Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors

Burkland
  • 5.0 (53)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semimonthly

On Startup Success, we discuss what’s working right now for scaling founders and investors... You’ll hear interviews with founders and investors who have compelling stories to share, new trends, and conversations from thought leaders and experts who have walked the walk. Each episode will dig into a crucial area of startup success: finance, entrepreneurship, fundraising, hiring, marketing, sales, and operations to help your startup or portfolio company scale.

  1. 1d ago

    Selling a Startup, Buying It Back, and Changing How Founders Raise: A Founder's Story

    In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate and co-founder of the angel investing platform Cherub, for a conversation about scaling a business, navigating an exit, and the future of early-stage investing.  Jaclyn shares how she built Create & Cultivate into a multi-million-dollar, bootstrapped company, why she made the difficult decision to sell, and what prompted her to buy back the company a few years later. She offers an honest look at the tradeoffs of private equity and the factors that can make or break a deal. Between the exit and the buyback, her work as an angel investor and mentor to early-stage founders led her to co-found Cherub, a platform that connects founders with angel investors they'd never reach otherwise.We discuss: The realities of selling to private equity — and what founders often overlookWhat founders need in place before they start raising capitalHow the fundraising landscape for early-stage founders is changingIf you're building your first company, preparing to raise capital, or thinking about an exit, this episode offers hard-earned lessons from a founder who has been on both sides of the table. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  🔗 Learn more about Create and Cultivate at https://www.createcultivate.com/ Learn more about Cherub at https://www.investwithcherub.com/ This episode is produced by: Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas Media Angela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts

    21 min

  2. Jun 16

    Lessons From the Front Lines of Building an AI Startup

    Ahmed Rashad started his career on an oil rig, taught himself to code, and went on to build and sell a company. After stops at Oracle, MIT, McKinsey, Amazon, and Scale AI, he founded Perle to solve a problem he kept running into: the AI data gap. Perle builds specialized training data for AI models in fields like medicine and linguistics — the niche areas where general AI struggles.Despite the anxiety around AI, Ahmed believes the upside far outweighs today’s disruption. Faster development doesn't shrink markets; it expands what's possible. In his view, AI isn't replacing human potential. It's amplifying it. Tune in to hear: Why the right VC partner matters more than the biggest checkThe 4 things founders should never delegateHow to keep investors engaged and informedWhat Arabic’s 22+ dialects reveal about the depth of the AI data gap With experience at some of the world’s leading companies and now as the founder of an exciting AI startup, Ahmed has valuable insights on today’s startup ecosystem. Don’t miss this episode for practical, hard-earned advice from a founder who has been in the thick of it since day one. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  Learn more about Perle: https://www.perle.ai/ This episode is produced by: Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas Media Angela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts

    24 min

  3. Jun 2

    Beyond the AI Bubble: What Founders Need to Know Now

    Jonathan Aberman has seen the startup world from nearly every angle: VC lawyer, investor, business school dean, and innovation policy advisor. Now he's a founder himself, building Hupside, an AI company focused on measuring "original intelligence." That 360-degree perspective of the startup ecosystem makes his take on the current AI moment especially valuable. The market is noisy. Capital is concentrating. Investors are excited, skeptical, and cautious at the same time. AI tools are making it easier than ever to build, but harder than ever to stand out. We discuss: What the AI bubble means for founders raising capital todayWhy many founders confuse fundraising with validation"Signal collapse" and why creativity is the next major startup advantageWhy Jonathan built Hupside to measure human originality in an AI worldIf you're building with AI, raising capital, or trying to stand out in a crowded market, this episode is worth your full attention. ---Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  Learn more about Hupside: https://www.hupside.com This episode is produced by: Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas Media Angela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts

    31 min

  4. May 19

    What Investors Look for in the AI Era

    What does it actually take to be investment-ready in today's market? In this episode, Kate sits down with Jim Ferry, Partner at Volition Capital, a growth equity firm known for backing high-growth, founder-owned, capital-efficient businesses. Jim reveals what he looks for in a founding team, the most common mistakes he sees in pitch decks, and how the bar for raising capital has changed in the age of AI. He also explains how his firm is building AI fluency internally — and why the "defensible moat" question is now front and center in their investment decisions. We also cover: What Volition learned about successful founders after analyzing 100+ founder attributes across its portfolioHow to build a durable company when engineering is no longer a barrier to entryThe right way to present your TAM to build credibility with investorsHow investors are using AI to source and evaluate dealsNo matter where you are in your fundraising journey, Jim's perspective offers a valuable window into how top investors are thinking right now. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  Learn more about Volition Capital: https://www.volitioncapital.com/ This episode is produced by: Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas Media Angela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts

