick helped launch Uber in Boston during the company's expansion period and worked with the company for over six years. In today's episode, he discusses a bit of his experience at Uber and how his work there compares to Mainvest's current goals.

We discuss:

• Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business (5:11)
• Launching Uber's fifth market in Boston (10:22)
• Deciding to start a company geared towards new, small businesses (14:02)
• What is Mainvest & business success story (22:07)
• Investments breakdown (25:02)
• Supply vs. Demand with investments (34:41)
• Second time investors (37:57)
• Current New England opportunities (39:20)
• Onboarding a company (41:02)
• Maintaining successful companies & Mainvest's business model (44:18)

Learn more about Mainvest: https://mainvest.com/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds

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This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Interview starts: 6:32
Debrief starts: 38:33

Matt Cordio is the founder and president of Startup Milwaukee.

Startup Milwaukee is a community dedicated to encouraging and growing Milwaukee's startup environment. They offer events and programs focused on helping tech startups find mentorship, talent, capital, and a network.

Originally from Milwaukee himself, Matt Cordio started his entrepreneurial experience making and selling furniture. In addition to Startup Milwaukee, he is the founder and president of Skills Pipeline and the co-founder of 5 Lakes Forum.

We discuss:

• Ad: Improved methods to sourcing talent and finding new colleagues (5:11)
• First entrepreneurial ventures (7:50)
• Beginnings of the Milwaukee ecosystem and Startup Milwaukee (9:24)
• Relationship between older companies and emerging startups in Milwaukee (13:53)
• Startup Milwaukee 10 year highlight reel (16:09)
• Emerging clusters in Milwaukee (21:48)
• Capital vs. entrepreneurs: current ecosystem needs (22:10)
• Milwaukee's relationships to nearby cities (26:40)
• Driving force behind Startup Milwaukee (33:00)
• Five Lakes Forum with Kathleen Gallagher (35:40)

Follow Matt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattCordio
Learn more about Startup Milwaukee: https://www.startupmke.org/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Take the upside listener survey: https://upside.fm/survey
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

This Turkey Day, we want to take the time to express our gratitude. We are so thankful for you, our listeners, for the startup movement happening between the coasts, and for the success that this podcast has had. As a gentle reminder, please check out the listener survey if you have a few minutes to spare. Enjoy your Thanksgivings, and see you next week!

Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Take our listener survey: https://upside.fm/survey
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds

Interview starts: 6:00
Debriefs starts: 44:11

Kim Jefferson is the Senior Vice President and Lydia Beechler is the Director of Accounts at BLASTmedia.

BLASTmedia is a nationally recognized PR agency that concentrates on B2B SaaS media relations. With 15 years in the industry, BLAST works with different staged companies and focuses on more than just news, often including thought leadership content into the media as well.

Kim Jefferson and Lydia Beechler, who both have a background in writing, discuss the deliberate process that make successful relations and the different factors that lead to good media. They also give some insight into the BLAST PR startup program specifically designed for seed and series A companies.

We discuss:

• AD: Improved methods to sourcing talent and finding new colleagues (4:49)
• Strategic direction and starting with a company at BLAST (8:08)
• Conflict in media expectations (10:30)
• PR startup program (11:32)
• Gaining and losing clients (14:05)
• Media mix strategy (18:17)
• When to use PR? (22:34)
• Podcasts as PR (25:33)
• Timing and relationships in PR success (27:19)
• Current trends in PR/media (36:15)
• Bad press (38:01)
• What makes a great PR client (39:14)

BLASTmedia was founded in 2005 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Learn more about BLASTmedia: https://www.blastmedia.com/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm
Advertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds
--

This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity