Spark of Ages

Rajiv Parikh
  • 5.0 (14)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Spark of Ages podcast is about the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence through a marketing lens.  We are living in the middle of the most important "spark for the ages".   Our episodes are either about looking back to teach us what we can learn for this moment, or looking forward for where the next spark might be.We highlight the stories from business leaders at the intersection of marketing, technology and innovation.

  1. 6D AGO

    The Data Moat: A Google Veteran's Investment Thesis for AI/David Yakobovitch ~ Spark of Ages Ep 58

    We chart how AI leapt from chat to code, why product is now the leverage point, and how startups can market to algorithms without losing trust. David Yakobovitch shares hard-won views on moats, data, defense tech, and the immigrant energy powering American dynamism. • leaders and market share across Google, OpenAI, Anthropic • vibe coding benefits, code quality risks, review loops • prompt libraries, agent swarms, PRD automation • weekly shipping pace and the SaaS squeeze • marketing to algorithms, buyer agents, bot traffic control • pilot to production gap, rise of forward-deployed engineers • moats beyond models via domain, workflow, and proprietary data • China’s progress, open source, and on-device AI bets • defense tech, swarms, and physical AI opportunities • endurance mindset, yoga discipline, and founder stamina • personal workflows across Gemini, Claude, and OpenAI • investing across seed and growth with outcome focus The model wars aren’t theoretical anymore—they’re shaping how software gets built, shipped, and sold. We sit down with David Yakobovitch, GP at Data Power Capital and former global product lead at Google, to map where AI is actually working in 2026: vibe coding that shrinks teams, agent swarms that harden quality, and product-led moats that outlast model churn. David pulls back the curtain on how Claude, OpenAI, and Google now compete neck and neck on code and content, why prompt engineering as a job vanished while prompts became more valuable, and how forward-deployed engineers bridge the stubborn pilot-to-production gap that has haunted data projects for a decade. We explore go-to-market in a world where buyer agents screen your pitch before a human blinks. That means structuring materials for machines, tuning sites for humans and crawlers, and building demos that agents can evaluate safely. We also go into what happens as models commoditize: the moat shifts to domain depth, proprietary offline data, secure connectors, and measurable workflow outcomes. From small language models running on CPUs in air‑gapped containers to Apple’s on-device bet, the edge is back—especially for Europe’s sovereignty demands and public sector buyers. Then we widen the lens. Defense and “physical AI” blend hardware and autonomy: swarms, hypersonics, and resilient edge compute that must perform in the real world. David shares why he’s backing both the silicon and the software, and how American dynamism—powered by immigrants and impatient builders—remains a durable advantage. Along the way, we trade notes on multi-model workflows, open source momentum, China’s narrowed gap, and the endurance mindset that carries teams through the disappointment dip after the first shiny demo. David Yakoboitch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidyakobovitch/ David Yakobovitch is a General Partner and Managing Director of DataPower Capital, a New York City-based venture capital firm investing across Applied AI, Inference Infrastructure, and DeepTech.  With a portfolio of over 36 companies, David is an investor in the most defining frontier technology firms of our era, including OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, Neuralink, DataBricks, Groq, Cruesoe, Anduril and SpaceX. David is a leading voice as the host of HumAIn, a podcast focused on Applied and Responsible AI.  Previously, David served as a Global Product Lead a Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    59 min

  2. FEB 13

    The Science Behind When Customers Decide to Buy/Patrick Renvoise - Brains, System 1, Value Prop ~ Spark of Ages Ep 57

