The Silicon Valley Podcast

Ep 2014 The Red-Light Green-Light of Decision Making with Paul Epstein

Paul Epstein, leadership expert, organizational culture guru, and Founder of Purpose Labs. With nearly fifteen years of experience in professional sports management and business coaching, Paul shares his transformative journey and insights with our audience.
Career Journey:
A brief overview of Paul's career, from his roles in multiple NFL and NBA teams to his current mission with Purpose Labs.
The life-changing transformation at the San Francisco 49ers that led Paul to discover his 'Why' and inspire purpose in others.
Navigating Corporate Challenges:
Selling for a "losing" team and playing "offense" in a "defense" environment.
Insights into a competitive corporate environment and rising up in a challenging workplace.
Engaging with Professional Athletes:
Strategies for founders to capture the attention of professional athletes or teams.
Best practices for founders partnering with celebrities for endorsements.
Transition from Sports to Purpose Labs:
Reasons behind Paul's transition from the world of sports to founding Purpose Labs.
Insights and lessons for entrepreneurs and business owners.
Exploring the Book "Playing Offense":
Understanding "Most Valuable Decision" (MVD) and its significance.
Green-light life vs. red-light life, the "Head + Heart = Hands" equation, and the challenge of a "yellow light" situation.
Decision-Making and Confidence Building:
The 4 Cs for making better decisions faster.
Building unshakable confidence and the role of a growth mindset.
CEO Traits and Future Goals:
Traits observed in the best CEOs.
Paul's goals for the scalability of impact in the coming years.
Connecting with Paul:
How to learn more about Paul, Purpose Labs, and his impactful work.
Additional Insights (if time permits):
Faking it until you make it vs. real authenticity.
Understanding "breaking the needle."
Being at peak performance in business when needed.
Discoveries from Paul's podcast interviews with exceptional individuals.
Tune in to gain valuable insights on leadership, decision-making, and building unshakable confidence with Paul Epstein.
Connect with Paul:
LinkedIn

Ep 213 Search Fund 101 with Jon Staenberg

Show notes for Jon Staenberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/
 
The Search Fund Model with Jon Smith
 
Introduction and Career Background
Jon shares insights into his career journey leading up to his current role.
 
Understanding Search Funds
Definition and historical context of search funds in the business landscape.
 
Risks and Challenges
A discussion on potential risks and challenges associated with the search fund model.
 
Evolution of Search Funds
Insight into how search funds are evolving and what excites Jon about their future.
 
Track Record Overview
An overview of the track record and success stories associated with search funds.
 
Participants in the Search Fund Model
Exploring who typically opts for the search fund route, including the backgrounds of investors and operators.
 
Identification and Evaluation
The process of identifying and evaluating potential target companies for acquisition.
 
Exit Strategies and Timelines
Addressing whether search funds have specific exit timelines and the parameters involved.
 
Due Diligence
Insights into how search funds approach due diligence and factors considered in the evaluation of potential acquisitions.
 
Access to Deals
How search fund operators gain access to premium deals and compete with larger institutions.
 
Why Choose a Search Fund as a Buyer?
Common reasons why sellers may opt for a search fund as the buyer for their company.
 
Seller Due Diligence
The due diligence process sellers typically undertake when considering a search fund acquisition.
 
Value Creation and Growth Plans
Strategies employed by search funds to create value and drive growth in acquired businesses.
 
Investor Involvement Post-Acquisition
The level of investor involvement and oversight in the operations of the acquired company.
 
Management Fee Structure and Incentives
Explaining the fund's management fee structure and performance incentives for the search fund team.
 
Investor Communications
How communication is managed with investors and the frequency of updates on the search fund's progress.
 
Closing Remarks and Contact Information
Jon invites listeners to connect and learn more about him and his work.
 
To learn more about Jon and his insights,
 
Connec with Jon
 
https://www.agatehound.fund/
https://twitter.com/AgateHoundFund
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/
jon@staenberg.com
 
Jon’s bio
 
Founder / Managing Partner
 
Jon Staenberg
 
Jon Staenberg has been an active venture capitalist for over 30 years, serving as a General Partner in three Funds managing over $250 million. He is also a venture partner in three Venture Funds. As an angel investor, Jon has made over 250 investments.
 
Currently, he is focused on building Agate Hound Fund, a fund for Search Funds. This asset class is relatively unknown but has shown exceptional performance over the past 40 years. Additionally, he spends his spare time working on his vineyard in Argentina, www.handofgodwines.com.
 
