The Tech Founders Podcast

Marcus Papin
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Documenting the stories of tech founders turning ideas into thriving businesses.

  1. 7 MAY

    Why Millions of Starbucks Users Logged Into This Virtual World

    Erik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-braund/Katmai: https://katmaitech.com/ In this conversation, we explore how a former music producer from Alaska transitioned into founding a cutting-edge virtual office company, Katmai. Erik Braund shares the unexpected journey that led him from running a production studio to launching immersive video conferencing software at the height of the pandemic. Erik walks us through how Katmai went from stealth mode to serving major clients like Starbucks, and why immersive 3D environments can radically change how remote teams communicate. We also dig into Katmai’s product evolution, the gamification of remote work, and how the company balances enterprise use cases with viral consumer experiences. What you’ll learn: - How Erik transitioned from a creative career to building a tech startup- The origin story and product evolution of Katmai- How immersive virtual offices are reshaping communication for remote teams- Why Katmai built a custom experience for Starbucks and what it taught them about scale- The role of video storytelling in explaining emerging tech I hope you enjoy the episode!

    43 min

  2. 30 APR

    The 3 Millisecond Secret: How Smart Founders Build Credibility Fast

    Paige's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigevelasquez/Zilker Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zilkermedia/ In this episode, we dive into the power of building a personal brand as a tech founder with Paige Velasquez-Budde, co-founder and CEO of Zilker Media. Paige specializes in helping high-performing entrepreneurs build personal brands that drive trust and business growth. In this conversation, she explains why trust is the new currency in business—and how founders can leverage their personal brand to earn it. We cover everything from conducting a brand audit to aligning your content strategy with company goals. Paige also shares real-world stories of tech founders who used their personal brands to drive results—from winning awards and attracting top talent to creating new sales opportunities and partnerships. What you’ll learn: Why building trust is your secret weapon as a founderHow to align your personal brand with your startup’s growth goalsA step-by-step guide to building a brand with limited time and resourcesThree types of content every founder should be creatingThe biggest branding mistakes founders make—and how to fix themIf you’re a startup founder looking to stand out, build relationships, and grow your business, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can start using today.

    47 min

  3. 23 APR

    Why TikTok Is Replacing Google—and What That Means for E-Commerce

    In this conversation, we dive deep into the world of user-generated content (UGC) and how it’s reshaping the e-commerce landscape with Eulogi Bordas, CEO of Flowbox. Flowbox is a powerful platform helping over 800 global brands harness visual UGC to improve engagement and increase sales. Eulogi shares how Flowbox automates the collection, management, and distribution of social media content to enrich every step of the customer journey—from websites to emails, ads, and more. We also cover Flowbox’s unique European market approach, how the merger with Photoslurp came to be, and how his team aligns outbound and inbound sales strategies to scale efficiently. What you’ll learn: • Why user-generated content is the future of e-commerce marketing • How Flowbox helps brands increase conversions with authentic content • Insights into building a multilingual go-to-market strategy across Europe • How to scale outbound sales with structure and a fighting spirit I hope you enjoy the episode!

    53 min

  4. 16 APR

    The Hiring Tool That Cuts 28M in Turnover—and Ghosts No One

    In this episode, we explore the revolutionary impact of AI on hiring with Barb Hyman, CEO of Sapia.ai. Barb brings a unique perspective to tech leadership—she’s a non-technical founder with deep HR experience, driven by a mission to transform how companies hire and how candidates experience the process. Barb shares how Sapia took two years to reach product-market fit and eventually secured backing from Macquarie Bank and Woolworths’ venture arm, thanks to the platform’s powerful impact on high-volume hiring. We go deep into how Sapia’s AI eliminates bias, automates hiring decisions, and gives every applicant structured feedback. Barb also opens up about the challenges of selling innovation to large enterprises, her distribution strategy through ATS partners, and why she’s focusing growth in Europe over the U.S. due to regulatory complexity. What you’ll learn: How Sapia’s AI is helping companies hire in under 48 hours, with no human touchThe unique approach to ethical AI and why transparency builds trustHow to qualify enterprise clients to avoid long, unproductive sales cyclesThe surprising power of feedback in improving candidate experienceWhy “CVs need to die” and how competency-based hiring is the futureThis episode is packed with insight for anyone building AI products for the enterprise or rethinking how hiring should work.