    We explore how real decisions start in the primal brain and how neuromarketing turns that insight into practical steps to capture, convince, and close. Patrick Rénvoisé shares the six stimuli, the Neuromap method, and how to sell with contrast, proof, and story in a world shaped by AI and deepfakes. • defining neuromarketing and the brain’s buy button • six stimuli that drive attention and action • the four steps: diagnose, differentiate, demonstrate, deliver • financial, strategic and personal value with proofs • visuals, props and seven‑second stories • memory design: strong openings and endings • good friction early, ease at decision • AI agents, deepfakes and trust building • examples from Apple and service guarantees • website first view: show the pain and the relief Ever wonder why a rock‑solid value prop still gets a lukewarm yes? We go straight to the source—the brain—and unpack how decisions really happen. Patrick Rénvoise, co‑founder of SalesBrain (and architect of the award‑winning Neuromap) joins us to break down the biological buy button and the exact steps to reach it without gimmicks or hype. We dig into the six primal stimuli that cut through noise—personal, contrastable, tangible, memorable, visual, emotional—and show how to turn them into actions your team can use today. Patrick walks us through a four‑step persuasion method: diagnose the pain your buyer actually feels, differentiate with an “only” claim, demonstrate the gain with numbers and risk‑reversal, and deliver the story that the primal brain can grasp in seven seconds. Along the way, we map value into three buckets—financial, strategic, and personal—and pair each with the right proof, from customer cases to demonstrations that make promises real. The conversation stretches beyond tactics. We examine mirror neurons and authentic empathy in sales, why fairness can override economic sense in negotiations, and how to design “good friction” that encodes memory before you remove barriers to buy. We also confront the agentic AI era and deepfakes: if seeing isn’t believing and algorithms don’t feel, how do we build trust and make messages stick? Expect concrete examples, from Domino’s guarantees to Apple’s evolving story, plus website advice you can deploy immediately—lead with pain and the contrast of relief so your offer lands fast. Patrick Renvoise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickrenvoise/ Patrick Renvoisé, the Co-Founder and Chief Neuromarketing Officer of SalesBrain, the world's first neuromarketing agency. Having trained over 200,000 executives worldwide, Patrick helps companies scientifically capture, convince, and close more business by targeting the true decision-maker: the brain.  Patrick is the architect of the NeuroMap™, an award-winning model of persuasion based on the "Primal Brain" (or System 1) discovered by Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman. Before pioneering the field of Neuromarketing, he managed multi-million dollar supercomputer transactions at Silicon Graphics and LinuxCare, closing complex deals in excess of $100 million. Patrick holds a Master's in Computer Science from the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon. Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    57 min

  3. JAN 30

    The 100% Open Rate: How Gifting Cuts Through Noise/Kris Rudeegraap - Sendoso, Curiosity, HITL ~ Spark of Ages Ep 56

    We explore how intelligent gifting breaks through AI-filtered inboxes, using psychology, data, and timing to earn real conversations and long-term loyalty. Kris Rudeegraap of Sendoso shares playbooks for stage-based sends, retention strategies, and staying human in an agentic future. • reciprocity, curiosity and tangible novelty driving attention • AI-assisted personalization for interests, timing and delivery channel • stage-based guardrails that unlock premium sends mid-funnel • timely low-cost sends outperforming expensive but irrelevant gifts • CAC, velocity and opportunity cost framing for ROI • shifting marketing metrics toward revenue and NRR • proving value when users never log into your app • human-in-the-loop creativity to avoid AI cringe • retention and expansion use cases for customer success A box at your door still beats the smartest subject line, sparks genuine conversations, and accelerates pipeline without feeling transactional. Kris blends a decade of logistics, a modern data engine, and a human-first ethos to explain why clever, timely sends often outperform expensive swag—and how to scale that tastefulness with AI. We dig into the psychology behind physical sending—reciprocity, curiosity, and the emotional lift of a tangible, personalized moment—and translate it into practical plays for sales, marketing, and customer success. You’ll hear how stage-based guardrails in your CRM can unlock premium sends mid-funnel, why delivery confidence (home versus office) matters post‑COVID, and how small, useful gestures—like a rideshare credit on conference day—drive replies that mass email can’t. Kris also shares how Sendoso is evolving from pure logistics to a data-rich recommendation layer that helps teams decide what to send, when to send, and where to deliver. We also explore the agentic future: AI agents summarizing inboxes, go‑to‑market engineers orchestrating workflows, and the reality that a human still signs the contract. Kris offers a candid view on pricing models, proving ROI when users never log into your app, and why NRR and expansion deserve a bigger share of marketing’s attention. If you’re ready to replace noise with nuance—earning meetings faster and strengthening renewals through meaningful touchpoints—this conversation gives you the framework and the guardrails to do it right. Kris Rudeegraap:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudeegraap/ Kris Rudeegraap, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sendoso, the leading Direct Mail and Gifting Platform which has seen over $250M+ spent on the platform globally.  A self-described "Sales CEO" who is redefining how B2B companies cut through the digital noise to build authentic relationships,  Before founding Sendoso, he was a top-performing Account Executive at Talkdesk and a founding team member at Piqora.  Kris is a California native, an alumnus of California State University, Chico and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    49 min

  4. JAN 16

    What to Expect from Agentic AI (aka 2026 Predictions)/Jon Miller, Ashish Aggarwal - B2A, Payments, AI Stack ~ Spark of Ages Ep 55

    Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    58 min

  5. JAN 2

    The Hidden Job Market for Executives in 2026/Andy Mowat - Builders, Whispered, AI Resumes ~ Spark of Ages Ep 54

