The Silicon Valley Podcast

Ep 193 Unlocking Venture Capital With Yash Patel

Yash Patel joined Telstra Ventures in 2014 and leads TV’s consumer tech investing efforts, with an emphasis on esports/gaming, social media, ecommerce, web3 and SaaS. Yash has sourced and led TV’s investments in BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), Snapchat (NYSE: SNAP), Skillz (NYSE: SKLZ), Near (Nasdaq: NIR), Mobile Premier League, Super, Omaze, Sleeper, Team SoloMid (tsm.gg), FitOn, Swish Analytics, OpenGov, Playbook and Singular. He is particularly interested in products that can reach massive scale and exhibit network effects.
 
 
 We talk about:
 
What should founders think when they are facing a possible down-round?
 
How important is being seen as a thought leader in the world of VC?
 
Why should founders not rely on investors for a bridge round? 
 
How does a VC attract the best investments?
 
What happens to a fund when they start to have some logos on their website of known companies?
 
And much more
 
Connect with Yash
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ypatel1/
yashpatel135@gmail.com

Ep 192 Go Global & Local with David Kaufman

Show notes David Kaufman
 
David Kaufman is the Director of Global Strategies at Nixon Peabody LLP. In this role, he manages and helps develop strategy for the firm’s International Practice, international offices, and relationships with law firms around the world. David works extensively with clients from the United States doing business around the globe and international clients in the U.S. Last year, David was involved in transactions, cases, and other matters touching almost 140 different countries. He has a long history of doing business in China and has worked with NP’s robust Asia-Pacific practice since its creation. Outside the U.S., NP has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, and London. During his tenure, David has served in a variety of leadership positions at the firm, including supervising the regional business development function and leading sales teams for an array of practice groups/industries. Since March 2020, David has also been coordinating the firm's external, client-facing Coronavirus Response Team. In addition, he co-leads the Retail Industry Sector team for TerraLex, one of the largest global law firm networks covering 164 jurisdictions in 101 countries.
 
How should companies go about thinking of networking and community building?
When should a company join a chamber of commerce and how should they position themselves to get the most out of it?
Are they certain “gotchas” in laws or the ways companies conduct business when they enter new countries?
 
Startups when they expand to a new country what should they be thinking?
Connect with David
 
(20) David Kaufman | LinkedIn
dkaufman@nixonpeabody.com

Ep 191 Always Innovating Existing Markets with Michael DiManno

Michael DiManno is the CEO and founder of Samuel Hale, 1 of 70 companies in California approved for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) -- The United Broker’s Insurance Agency, Inc. (TUB), Staff Logical (labor management software). A staffing and insurance industry executive with 30 years of experience, his career has encompassed consulting, financing, funding, and leadership positions within several companies from the startup phase all the way through acquisition or sale. Thanks to his wealth of expertise, Michael was also chosen as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the Sacramento Journal’s 40 under 40.
 
In 1992, with only $15,000 of capital he co-founded DiManno/Hansen Insurance & Investment
Services and in less than 6 years sold to Acordia-Wells Fargo for $6.5 million. He has also been the President of other high growth insurance companies such as Intercare Insurance, a $50 million holding company, in which he oversaw their worker’s compensation TPA, managed care enterprise, VIIA, their wholesale and retail brokerage. In 2011, he co-founded, built, and sold 2018 VForce Staffing Solutions.
 
As a serial entrepreneur, Michael has co-founded commercial developments, restaurants, a private investigation company, and an organic soap company, all while serving as a seed capital investor and board member for multiple technology startups like Flash Seats, an electronic ticketing company with patented technology in the sports and entertainment world. His consulting assignments include companies like Sherries Berries, multiple staffing companies, and insurance giant Keenan & Associates. He also spent 5 years in the Sacramento Chapter of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO.)
 
Michael graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. He also is a CAWC, or Certified Authority on Workers Compensation, an Expert Witness for the Department of Insurance, and a top producer in the Circle of Excellence with Vensure Employer Services.
 
We talk about:
 
How do you balance hiring for growth and efficiency of capital?
What is a PEO Service?
Some suggestions for other companies out there as they plan for the potential growth of their company?
What is the current dispute resolution process?
Why are the Workers Comp systems broken?
 