In these intriguing times, Jon has a captivating story to share about what lies ahead and why search funds are the new venture capital.

Ep 212 From Lawyer to CEO with Emily Ward

Shownotes for Emily Ward
 
Join us for an insightful conversation with Emily Ward, Founder and CEO of AlcaCruz, as we explore her remarkable journey from VP and Chief Technology Counsel at eBay to the helm of her own tech startup.
 
Key Questions and Topics:
 
Career Overview:
Emily shares a summary of her distinguished career leading up to her current role.
 
Global Market Expansion:
Lessons learned from eBay's expansion into China and global markets.
Strategies for fast-growing startups planning to enter new markets.
 
Intellectual Property for Startups:
The importance of intellectual property for startups.
Insights on filing patents from a legal and technology perspective.
 
Mergers and Acquisitions:
Emily's experiences on eBay's M&A teams and the importance of a strong legal team.
Stories and lessons from assessing and acquiring companies like GSI, Bill Me Later, and Braintree.
 
Diversity on Boards:
Emily's thoughts on diversity on company boards.
Considerations for founders when creating a board.
 
Leadership Wisdom:
Wisdom on leadership from Emily's extensive speaking engagements in the tech community.
 
Transition to Tech Entrepreneurship:
Emily's decision to start a tech company instead of a law practice.
Insights on women CEOs in the tech startup space.
 
AlcaCruz Overview:
Emily provides an overview of AlcaCruz and the problems it aims to solve.
 
Tech Readiness for Problem Solving:
The intersection of technology and problem-solving for AlcaCruz's mission.
 
Career Transition Advice:
How Emily's corporate experience prepared her for entrepreneurship.
Advice for individuals transitioning from well-funded companies to starting their own ventures.
 
Resources for Women Founders:
Insights into resources available for women founders.
Personal experiences regarding advantages and disadvantages in Emily's career.
 
Connect with Emily:
Learn more about AlcaCruz and connect with Emily.
 
Closing:
Don't miss this enriching conversation with Emily Ward, where we delve into the nuances of tech leadership, entrepreneurship, and the journey from corporate giants to startup dreams.
 
Stay tuned for more insights and inspiration!
 
 
Connect with Emily
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilysward/
com (Company)
com (Company)
emilyward@gmail.com
 
Full Bio:
 
CompetesTV uses our award winning MultiView tech for video competitions. Creators use their videos to showcase their talents and share contests to grow viewership and revenue streams. www.competes.tv. Launching soon! AlcaCruz created MultiView video streaming technology that live streams multiple camera views or multiple games (sports, esports, concerts, channel programming, etc.) into one interactive screen. Available in IOS & Android as CruzTV. Emily is CEO of CompetesTV & AlcaCruz.Previously, Emily was Vice President & Worldwide Chief Technology Counsel at PayPal and eBay for many years. Legal tech leader for PayPal’s and eBay’s technologies, products and companies. Legal tech lead on eBay’s M&A teams that assessed and bought GSI ($2.4B), Bill Me Later ($1.2B), Braintree ($800M), and many other companies, as well as divested Skype. Split the IP portfolios for eBay and PayPal during PayPal’s spin-off from eBay. Testified on patent reform before Congressional committee. Successfully resolved bet-the-company lawsuits, including Merc Exchange v. eBay (previous unanimous US Supreme Court decision for eBay).She has won numerous awards, including being recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Silicon Valley (SV Business Journal), one of the Top Women Leaders in Technology Law, one of the World’s Leading IP Strategists, Legal Impact Winner, Multicultural Leadership Award, Legal Momentum Women of Achievement honoree and the Direct Women Board Institute program. She enjoys spending time with family, friends and church, and she and her family are avid dog lovers and currently have 4 rescue dogs at home. They also support the Hope Technology School (a full inclusion school for special needs children).

Ep 211 The Newest Unicorn Company with Andrew Butt

Shownotes for Andrew Butt
 
Founder & CEO at Enable, creating the Rebate Management software category. Used by manufacturers, distributors and retailers globally to increase earnings. Since 2020 we've grown 15X and raised $275m from top tier investors. My mission is to enable trusted trading relationships that serve customers better together.My vision is to empower thriving partner ecosystems of manufacturers, distributors and retailers where people can find the best products, services and value.Enable is a B2B SaaS platform for companies across 50+ sectors to analyze, negotiate and execute complex trading agreements to drive profitable growth. Served on the Board of Directors of several other companies and not-for-profits. I have started and grown multiple businesses into profit and positive cash flow, including exit to PE. * Founded 4 businesses, and demonstrated traction and growth in every case* Grown revenues every quarter without exception - now a permanent team of 500* Served on main board of directors for 3 years for Helicopter Club of Great Britain* Served on main board of directors for 3 years for a $300m business* Co-founded and sold business to private equity
 
Episode Highlights:
 
Introduction to Andrew's Career:
 
Andrew provides an overview of his career journey, highlighting key milestones and experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial path.
 