    Why are management layers thinning?  How does AI change hiring signals? And how can senior leaders break into the hidden market for unposted executive roles? Andy Mowat shares practical playbooks for proof-of-work interviews, CEO diligence, and building a data-first GTM engine that actually ships. • management ranks thinning and the rise of builders • proof-of-work interviews and AI used well • unposted VP and C-level roles and network strategy • clarity of story over keyword stuffing • being a high-impact number two under great leaders • data foundations over tool sprawl in go-to-market • CEO diligence and avoiding toxic cultures • career 2.0, brand resets, and paying it forward Want the truth about senior hiring in an AI-soaked market? Andy Mowat, four-time unicorn operator and founder of Whispered, pulls back the curtain on how VP and C-level roles really get filled, why management layers are thinning, and what it takes to stand out when every résumé looks flawless. We unpack the tactics that actually move the needle: proof-of-work case studies, hands-on demos that beat shiny decks, and a singular narrative that tells a CEO exactly what problem you solve. We dive into the hidden job market for executives—where most roles never get posted—and map practical paths to get in the door without setting off alarms at your current company. Andy lays out a quiet-search playbook built on targeted lists, recruiter and talent partner relationships, and a community-powered network effect that shares live intel on companies, leaders, and backstories. If your experience includes a bump or two, we talk about owning it clearly and moving forward, rather than trying to bury the lead with keyword stuffing that pleases algorithms but confuses humans. On go-to-market, Andy tackles the “GTM engineer” trend and explains why data foundations and real implementation beat tool sprawl and clever slides every time. Think operationalizing product events, smarter routing, and lifecycle triggers that create pipeline—versus busywork alerts that fade in Slack. We also explore why being a high-impact number two under a world-class leader can be a better career accelerator than chasing the top seat at the wrong company, and how to vet CEOs for transparency, delegation, and decision-making. If you’re aiming at a senior move in 2026, this conversation will sharpen your approach: build with AI, don’t hide behind it; ship artifacts that prove your value; pick the right leader and stage; and pay it forward to compound your network. Andy Mowat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amowat/ Andy Mowat, a four-time unicorn executive, is the Founder and CEO of Whispered, a specialized talent network and platform dedicated to helping senior executives find and land high-level roles before they are publicly posted. Andy's extensive executive background includes serving as the Vice President of RevOps at Carta, where he oversaw GTM systems, data, strategy, and enablement for a business exceeding $400 million in ARR. Prior to that, he was instrumental in scaling both Upwork and Culture Amp from approximately $10 million to over $100 million in ARR. Andy is also the host of the How I Hire podcast and an alumnus of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Whispered: https://www.whispered.com/ Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    42 min

  6. 12/19/2025

    Alien Advantage: Pattern-Breaking Innovation/Manan Mehta, Rustam Esanov - Immigrants, Unshackled, mRNA+AI ~ Spark of Ages Ep 53

    We explore how removing immigration friction and backing immigrant founders at day zero can produce outsized innovation, through the lens of a VC platform and a biotech founder reprogramming tumors with mRNA and AI. The conversation blends policy, venture economics, and a bold oncology thesis with practical advice and personal stories. • immigrant advantage as resilience, clarity, and risk appetite • Unshackled’s Day Zero model and economics • technical visionaries and system disruptors archetypes • turning tumors into immune allies with mRNA and AI • off the shelf approach across solid tumors • storytelling skills for technical CEOs • curated community as capital and catalyst • immigration policy takes on points systems and talent pipelines • why fear based rules hurt innovation • reflections on curiosity, kindness, and grit What happens when you bet on a founder before there’s a product, revenue, or even a company? We bring together Manan Mehta, founding partner at Unshackled Ventures, and Rustam Esanov, co-founder and CEO of Reprogram Biosciences, to unpack how day‑zero investing meets deep tech ambition—and how that mix can upend cancer therapy. Manan opens the curtain on Unshackled’s model: underwrite immigrant founders when capital and confidence are scarcest, handle immigration legal end‑to‑end, and curate a community that knows when to introduce the next believer. He breaks down their two founder archetypes—technical visionaries and system disruptors—plus the quotients that matter: intelligence, adversity, emotional, and social. We dig into why early belief earns better economics, how consensus‑driven VC misses mispriced opportunities, and what it takes to move a company from a first experiment to a milestone investors can’t ignore. Rustam shares the personal spark behind his mission and the science powering it. Using AI‑guided design and mRNA, his team aims to reprogram tumor cells into immune‑like allies, opening the “fortress” from the inside so the body can attack solid tumors. He explains why an off‑the‑shelf approach beats personalization for scale, how early out‑of‑pocket experiments de‑risked the thesis, and the single most practical lesson he learned transitioning from bench science to CEO: tell a story so clear a teenager can understand it.  Manan Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mananm/ Manan Mehta is the Founding Partner of Unshackled Ventures, the only inception-stage (pre-revenue, pre-product, pre-incorporation) venture fund focused entirely on backing immigrant-founded startups.  For over 11 years, Manan has led the firm, which provides capital, network access, and full immigration support, having sponsored over 300 immigration filings for founders, often before they incorporate their businesses. Rustam Esanov:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustamesanov/ Rustam Esanov is the CEO and Co-founder of Reprogram Biosciences, a deep-tech company developing mRNA reprogramming therapeutics.  His mission is to turn tumors into immune-like allies to treat solid cancers by leveraging a proprietary AI platform to build a precision cell-reprogramming engine to solve one of the most complex challenges in medicine. Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    55 min

