The Tech Trek Elevano

In this episode, Amir hosts Healey Cypher, CEO at BoomPop and COO at Atomic. The discussion covers various aspects of being a good and successful founder, what makes an idea backable, and the differences between successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs. Healey shares his background as a serial entrepreneur and gives insights into his companies, BoomPop and Atomic. The conversation includes key considerations for making a business VC backable, understanding total addressable market size, the importance of trust in entrepreneurship, and tips on identifying your strengths and complementing them with the right team. Healey also emphasizes continuous learning and practical financial knowledge for entrepreneurs.

Highlights

00:35 Background and Career Journey

01:43 The Rise of BoomPop

04:02 What Makes a Good Founder?

06:23 VC Backable Ideas vs. Lifestyle Businesses

12:05 Execution and Skill Development for Founders

18:43 Building Trust as a Founder



Healey Cypher is the CEO of BoomPop, and Chief Operating Officer / Partner of Atomic. He has spent his career building and selling companies that center around great customer experience. Healey sold his last two companies: ZIVELO which he sold to Verifone in 2019 after 15 months of taking the reins as CEO, and Oak Labs, which he sold to Zivelo in 2018. Before that, Healey was the Head of Retail Innovation at eBay. Chief of Staff to the CTO of eBay, and lead all business development for milo.com  which he helped sell to ebay in 2010.

He has been recognized as Silicon Valley Business Journal’s “40 under 40,” WWD’s “Ten of Tomorrow,” and one of Goldman Sach’s “Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.” He has also done dozens of keynotes and live TV (most nerve-wracking: CNBC Closing Bell, for sure.)

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

In this episode, Amir Bormand is joined by Willem Koenders, the Global Leader in Data Strategy at ZS, to discuss the intricacies of AI and Generative AI (Gen AI) data strategies. The conversation delves into the unique challenges and considerations that companies face when implementing AI strategies, emphasizing the importance of data quality, governance, and realistic expectations. Willem shares insights on the evolution of data trends and how businesses can leverage past learnings to enhance their current AI initiatives. They also explore industry-specific impacts, decision-making for adopting AI, and the vital role of foundational data management in ensuring successful AI implementation.

Highlights

01:54 AI and Gen AI Data Strategies

02:57 Realism and Expectations in AI Implementation

04:33 Data Management Foundations

06:56 Challenges with Legacy Data

08:37 Strategic Approaches to Data and AI

11:01 Future of AI in Enterprises

18:57 Preparing for AI Implementation

21:13 Privacy and Ethics in AI

Guest:

Willem Koenders is a global leader in data strategy at ZS Associates, boasting 10 years of experience advising top organizations on leveraging data to gain and maintain a competitive edge. He has worked with clients across Europe, Asia, the United States, and Latin America. Formerly, he led Deloitte’s data strategy and data management practice for Spanish Latin America. Willem is passionate about data-driven transformations and strongly advocates for data governance by design.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koenders-willem

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This podcast episode features Matt Robben, Co-founder and CTO of Serif Health, discussing the importance of full-stack engineering hires and how to manage operational growth within hiring constraints. Serif Health, a price transparency data company in healthcare, navigates the challenges of being a small seed-stage startup with a limited hiring budget by prioritizing full-stack capabilities to ensure flexibility and comprehensive problem-solving. Matt highlights the transition from hiring generalist engineers to specialists as the company grows and delves into specific areas like data engineering and artificial intelligence, where specialization becomes critical. He shares insights on identifying talent that showcases eagerness and versatility, underscoring the value of adaptability in the fast-evolving tech landscape. The episode also touches on the interview process, supporting team growth towards specialization, and maintaining a balance between immediate needs and future potential in hiring decisions.

Highlights

00:22 Exploring the Trend Towards Full Stack Engineering

00:44 Introducing Serif Health: A Price Transparency Data Company

01:17 The Strategic Value of Full Stack Engineers in Startups

04:38 The Shift to Specialization: When and Why It Happens

08:20 Navigating Hiring Challenges and Interview Processes

12:31 Fostering Growth and Flexibility Within Engineering Teams



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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This episode features Dennis Mortensen, CEO and Co-founder of LaunchBrightly, returning as a guest to discuss the entrepreneurial mindset, his experiences as a serial entrepreneur, and the journey of his latest venture post-x.ai. Dennis shares insights on the importance of solving real pains, the dynamics of pivoting in entrepreneurship, and the personal philosophy that guides him through the ups and downs of startup life. He emphasizes the joy in the entrepreneurial process, the necessity of embracing the sport of entrepreneurship for its own sake, and strategies for maintaining balance, such as his practice of taking long walks for reflection. Additionally, Dennis extends an open invitation to the audience for further engagement and mentorship.

