Venturing with Vishesh — Startup Founder Interviews on SaaS, AI, Fundraising & Venture Capital.

The following is a conversation with Stephen Blum, CTO of PubNub, a serial entrepreneur, and investor. Stephen has played a crucial role in scaling PubNub to support over a billion devices, sending trillions of JSON messages for multi-user experiences. In addition to his role at PubNub, Stephen invests in startups, focusing on API companies and AI.

In this episode, we talk about:

🚀 Navigating the Tech Startup Ecosystem

Stephen shares insights on scaling PubNub, tackling technical challenges, and the importance of having a market fit before raising funds.

🛠️ Building a Resilient Infrastructure

How PubNub's globally distributed messaging bus helps overcome scaling limitations and ensures high reliability and performance.

🤝 Investing in Startups

Discuss the criteria Stephen uses to evaluate startups, the importance of rapid MVP development, and market validation.

🔄 Overcoming Scaling Challenges

Learn about the evolution of roles within PubNub and the strategies for constructing successful and independent teams.

🌟 Leadership in Tech

Stephen's advice for non-tech founders, the importance of promoting your business effectively, and leveraging AI for operational efficiency.

And more!

The following is a conversation with Blake Beltram, a former actor turned founder, who built MindBody, a unicorn in the wellness space. Post a successful exit, he currently advises tech startups and is the co-founder of the Immortal Agency, creating MyAivatar – the digital, AI-powered version of "you" – giving family, co-workers, and future generations the ability to interact with you… across space and time.

In this episode, we talk about:

🚀 Navigating the Startup Ecosystem

Blake shares insights from transitioning from a creative role to leading a successful tech company, highlighting the challenges and learnings along the way.

🛠️ Building on Empathy

Why understanding your customer's perspective is crucial and how Blake's acting background helped him design user-centric software.

🤝 Co-Founders and Values

Discuss the importance of aligning values with your co-founders and the impact of personal relationships on business success.

🔄 Overcoming Challenges

Hear about Blake's journey through personal crises, company pivots, and the resilience needed to scale MindBody to a billion-dollar exit.

🌟 Visionary Leadership

How visionary leadership and customer empathy drove MindBody's product development and success.

The following is a conversation with Manoj Shinde, the CEO and co-founder of Orbo. Orbo delivers hyper-personalized beauty advice using GenAI and computer vision. And they were recently featured on Shark Tank India!

Manoj is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience and is on a mission to enhance customer experience, engagement, and loyalty in the beauty and lifestyle industry.

In this episode, we talk about:

📝 Introduction

Get to know Manoj Shinde and the vision behind Orbo.

📈 Growth in the Beauty Industry

Discussing the rapid growth in the beauty and skincare industry and its implications.

👥 Customer Centricity and Engagement

The importance of engaging with customers and enhancing their experiences.

🏬 Expanding to Offline Market

How Orbo is expanding their product offerings to offline markets.

💡 BeautyGPT Model Overview

An overview of Orbo's innovative BeautyGPT model and its capabilities.

🦈 Shark Tank Experience

Manoj shares his experience and insights from appearing on Shark Tank India.

🚀 Challenges of Starting a Research AI Startup in India

The unique challenges faced while starting a research AI startup in India.

💼 Early Sales Experience

Manoj's early entrepreneurial ventures and sales experiences.

📊 Three Tips for New Entrepreneurs

Essential advice for budding entrepreneurs from Manoj's extensive experience.

📈 Fundraising Pockets in India

Exploring the fundraising landscape in different regions of India.

And more!

The following is a conversation with Annsi Krol, the CEO of Ventla, a company dedicated to helping organizations streamline operations and accelerate various projects, from meetings and events to conference trips and company visits.

Annsi has over 25 years of experience in marketing and communications and is deeply committed to connecting people.

In this episode, we talk about:

📝 Introduction

Get to know Annsi Krol and the vision behind Ventla.

👥 Ventla's Human-First Approach

Discover how Ventla prioritizes people in their operations and services.

📈 Experience as an External CEO

Annsi shares her journey and insights from leading Ventla as an external CEO.

🦠 Events and Technology Post-COVID

Discussing the changes in event management and technology adaptation after the pandemic.

📊 Differentiating in a Crowded Market

Strategies and insights on standing out in a competitive industry.

🚀 Onboarding and Customer Support

The importance of onboarding and providing excellent customer support.

🎤 Importance of Understanding Events

Why a deep understanding of events is crucial for success in this industry.

👩‍💻 Involvement in Women in Tech Community

Annsi's contributions and experiences within the Women in Tech community.

🤝 Diversity and Networking

The role of diversity in networking and building strong professional relationships.

🔑 Key Takeaways from Recent Events

Valuable lessons and insights from attending and hosting recent events.

📢 Advice and Networking

Practical advice for professionals looking to enhance their networking skills.

And more!

The following is a conversation with Priyank Chodisetti, a former software engineer turned CEO, who is reshaping the way we use Generative AI.

He is the co-founder and CEO at Promptly, a no-code platform that lets users build and run GenerativeAI workflows in the cloud, utilizing popular models from OpenAI, Cohere, Stability, and more.

In this episode, we talk about:

🚀 Navigating the Startup Ecosystem

Priyank shares insights from transitioning from a technical role to leading a startup, highlighting the challenges and learnings along the way.