    23 min

  5. May 5

    When It’s Time for Founders to Step Down as CEO

    In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with Tony Jamous, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Oyster, and Hadi Moussa, the company’s newly appointed CEO, for a refreshingly honest conversation on scaling a global company— and knowing when it’s time to bring in new leadership. Tony shares the personal journey behind one of the hardest decisions any founder can make: stepping aside as CEO, and why putting the mission ahead of ego sets great founders apart. And Hadi explains how he’s approached the transition to ensure a successful handoff. We discuss: The moment Tony knew it was time to hand over the CEO roleHow to manage leadership transitions with intention and transparencyCommunicating the change in a way that builds trust and signals strengthWhy global hiring is a competitive advantage in the age of AIWhether you're navigating growth, thinking about leadership evolution, or rethinking how to build a distributed team, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it really takes to scale—with the right people, in the right roles, at the right time. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  Learn more about Oyster at https://www.oysterhr.com This episode is produced by Brenda Hernández Jaimes of Ellas Media Post-Production by Angela R. Chong of Amplify Podcasts

    24 min

  6. Apr 21

    Why Founders Need “Scalers” on Their Early Teams

    Casey Woo, CEO & Founder of Operators Guild and GP & Founder of FOG Ventures, joins us on Startup Success to discuss how scaling a startup has changed and why founders need “horizontal generalists,” or scalers, on their early teams. After helping scale several high-profile startups, Casey built Operators Guild, a global community for the operators who thrive in early-stage chaos, and later FOG Ventures, its venture capital arm. He’s seen firsthand why this new breed of operator is essential in today’s AI-driven world.Casey breaks down how these operators fuel hypergrowth and why early-stage founders should prioritize hiring them. He explains this mindset isn’t learned—it’s in your DNA. Curious, impatient, and energized by ambiguity, scalers are wired differently. We discuss: How AI is reshaping how startups hire and scale, and why adaptable, strategic thinkers matter more than ever.The new operational model that is essential to high-growth startups.How to spot a scaler on a resume and what signals to look for in the interview process.How the office of the CFO and COO has changed and what that means for today's startups.This episode blends insight and practicality—a must-listen for founders building teams in an increasingly complex landscape. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  Learn more about Fog Ventures at: https://www.fog.ventures/ Learn more about Operators Guild at: https://www.operators-guild.com/

    28 min

  7. Apr 7

    Q1 2026 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem

    What does the startup landscape look like right now—and what to expect in Q2? In this episode of Startup Success, Steve Lord, Chief Knowledge Officer and COO at Burkland, returns for his quarterly breakdown of the venture capital ecosystem. Together, we unpack what shaped Q1 2026 and why fundraising remains an uphill battle for many founders since it is highly concentrated, with most capital flowing to AI companies from a small group of top VC firms. Steve explores the latest macro forces—oil prices, AI hype, and interest rates—impacting the market and weighs in on whether the economy's resilience will hold. We tackle the big questions: What was fundraising like in Q1 and what is the outlook for Q2?What’s on the horizon for interest rates?Will AI deals continue to dominate investment activity?How can founders prepare for what’s next?As usual, Steve combines optimism with practical advice: stay focused on what matters, manage runway, know your numbers, and be ready to fundraise at any moment. A grounded reminder that execution still wins, even in uncertain times. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

    19 min

  8. Mar 24

    The New Startup Go-To-Market Playbook

    In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Marlena Sarunac, co-founder and fractional CMO at The Company Advice, a marketing firm for startups. They help startups clarify their category, sharpen their messaging, and build go-to-market strategies that actually convert.  After leading marketing from Series A to Series B at Particle Health and driving go-to-market across highly technical industries, Marlena now helps founders turn complex products into compelling narratives that resonate with buyers and drive growth. She explains how tighter capital and AI-informed buyers are reshaping startup marketing — and what founders need to do differently today. We dive into:Why the traditional startup go-to-market playbook no longer works and what to do insteadThe risks of not clearly defining your market categoryHow to develop consistent messaging that builds trust with both buyers and AI search modelsWhy shared KPIs are key to aligning teams — from engineering to marketing — around growthHow to uncover your startup's hidden growth blockers with their Friction Finder toolThis episode offers practical frameworks for founders trying to break through crowded markets and build sustainable traction. If you’re working on refining your positioning, improving your go-to-market tactics, or scaling beyond founder-led sales, this one’s a must-listen. ----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!  🔗 Check out the Friction Finder tool here https://www.thecompanyadvice.com/friction-finder

    26 min
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On Startup Success, we discuss what’s working right now for scaling founders and investors... You’ll hear interviews with founders and investors who have compelling stories to share, new trends, and conversations from thought leaders and experts who have walked the walk. Each episode will dig into a crucial area of startup success: finance, entrepreneurship, fundraising, hiring, marketing, sales, and operations to help your startup or portfolio company scale.

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