Connect with Michael
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedimanno/
235.1477(Work)
samuelhale.com (Company)
mikedimanno.com (Personal)

Ep 190 Generational Wealth with Stephen Lovell

Show notes for Stephen Lovell
On his radio show, The Good Life Made Better, Stephen made complex ideas understandable. Executives and Professionals, wealthy investors, and business owners, want a steady hand to help them choose practical ideas so they can do their work and not worry about their money.
Our Mission at Lovell Wealth Management is "to help Americans preserve their heritage, because without heritage every generation must start over. We deliver comprehensive financial advice that is objective, specific, and confidential, in order to protect our clients and their heirs from financial risks."
Stephen has been featured in numerous publications, including MoneyMagazine, InvestmentNews, New York Times, USA Today, Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Financial Planning, Huffington Post, U.S. News and World Report, and Time Magazine.
We talk about
What are some common ways that people pass down generational wealth?
What is the future of generational wealth, and how might it change as society and the economy evolve?
How does the tax code affect generational wealth?
How can families ensure that their wealth is used for positive purposes across multiple generations?
 
Connect with Stephen
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenflovell2/
4152548719 
lovellwealthmanagement.com 

Ep 189 AI and the Human Touch with Tatyana Mamut PHD

Show Notes for Tatyana Mamut
 
Transformational technology executive who delivers game-changing results by anticipating the future, obsessing over customers and building amazing teams. Humans create the future; technology is a tool.
- Board Director and Chair of Comp Committee for NYSE IPO.
- Advisor to tech leaders making bold and courageous moves that will bend the trajectory of the world.
 
We talk about:
How has building products in Silicon Valley changed over time?
Where in the decision-making chain does the focus on the customer gets lost?
What are some brand-building strategies for startups?
How is OpenAI/ChatGPT, as well as web3, being discussed in new product development these days?
 
Connect with Tatyana
(2) Tatyana Mamut
 

Ep188 Planning the Exit Before you Purchase with Dan Abbate

Bio
Dan Abbate is an entrepreneur, thought leader, and investor with a career-long focus in business process optimization and automation using advanced technology, organizational development, and continuous improvement. Dan has a heavy transaction background including startup financing, mergers and acquisitions, and turnarounds. As an investor, Dan’s focus is on capital preservation, fixed-income and cash flow through a variety of investment vehicles in operating
We talk about:
What does a “Chief Problem Solver” at a company do?  
When to replace staff with software?
What is the thought process when building customized software for a company vs buying a 3rd party license?
Strategies when acquiring a company
And much more
 
Connect with Dan
 
(2) Dan Abbate | LinkedIn
Twitter robotaton
dan@thebigda.com

Ep 187 Private Equity Playbook with Adam Coffey

Show notes Adam Coffey
 
CEO, Board Member, Best-Selling Author, and Acclaimed International Speaker, Adam Coffey is a visionary leader who drives transformative growth and fosters high-performance cultures.
 
With 21+ years of experience as CEO, Adam led three national private equity-backed service companies for 9 private equity sponsors. During this time period he completed 58 acquisitions, his track record includes notable outcomes measured in the billions, averaging 5x MOIC at exit.
 
Adam is a respected mentor to MBA candidates and a sought-after speaker at UCLA. He brings diverse expertise from commercial and industrial service businesses, alongside being a licensed general contractor, pilot, former GE executive, and US Army veteran.
 
As an author, Adam's books "The Private Equity Playbook" and "The Exit Strategy Playbook" became #1 Amazon Best Sellers. Recognized as one of the "Most Influential Leaders" by the Orange County Business Journal, he founded the CEO Advisory Guru in 2021, providing consulting services to private equity firms, their portfolio companies and to founders.
 
Adam's impactful seminars have generated millions in revenue, solidifying his position as one of the world's top speakers. He resides in Westlake, TX, with his family.
 
We talk about:
 
How should one go about evaluating Private Equity groups when looking to be acquired?
 
What are the roles of consultants in a Private Equity Deal?
 
What is rolling over equity in a transaction and how that can become a residual income streams?
 
There are many mastermind groups here in Silicon Valley, what should one look for when they are thinking of joining one?
 
How did Adam get the nickname “The Chairman”?
 