🛠️ Building on a Niche

Why giants like Google won't build your product and how Promptly carved out its niche in the competitive landscape of AI platforms.

🤖 Empowering Non-Tech Users

Discussing Promptly's mission to democratize AI by allowing non-technical users to easily create complex AI workflows.

🔄 Pivoting and Resilience

Hear about Promptly's strategic pivots and how resilience shaped the company's current success.

🔗 Strategic Partnerships and Growth

How strategic partnerships have been crucial in scaling Promptly's operations and expanding its market reach.

The following is a conversation with Maria Luke a national-level player turned founder who loves chasing Goals.

She is the co-founder and CEO at Uelzpay. They help companies adapt your pricing to any billing scenario in seconds. If billing is not your core, you should talk to Maria!

In this episode, we talk about.

🏋️‍♂️ From Athlete to Entrepreneur

Maria's journey from sports to entrepreneurship showcases the resilience and adaptability needed for success in startup ventures.

💡 Identifying Market Gaps

Uelz highlights the importance of recognizing market needs, as she identified gaps in wellness services.

🔄 Pivoting Amidst Challenges

Demonstrating the agility essential for navigating unforeseen obstacles.

🚀 Foundational Growth Strategies

Uelz's success lies in its strategic focus on leveraging partnerships and prioritizing market fit over rapid scaling

🛠️ Building Strong Foundations

Emphasis is on the significance of hiring technical expertise and maintaining investor relationships.

The following is a conversation with Craig Savage. Data scientist turned tech entrepreneur.

He is on his biggest challenge yet as the CEO and founder. at Fero Payment Science. He was head of data science payments at MasterCard.

Fero is building products designed to improve checkout conversion by tailoring payment methods to each shopper. They want their customers to forget about cart abandonment and checkout every time.

In this episode, we talk about:

🚀 - Craig's journey from a non-tech background to leading a tech startup.

💡 - The impact of startup decisions on personal life.

🛒 - Fero's mission to enhance checkout conversion.

🔍 - Identifying & understanding the ideal customer profile (ICP).

👔 - Discussing the diverse responsibilities of a startup CEO.

🌍 - Team building and international expansion.

🏢 - The nuanced approach to sales in the enterprise sector.

❤️ - Leadership joys, challenges, and planning for personal time.

📊 - Treating sales as a data science problem.

📚 - Continuous learning from mistakes and investor support.

⚖️ - Balancing innovation with realistic product offerings.

And more.

Links:

Fero

https://www.fero.com/

SparkToro shows who your audience is, what they talk about, and where to reach them.

https://sparktoro.com/

Do you need a boost to your networking game?

(Before the conference season hits full swing!)

The following is a conversation with the one and only Professional Wing Woman.

Shaena Harrisson, creator of Tjena, the ultimate Wing Woman service. Shaena learned early on the power of connecting people with transformative experiences. Her career has spanned roles at some pretty impressive companies like Ticketmaster, TEDx, and LinkedIn, always with a focus on fostering authentic relationships.

Now, as a Professional Wing Woman, Shaena transforms networking into an art form, guiding clients to meaningful connections and opportunities. With over two decades of experience, she's a force in both the B2B and B2C spaces. Shaena's mission is clear: to connect people in new and exciting ways, making every interaction count.

In this episode, we talk about:

0:00 - Introduction

0:21 - The creation of Tjena

0:51 - Shaena's approach to transforming networking into an art form

1:18 - The story of meeting our meeting and the value of SuperConnectors events

6:01 - Shared experiences as a powerful bonding tool at events

7:24 - What it means to be a professional wing woman in networking

10:07 - The LinkedIn Game

11:24 - Identifying the need for a wing person and the benefits they bring

13:41 - Managing multiple clients

16:02 - Past roles and experiences contributing to the wing woman role

18:49 - The ROI of investing in events and the role of a wingperson

21:52 - The benefits of cross introductions and the role of a wing person at events

23:19 - Potential for a conference matchmaking service to enhance networking

24:01 - Techniques for introducing strangers and facilitating business relationships

29:12 - Lessons learned as a solopreneur and the role of ChatGPT in business

32:49 - Pivoting to networking coaching and upcoming opportunities in 2024

34:27 - Recommendations for conferences and the importance of choosing wisely

37:32 - The goal of the podcast and the community it aims to build

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Link to the full video episode in the comments.

#sxsw #networking #leadership #sales

The following is a conversation with CEO, Maria Azofra and CTO Lucia Clifford the two co-founders from Sharpei.

Both have had multiple startups under their belt. Sharpei is a SaaS platform that enables retailers and manufacturers to provide circular consumption options such as try-before-you-buy, subscriptions, and second-hand reselling through their checkout process.

You can find the full episode wherever you listen to your podcast and YouTube.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Sharpei's Business Model and Services

- Choosing New York for Business

- Company Incorporation and International Expansion

- Acquiring the First Customers

- Challenges and Market Education

- Team Dynamics and Hiring Strategies

- Personal Goals and Aspirations of the Founders

- Perspective on AI and Its Role in Sharpei

The following is a conversation with Teenie Fung, CEO & co-founder at Hypertype integrates your company data from different sources, and creates knowledge from a sea of data, and retrieves and drafts emails with the best relevant answers.