Highlights

00:36 The Evolution of x.ai and Launching LaunchBrightly

01:52 The Birth of a New Venture: Automating Product Screenshots

04:02 Entrepreneurial Mindset: Sticking to the Pain Points

16:59 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship

23:20 The Love of the Game: Entrepreneurship as a Lifestyle

28:16 Pivoting: When to Stick and When to Shift

32:47 Staying Centered: Dennis's Personal Strategy

Guest links:

LaunchBrightly: https://launchbrightly.com/

Dennis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismortensen/

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This episode features a detailed discussion with Akshay Swaminathan, a data scientist with significant contributions to health systems improvement, including 40 peer-reviewed publications and features in the New York Times. Currently an AI Researcher, medical student, and PhD candidate at Stanford University, Swaminathan discusses the potential of data science in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. The conversation covers domain specificity in data science, the trend of healthcare professionals engaging in data science, the importance of cross-functional teams, and the role of traditional IT and data science projects in healthcare. Swaminathan also introduces his book, 'Winning with Data Science,' designed to help non-technical domain experts collaborate effectively with data scientists. The episode highlights the potential obstacles to data-driven healthcare solutions, including data quality, biases, interoperability, and data sharing, and suggests starting with identifying key problems before applying data science solutions.

Highlights:

00:38 The Power of Data in Healthcare Delivery

02:03 The Unique Blend of Healthcare and Data Science Expertise

02:52 Cross-Functional Teams: A Trend in Healthcare Data Science

04:56 Empowering Domain Experts to Leverage Data Science

10:35 Case Study: Improving Crisis Response Times at Cerebral

13:30 The Future of AI in Healthcare: Automation and Co-Pilot Solutions

17:41 Challenges and Solutions for Data in Healthcare AI

24:09 Practical Advice for Leveraging Data in Healthcare

Guest:

.Akshay Swaminathan is a data scientist who works on strengthening health systems. He has more than forty peer-reviewed publications, and his work has been featured in the New York Times and STAT. Previously, he was a data scientist at Flatiron Health and Head of Data Science at Cerebral. He is currently an AI researcher and MD/PhD candidate at Stanford University.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshay-swaminathan-68286b51

Book: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/winning-with-data-science/9780231206860

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

This podcast episode features an in-depth conversation with Zach LaValley, EVP of Engineering at RapidSOS, discussing the transition towards holistic awareness in public safety. The conversation touches on the challenges of disconnected data, the evolution from landlines to mobile and IoT devices, and the significance of consistent data across distributed systems. RapidSOS's role in moving data from devices to emergency services for better decision-making, the importance of location services, and the complexity of integrating multiple data points are highlighted. Additionally, the discussion explores the future of 911 services with AI, the impact of data privacy, and the technical challenges of creating reliable and speedy responses in emergencies. Zach also sheds light on the ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness of 911 call centers and emergency responses through advanced mapping, cloud-based systems, and partnerships with OS providers and device manufacturers. The episode concludes with thoughts on public adoption and the potential of AI to improve emergency services.

Highlights:

01:16 The Evolution of Emergency Response: From Landlines to Digital Ecosystems

03:30 Navigating the Complexities of 911 Call Centers and Data Routing

04:50 The Technical Backbone: Cloud Systems and Data Management

05:36 Enhancing 911 with Technology: Partnerships and Privacy Concerns

11:08 Engineering Challenges: Balancing Speed and Reliability

14:37 Testing and Deployment: Ensuring System Integrity

17:23 The Future of Emergency Services: AI and Public Perception

Guest:

A lifelong learner, Zach LaValley is passionate about helping companies achieve their strategic goals through technology. He has a proven ability to create and scale successful business solutions and is adept at managing medium to large organizations with a diverse technical skill set. Experienced in agile methodologies, Zach combines excellent communication skills with technical acumen, enabling him to deliver in fast-paced and ever-changing environments.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zlavalley/

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com

Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests?

Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)