Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital Rohit Malhotra

In this podcast episode, Alex Twigg, founder of Appeggio, shares his transition from the banking sector to creating a no-code SaaS platform. He discusses the evolution of his leadership style, the impact of AI on jobs, and the concept of "invisible banking." Alex emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent, the role of experience in leadership, and the challenges faced by startups in distribution and customer acquisition. He also touches on the personal toll of entrepreneurship and recommends resources for founders and much more!
Timestamps
The Humble Beginnings (00:00:34)
The evolution of the banking sector (00:01:58)
Generational work ethics (00:05:31)
Leadership journey (00:08:38)
CEO's nature vs. nurture (00:19:48)
Transition to software development (00:23:49)
The journey from banker to technologist (00:24:13)
Judo Bank's innovative approach (00:25:52)
Challenges and success of Judo Bank (00:27:00)
Experience as a service (00:31:15)
Impact of AI and new code solutions (00:34:33)
Invisible banking and customer engagement (00:43:23)
Customer acquisition and onboarding (00:42:24)
Invisible Banking (00:47:06)
Distribution is Key (00:49:22)
Choosing Distribution Channels (00:51:44)
Balancing Entrepreneurialism and Family Life (00:53:35)
Alex’s Links
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alextwigg
Website – Appeggio.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Boris Manhart shares his experience leading Codecheck and his journey through the fintech landscape with Numbers. He shares his expertise on team alignment, leadership, and the critical role of market needs in AI startups. Boris emphasizes the significance of product-market fit, sustainable capital use, and the evolving dynamics of seed funding. He also offers advice to young entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of passion, patience, and much more!
Timestamps
Boris's Journey (00:00:25)
Lessons from Numbers (00:03:02)
Transition to Code Check (00:05:29)
Challenges in AI Startups (00:06:47)
CEO Skills and MBA (00:09:21)
Team Alignment and Failure Conditions (00:13:06)
Product-Market Fit and Startup Funding (00:16:31)
Managing Capital and Market Changes (00:20:28)
VC Lessons for Founders (00:23:20)
Lunch with Founders (00:24:03)
Investment Priorities (00:24:26)
Entering the Startup Landscape (00:25:51)
The Lean Startup (00:27:43)
Focus on Product-Market Fit (00:28:42)
Boris’s Links
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/borismanhart/
Website - growthunltd.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Guy Kawasaki, talks about his latest book "Think Remarkable," exploring themes such as marketing excellence, the intricacies of podcast growth, the power of a growth mindset, and the art of finding mentors. Guy shares his journey, emphasizing the importance of quality in product evangelism and the challenges of leveraging a large social media following for impact. Guy also talks about the nuances of remote work management, the value of diversity in hiring, and learning from past decisions, and much more!
Timestamps
The Golden Touch (00:01:55)
Building a Podcast (00:03:10)
Challenges of Growing Social Media Channels (00:05:15)
Writing "Think Remarkable" (00:06:39)
Growth Mindset (00:07:26)
Qualities of Remarkable People (00:09:04)
Building Skill Sets (00:10:08)
Doing Epic Shit (00:11:31)
Creating a Subcategory (00:13:31)
Finding Mentors (00:15:27)
Effective Storytelling (00:17:41)
Pitching Framework (00:18:36)
Managing in a Remote Work Environment (00:19:56)
Remote Work Management (00:21:12)
Diversity in Hiring (00:22:21)
Learning from Career Regrets (00:23:55)
Lessons from Career Choices (00:24:16)
Impact of AI on Creativity (00:25:57)
Book Writing Process (00:27:15)
Overcoming Challenges (00:28:15)
Future Book Plans (00:29:53)
Guy’s Links
Website - https://guykawasaki.com/
Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Remarkable-Paths-Transform-Difference/dp/139424522X
Email – guykawasaki@gmail.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Josh Muccio, co-founder of The Pitch and a general partner at The Pitch Fund talks about his entrepreneurial background, his ventures in e-commerce and media, and the intricacies of building a successful media company like The Pitch. Josh recounts the show's sale to Gimlet Media and subsequent repurchase, as well as his personal experience pitching on the show. He discusses the challenges faced by emerging fund managers in 2023 and The Pitch Fund's remarkable achievement of raising significant interest from listeners alone. He also covers strategies for growing a podcast in a competitive market, the unique approach of The Pitch Fund in seed investments, and the rise of owner-operator led funds. Josh shares insights on AI startups, emphasizing the need for real-world applications and value creation, and much more!