Startup Ecosystem: UK vs. Silicon Valley:
 
Andrew shares insights into the similarities and differences between the startup ecosystems in the UK and Silicon Valley since he now resides in San Francisco.
 
Expansion Routes and Advice for Silicon Valley Companies:
 
Discussing Andrew's experience with expanding companies from the UK to Europe or the US, and valuable advice for Silicon Valley companies eyeing entry into the European market.
 
Evaluating Ideas for Building a Company:
 
Andrew delves into his approach to evaluating ideas for building a company, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.
 
Evolution of SaaS Over Time:
 
Reflecting on the evolution of SaaS since Andrew's first venture in 2004, exploring the changes and challenges faced by founders in the SaaS space.
 
Raising Capital and Working with Top Tier VCs:
 
Andrew shares his experiences with fundraising, from the early struggles to landing a significant investment, and discusses what it's like to collaborate with top-tier venture capitalists.
 
Key Metrics for Company Tracking:
 
Exploring the metrics Andrew tracks for his company, revealing how he identified and prioritized these metrics for success.
 
Rebate Management Software:
 
Andrew provides insights into rebate management software, shedding light on its significance in the business landscape.
 
Organic Growth vs. Acquisition:
 
Discussing the decision-making process behind growing a company organically versus through acquisitions, with a focus on the acquisition of Profectus Group’s RDM Platform.
 
Managing Culture Integration Post-Acquisition:
 
Andrew shares tips on managing the integration of different company cultures after an acquisition, drawing from his experiences.
 
Employee Liquidity and Staying Private Longer:
 
Addressing the trend of companies staying private longer and conversations around employee liquidity, providing perspectives on these industry shifts.
 
Continuous Learning and Board Membership:
 
Andrew discusses his commitment to continuous learning, serving on boards, and the best practices for being an effective board member.
 
Entrepreneurial Journey and Valuable Lessons:
 
Andrew reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, sharing the most valuable business lesson he has learned over the years.
 
Looking Ahead and Final Thoughts:
 
Andrew discusses topics not covered in the episode, his future plans, and invites listeners to connect for more insights.
Connect with Andrew
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/awbutt/

Ep 210 Venturing into Fintech with Adam Nash

Show notes for Adam Nash
- Adam and the Daffy team are offering all our listeners a free $25 to give to the charity of their choice when they get started with Daffy. Simply use this sign-up link to get started. 
Adam is a proven advocate for development of products that go beyond utility to delight customers. At Dropbox, he led the teams responsible for growth, product strategy, product management & product analytics for a platform with over 600 million registered users with responsibility for all of Dropbox self-service revenue (~90% of all company revenue in 2019).Before Dropbox, Adam served as the President & CEO of Wealthfront, where for four years he championed the creation of a new category of automated investment services. While Adam was at Wealthfront, the company grew its client base by over 60x, and grew assets under management 45x from less than $100m to over $4 billion. During his tenure, Wealthfront delivered industry-leading innovations including Direct Indexing, the Single-Stock Diversification Service, and the first automated 529 College Savings Plan. Prior to joining Wealthfront, Adam was Vice President of Product Management at LinkedIn. Adam led LinkedIn’s Platform & Mobile products, including the launch of LinkedIn’s open developer platform and their highly successful native applications and mobile web experiences. Adam was the founder and architect of LinkedIn Hackdays, a seminal program for driving the innovation culture at the company. He also was responsible for leading LinkedIn’s search & cloud efforts, as well as forming and leading their user experience & design team.Prior to joining LinkedIn, Adam held a number of leadership roles at eBay, including Director of eBay Express, an innovative new site focused on new, fixed-price products. Previously, Adam also held strategic and technical roles at Atlas Venture, Preview Systems and Apple.Adam holds an MBA from Harvard Business School as well as BS and MS degrees in Computer Science with a focus on Human Computer Interaction from Stanford University.Adam was born and raised in Silicon Valley where he lives with his wife, four children and a golden retriever.
 