And much more…
 
Connect with Adam
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/

Ep 186 The Growth of Netflix and more with Arthur Mrozowski

Show Notes Arthur Mrozoski
Successful media entrepreneur and investor with an international track record of building successful technologies, enterprises, and strategic partnerships have resulted in several M&As. His career has been defined by his pioneering new technologies that spearheaded new industries.He started as a software engineer with Meridian Data, soon acquired by IBM, after which he joined Sony Corporation. At 28, he co-founded Round Book Publishing with colleagues from Sony.Founded Media Galleries, multimedia publishing company: produced first film using QuickTime 1.0. Designed and co-produced "35 years of Grammy's" award-winning multimedia. Published first Digital Multimedia Magazine PC ROCK with Poland's largest national radio RFM. Published Multimedia Chopin Encyclopedia, with UCSC Professor Anatoly Leikin.1998 Founded MGE, to post-produce Hollywood films to DVD.1999 Published NETFLIX first original content making, creating a first national company recognition, with CNN, Wall Street Journal front coverage.2000 He created a first national campaign for the first Master Card branded gift card—GiftAmerica Card by OneNetwork.2002 Sold MGE to a company servicing Netflix's postproduction needs (Left Coast Digital) 2003 founded MGE FILM; distributing European Films: NETFLIX, Amazon.In 2008, co-founded Silicon Hill Ventures to develop break-through ideas into valuable companies with strong exits in the fields of media creation and distribution, revolutionary advertising platforms, big data analytics, and life sciences. 2009, he founded in and became the CEO of Magic Screen, a holographic advertising platform. Clients included Red Bull, Tao Club. In 2013, Magic Screen was acquired by publicly-traded company Nanotech.2014 Co-founded NovoSensus, a big-data analytics company, with Phil Sakakihara, Hewlett Packard's first CTO. 2015 Co-founded VPILA. Company dedicated to a tennis or golf ball tracking.2016 Co-founded DotHot. The company focus mobile proximity advertising platform based on GPS and IoT.2017 CoFunded Under the Sun/Yachtbook, SAAS platform for management of Yachts and Villas.2017 CoFunded Looptronic. IoT company that is utilizing a wearables for authentication and transactions.Advisor for several start-ups, as well as an accomplished inventor with multiple U.S. patent applications
We talk about
Advice on Negotiating the sale of your company?
How Chat GPT is disrupting all of Silicon Valley?
How can a companies mistake end up being a pivotal part in its success?
When is it time to sell your company?
 
Connect with Arthur Mrozowski
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurmrozowski/
siliconhillventures.com 
dvdart

Ep 185 Launching Your Product with Michael Smart

Show Notes Michael Smart
Over 25 years in the information technology and software industry in several executive positions with responsibility for product management, product marketing, development and operations for NASDAQ--traded companies in the internet and software industries.In these roles I have successfully guided the development and launch of new products in the internet security, service management and mobile data software markets.The most exciting and rewarding work I do is show marketing and product executives how to change the ground rules and win in the market with their solutions. As a practitioner in product management, product marketing and product lifecycle management; I work with small and large firms to improve their go-to-market results. I have delivered value to companies in the following areas: Product Assessment- identifying the cause of potential revenue and profit leaks for the product. This is followed with recommendations for quick fixes with fast payback and long term strategies.Product Transformation -defining new opportunities for existing products in adjacent markets through re-packaging and pricing options.Specialties: Developing and implementing product lifecycle, product management and product marketing best practices in technology companies.
 
We talk about:
 
What is a product life cycle and what we should know before we talk about launching a product?
What is a product assessment and where do companies struggle with this?
How has launching a product changed over time in Silicon Valley?
What is it like to run a consulting agency?
 
And much more
 
Connect with Michael
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/masmart/
 
msmart@egresssolutions.net
 
Twitter Mike_Smart
 

Ep 184 How to Navigate Escalating Costs with Michael Plesha

Show notes for Michael Plesha
 
Mike is an accomplished executive business leader with over 20 years of experience in global operations, sales & marketing, strategic planning, and value chain solution design. His strong relationship skills, consulting, and leadership abilities, combined with his broad industry experience, allows him to seamlessly connect across organizational landscapes, to partner with corporate leaders and build effective long-term board-level relationships. He is an active member of the Board of Directors for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), and the California League of Food Producers. Additionally, Mike serves on the Board of Directors of The Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, one of California's oldest nonprofit organizations serving the blind and those with vision impairment.
 
As a Consulting Partner with Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA), Mike is a strategic advisor to C-Suite executives focused on driving improved costs, maximizing supplier value, operating margins, and EBITDA. ERA operates on a global basis working in both the middle- and enterprise markets. With a focused approach on business intelligence, analytics, and AI capabilities, Mike and his team of supplier industry subject matter experts provide their clients unique insights on supplier industry behaviors and real time benchmark data to achieve significant financial improvement in both cost structure and service levels.
 
 
 
We cover
 
Expense and spend management- is this the job of the CFO, the controller, purchasing, who?  Does it change as a company grows?
 
What is Tail Spend and why is it difficult to manage?
 
How does one go about finding hidden savings opportunities?
 
How often should the CEO and the CFO look over expenses?
 
What should or shouldn’t companies outsource? 
 
 
Connect with Michael
 
mplesha@expensereduction.com
 
Website
 
expensereduction.com