Timestamps
Josh's Entrepreneurial Journey (00:00:25) 
Building and Selling Startups (00:04:19) 
Challenges of Media Business (00:04:34) 
Venture Backing for Media Companies (00:06:40) 
Starting The Pitch (00:08:05) 
The Journey of The Pitch (00:13:08) 
Pitching on The Pitch (00:16:23) 
Fundraising Challenges for Emerging Fund Managers (00:19:02) 
Raising a Fund from Listeners (00:20:20) 
Podcast Distribution and Growth (00:22:30)
Value of Authenticity in Content Creation (00:25:24) 
Unique Deal Flow for The Pitch Fund (00:26:35) 
Selecting VCs and Building Relationships (00:28:46) 
VC Value Beyond Capital (00:31:09) 
Portfolio Construction and Investment Strategy (00:33:37) 
Founder-Led Funds and Operator Expertise (00:36:03) 
Specific AI Use Cases (00:39:02) 
Podcast AI Tool (44:54) 
Starting The Pitch Show (46:17) 
Josh’s Links
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmuccio/
The Pitch - https://www.thepitch.show/
Pitch Fund - https://www.thepitch.show/p/fund/
Email - josh@pitch.show
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Darya Sesitskaya, founder of Shader, shares her entrepreneurial journey and insights into product development. She emphasizes the role of intuition in the early stages of design and the importance of simplicity in product interfaces. Daria also discusses her approach to user feedback, highlighting that not all suggestions are implemented but are carefully evaluated. For fundraising, she credits her participation in an accelerator program for building connections and stresses consistent communication with investors and much more!
Timestamps
The journey to Shader (00:00:02)
From Belarus to the US (00:02:38)
Experience at Snapchat (00:04:50)
On Deck Fellowship Experience (00:07:34)
Product Management and Design (00:10:17)
Hiring the First Product Manager (00:12:59)
The Future of Product Development (00:15:15)
Core Roles for Product Managers (00:17:03)
Working with Design Partners (00:18:55)
UI/UX Design Principles (00:21:08)
Balancing Intuition and Data (00:23:43)
Vision and Prototypes (00:23:56)
Simplicity in Product Design (00:24:49)
User Feedback and Implementation (00:26:31)
Hiring High-Quality Talent (00:29:22)
Raising Funding and Building Relationships (00:31:31)
Startup Lessons and Growth (00:36:15)
Darya’s Links
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryasesitskaya/
Shader - Shaderapp.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Justin Smith, Managing Partner at Recharge Capital delves into his venture capital journey, his experiences at Recharge Capital and Tusk Ventures, and the intricacies of angel investing and SPVs. Justin shares his transition from auditing to venture capital, his approach to building a sourcing network, and the importance of partnerships in investing. He discusses the strategic role of distribution channels in fintech and healthcare startups, the impact of brand names on cap tables, and the current state of M&A in venture capital. Justin also touches on fund dynamics, such as liquidity events and reserve allocations, and concludes with personal insights on fundraising and relationship building, highlighting the usefulness of AngelList for SPVs and syndications, and much more.
Timestamps
The journey to venture capital (00:00:03)
Transition to SPVs and Recharge Capital (00:02:56)
Differences between SPVs and institutional capital (00:08:45)
Building partnerships through angel investing (00:14:35)
Diversifying the investment portfolio (00:15:10)
Importance of distribution channels in startups (00:18:57)
Distribution as a Key Issue (00:18:57)
Building Partnerships and Distribution Channels (00:20:07)
Brand Names on Cap Tables (00:22:12)
Clubbed Rounds and Founder Strategies (00:23:06)
M&A Activity in the Next 12 Months (00:25:03)
Misalignment Between VCs and LPs (00:26:22)
Liquidity and Reserve Allocation (00:29:45)
Follow-on Investments and Fund Dynamics (00:31:36)
Venture Decision-Making and Postmortems (00:33:59)
Ownership Allocation in Companies (00:36:17)
Justin’s Links
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-b-smith/
Email - justin@recharge.capital
Recharge Capital - https://www.rechargecapital.com/
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com