We talk about
What is exciting between the intersection of finance and technology?
What is some due diligence one should do on a company before investing?
Knowledge, experiences or a network…what is the most important when building a company?
What are common behavioral biases or tendencies that individuals exhibit when making financial decisions?

Ep 209 Selling Share of Private Companies with Ian Leisegang

Ian Leisegang  
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at 3SPOKE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-leisegang-3spoke/
3SPOKE provides balanced liquidity solutions for the stakeholders of leading growth stage private technology companies. Utilizing an innovative financing structure combining attractive features of debt and equity, we offer individual shareholders and their companies a highly favorable form of capital. Utilized as an alternative to a secondary market sale or to provide for the capital necessary for employees to exercise their stock options and purchase their shares, 3SPOKE’s solutions are designed to maximize value and minimize risk and disruption.
 
We talk about:
What should people know about Secondary’s and the private markets?
How do investors do their due diligence on these private companies?
What is the concept of balanced liquidity solutions for stakeholders of private technology companies?
In the past, what have GP’s, LP’s, done for liquidity?
 

Ep 208 Improving One Billion lives with Reaction

Reaction is a global community and fund invested in solving the toughest global problems.
 
We are a global team who shares a vision for a world where thought leadership and innovation can change more lives in less time.
 
Why now?  Because more innovations will be created in more countries and industries over the next decade than in the previous 50 years.  Many that offer the potential to solve pressing global issues will fail to reach the markets that need them the most.
 
Reaction was founded by a diverse team of global leaders who united to solve this problem.  
 
Dan Matthies
Dan is a proven builder and operator of global businesses, a Stanford Changemaker, awarded innovator, and Top 100 Entrepreneur.   He has been leading Reaction since its inception.
 
Prior to Reaction, for 15 years Dan built and operated global tech businesses, including an awarded investment platform used by leading institutions to manage trillions of assets.  As a corporate entrepreneur, he was responsible for all aspects of strategy, product, growth and P&L, creating over $3 Billion in enterprise value.
 
Dan is an alum of Stanford University (Stanford Executive Program and The Corporate Entrepreneur),  The Wharton School of Business (MBA), and The College of New Jersey (Finance and International Business).
 
Dan has also completed his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmatthies/
 
 
Michael Dorsey
I have a successful 20-year record in Impact Investing, having co-founded and managed the innovative Bay Area Equity Fund (now DBL Investors), which achieved a 24% IRR, 4x cash-on-cash return, and created more than 15,000 jobs. My current fund, the Bay Area Growth Fund, seeks to repeat this success. I also managed two funds for the Westly Group, focused primarily on clean tech. Prior to my venture capital career, I spent 20 years in investment banking, primarily focused on technology and other emerging growth companies. I served as Head of Technology Company investment banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Cowen & Co.I am committed to improving the world through for-profit investing. In addition to investing, I am also committed to supporting the companies and entrepreneurs we invest in.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dorsey-372a6710/
 
 
Julieta Romero
 
Julieta has broad experience across venture capital, FoodTech, government and banking.
 
She began her career at JP Morgan where she led a team of analysts performing macroeconomic and industry research on opportunities in Power and Utilities, Oil and Gas, Retail and Hospitality.  
 
She then went on to advise the Secretary of Financial Services and the Commissioner in the Argentinean Government Executive Branch on public policy initiatives across the mortgage, insurance and capital markets.
 
Most recently, she invested in climate and social solutions at an impact investment fund based in Mexico, and worked on strategy and partnerships for one of the largest alternative meat companies.   
 
Julieta is an alum of Stanford University (MBA) and Universidad de 'San Andrés' (Masters in Finance, Corporate Finance and Bachelors in International Relations).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietaromero/
 
We talk about
Lessons learned while working 20 plus years at Bloomberg.
The origin story of Reaction?
Stories of being an Investment Banker through the history of Silicon Valley.
Investing in the double bottom line.
The value of a global network
And more
 
Website
https://www.reaction.global/

Ep 207 Angel Investing in Silicon Valley with Drue Freeman

Drue Freeman is an Independent Board Director at Ideal Power (NASDAQ:IPWR) and is currently serving on the Board of Directors at Sand Hill Angels.
 