    41 min

  5. 9 APR

    The Startup Sending $100M+ to Emerging Markets—One Job at a Time

    In this episode, we explore the journey of Tony Jamous, CEO of Oyster—a mission-driven platform that enables companies to hire talent globally with ease. Tony shares how his personal experiences as an immigrant entrepreneur shaped the vision for Oyster. He dives into the company’s mission to reduce wealth inequality and reverse brain drain by making global hiring as easy as local hiring.  With a distributed team of 450+ people across 70 countries, Tony breaks down how they built a hyper-diverse company culture, automated complex employment infrastructure, and navigated the post-pandemic hiring boom. What you’ll learn: • How Oyster helps companies scale remote teams globally • Trends in global hiring and why emerging markets are thriving• Building company culture in a distributed workforce • Sustainable leadership and Tony’s personal growth journey • Lessons from scaling a SaaS business through economic shifts I hope you enjoy the episode!

    38 min

  6. 2 APR

    4 Years to $1M ARR—Then Bootstrapped to $18M and an Exit

    In this episode, we dive into the full journey of building and scaling TextRequest—a bootstrapped SaaS company that grew to $18M in ARR and was acquired on its 10-year anniversary. Brian Elrod, CEO and co-founder of TextRequest, shares how he transitioned from the franchising world into tech, what it took to build the MVP, and how he found the right technical co-founder. He also breaks down how TextRequest found product-market fit by shifting from customer service to revenue-focused messaging, and how they scaled through a “bottom-up” strategy targeting franchisees first. We also explore Brian’s approach to customer feedback, how he ran daily demos even years into the business, and how building a strong relationship with Twilio turned into a game-changing distribution channel. What you’ll learn: • The mindset and milestones behind bootstrapping to $18M ARR • How TextRequest turned franchisees into their biggest growth engine • Why staying close to customers can guide your entire roadmap • The art of the sales demo and listening for product insights I hope you enjoy the episode!

    44 min

  7. 26 MAR

    He’s Building the “Amazon of Travel”—Inside the $1.6T Opportunity

    In this episode, we dive into the future of travel infrastructure with Sarosh Waghmar, the founder and CEO of Spotnana. With over two decades of experience in the travel industry, Sarosh is on a mission to completely transform how travel is booked, managed, and experienced—starting with business travel. Spotnana is rebuilding the foundational systems behind the travel industry, creating an open, API-first platform that empowers others to innovate on top of it. Whether you’re booking through a travel agency, a company portal, or a partner app, Spotnana’s infrastructure powers the seamless experiences behind the scenes. Sarosh shares how his obsession with improving travel experiences—rooted in his early days as a travel agent—led him to create Spotnana. He breaks down how the platform works, the major inefficiencies in legacy systems, and why he believes the travel industry is long overdue for change. What you’ll learn: Why travel still lags behind in user experience—and how Spotnana is changing thatHow Spotnana’s “Travel as a Service” platform empowers other companies to build on top of itHow Sarosh fosters innovation and builds a mission-driven culture at SpotnanaIf you’ve ever felt frustrated booking travel, this episode will change how you think about what’s possible.

    44 min

  8. 19 MAR

    He Invested $600K With No Customers—Now Runs a $24M ARR SaaS

    In this episode of The Tech Founders Podcast, we dive into the incredible bootstrapping journey of Jason Bergenske, founder of MoveItPro, a CRM designed specifically for moving companies. Jason shares how he transformed a family-owned moving business into a $24M ARR software company—without raising a single dollar of venture capital. We discuss the challenges of self-funding a SaaS product, scaling a global team, and how Jason strategically positioned MoveItPro to dominate the market. What you’ll learn: ✅ The power of bootstrapping: How Jason self-funded Move It Pro to $24M ARR ✅ The marketing and sales strategies that fuel Move It Pro’s growth ✅ How leveraging global talent helped scale the business efficiently This episode is packed with insights for founders and entrepreneurs looking to scale a business on their own terms. Enjoy the episode! 🚀

    40 min
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About

Documenting the stories of tech founders turning ideas into thriving businesses.

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  • Creator
    Marcus Papin
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 - Marcus Papin Consulting
  • Show Website
    The Tech Founders Podcast