The former CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth, Silicon Valley (ACGSV) and a 30-year semiconductor veteran, Drue advises and consults for early-stage startups, multi-billion dollar corporations, and for financial institutions studying the implications of technological disruptions on the automotive industry. Drue is on the Advisory Boards of several public and private companies as well as Silicon Catalyst. His Venture Capital and Angel Investments focus primarily on the automotive sector.
 
Previously, Drue served as Sr Vice President Global Automotive Sales & Marketing at NXP (2009 - 2015), gaining significant automotive semiconductor TAM share. In his career with NXP (formerly Philips Semiconductors), Drue spent 3 years in Shanghai establishing a #1 position in the China automotive market while launching and serving as Board Member for the first Chinese automotive semiconductor company, Datang-NXP Semiconductors. Prior to China, he worked 7 years at NXP’s Automotive HQ in Germany, including 4 years as VP of Automotive Quality. He has also been based in Tokyo, with Philips and VLSI Technology and held positions in key account management, applications engineering, and development engineering for various companies in California.
 
We talk about
Who are the most active angel groups in Silicon Valley?
What types of due diligence does one do on a company before investing?
What role do syndicate members play after making an investment?
What are the negatives or benefits of investing as an individual or a syndicate?
How does one find boards to be on?
What technologies do you see really helping in West Africa?
And much more
Connect with Drue
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drue-freeman-b67a12/
drue@betterbigpicture.com

Ep 206 The Power of AR/VR plus AI with Jon Li

Jon Li
Over 20 years of entrepreneurial, managerial, and product/UX design experience. Founded 3 companies, built and led teams of over 100 engineers and designers, and shipped over 20 products from mobile phones to cloud services to AI computer vision systems.
What are the key benefits and advantages that augmented reality can offer an individual or an organization?
How does augmented reality align with an overall digital transformation or innovation strategy of companies?
Are there any specific regulatory or privacy considerations that need to be addressed when implementing augmented reality solutions?
How do you incorporate user feedback and insights into the iterative development of AI-driven spatial reality experiences?
Where are the opportunities for entrepreneurs right now in this space?
Connect with Jon
linkedin.com/in/jonli001
Twitter jonli01

Ep 205 Before and After the Acquisition with Karen Kovaleski

Shownotes for Karen Traversi Kovaleski,
 
Bio:
I have over 20 very successful and rewarding years leading start-up and growth-stage companies in digital and tech industries. My experience spans sales, marketing, human resources, operations, and all aspects of the customer journey. Holding roles ranging from VP GM to VP of Operations to CEO, I have driven the integration and stabilization of organizations experiencing mergers & acquisitions, hyper-growth, or other disruptive processes. I have successfully helped companies ranging in size from start-up to >$100 million as well as those looking to monetize assets such as TMP/Monster.com, Ticketmaster, and Revolution Health Group. CHALLENGECompanies often struggle to connect the dots between corporate mission, sales, product delivery, and customers' goals. Mergers & acquisitions, rapid growth, or other disruptive processes typically amplify misalignment. When not addressed, this leads to missed opportunities for revenue growth, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction. Organizations tout a customer-focused approach in the hopes that this rallying cry will create alignment of people, product, and process. It doesn’t, and therefore, Brand equity suffers, engagement declines, and customers look elsewhere.REPUTATIONI am known for getting things done with high proficiency and integrity, as a cross-functional leader, collaborator, and strategic thinker. I have earned the reputation of a business integrator with expertise in customer growth, operational execution, and broad-based business management. I connect the company and the client through brand clarity, effective solutions delivery, and highly engaged teams.STYLEI bring a goal-driven and collaborative style to business operations and executive leadership. I am passionate about using honesty, kindness & respect in the treatment of all people while discovering innovative ways to approach business challenges and new markets. Leveraging empathy, business acumen, and consultative approaches I drive effective operations, sales and customer growth. I am comfortable addressing complex problems and often difficult situations, handling them with ease and candor ensuring actionable goals & objectives drive success.Key Skills:Start-up * Sales and Service Delivery * People Leadership * Business Development * Customer Success Driver * Decisive and Focused Executive * Integration Before, During and After M&A * Team Builder * Product Development * Profitable Business Manager * Change Management
 
We talk about
When starting to work with a company, where are there usually skeletons?
What is life after being a CEO like?
Mergers & Acquisitions… pre and post closing. What are some integration best practices?
Is there a disconnect between the Silicon Valley “elite” and the rest of Silicon Valley… and the rest of the world?
Connect with Karen
 
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karentraversikovaleski/
Email karen.traversi.kovaleski@gmail.com