  7. 12/05/2025

    Fighting Climate Change in the Age of AI/Dan Kalafatas - Prices, Scope 3, Green-Hushing ~ Spark of Ages Ep 52

    We confront the collision between AI’s soaring compute needs and a grid unready for 50% peak expansions, then map a practical path to build clean, firm power fast without losing sight of affordability. Dan shares candid insights on markets, permitting, contracts, and how 3Degrees tackles Scope 3 at scale. • AI demand growth outpacing efficiency gains • Wartime mobilization mindset for energy buildout • All-the-above strategy across renewables, storage, and firm power • Price pressures from supply constraints and who pays • Additionality and siting clean power abroad • Permitting and transmission reform progress and limits • Financial governance: minimum revenue commitments and PPA design • Demand response and 24/7 carbon matching incentives • Scope 3 decarbonisation and supplier aggregations • Virtual power plants and flexible load orchestration • Leadership, governance, and resilience in volatile markets Power isn’t a footnote to the AI boom—it’s the bottleneck. We sit down with 3Degrees co-founder and chairman Dan Kalafatas to untangle the thorniest question in tech and climate: how do we deliver massive new capacity, keep prices in check, and still cut emissions on an hourly, 24/7 basis? Dan makes the case for a wartime mobilization mindset and an all-of-the-above strategy, pairing solar and wind with storage and firm clean power like recommissioned nuclear and geothermal, while acknowledging the near-term role of natural gas. He explains why utilities are demanding minimum revenue commitments from hyperscalers, how demand response can unlock tens of gigawatts in the hours that matter most, and why temporal matching in carbon accounting will push buyers toward real around-the-clock decarbonization. We dig into additionality as Big Tech sites data centers in places with hydro and other low-carbon resources. What actually drives new clean energy build instead of reshuffling existing electrons? Dan shares pragmatic contract levers—from accelerated repayment clauses to renewable-only PPAs—that reduce stranded-asset risk and steer capital toward projects that cut emissions when the grid is dirtiest. He also unpacks the friction slowing progress: interconnection queues, permitting delays, water constraints, and a public already feeling price pressure before the big build even begins. On the enterprise side, we explore how 3Degrees approaches Scope 3 decarbonization and the rise of virtual power plants, where orchestration beats brute force. Thousands of suppliers, different load shapes, and new 24/7 reporting expectations create a data problem tailor-made for AI—if governance and audit trails come first. Expect candid takes on “green hushing,” the role of states when federal leadership zigzags, and why empathetic leadership belongs at the center of market design and execution. Dan Kalafatas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankalafatas/ Dan Kalafatas is the Chairman and Co-Founder of 3Degrees, a leading global decarbonization solutions provider that has spent nearly two decades building the scalable systems necessary for businesses to tackle the existential threat of climate change.  Dan is also a proud alumnus of Dartmouth College and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    57 min

  8. 11/21/2025

    The Security Gap When AI Agents Have Access/Chithra Rajagopalan, Vamshi Sriperumbudur - Governance, NRR, Buyer Groups ~ Spark of Ages Ep 51

    We weigh the promise and peril of the AI agent economy, pressing into how overprovisioned non-human identities, shadow AI, and SaaS integrations expand risk while go-to-market teams push for speed. A CMO and a CFO align on governance-first pilots, PLG trials, buyer groups, and the adoption metrics that sustain value beyond the sale. • AI adoption surge matched by adversary AI • Overprovisioned agents and shadow AI in SaaS • Governance thresholds before budget scale • PLG trials, sandbox, and POV sequencing • Visualization to reach the aha moment • Buying groups, ICP, and economic buyer alignment • Post‑sales usage, QBRs, NRR and churn signals • Zero trust limits and non-human identities • Breach disclosures as industry standards • Co-sourcing MSSP with in-house oversight Security isn’t slowing AI down; it’s the unlock that makes enterprise AI valuable. We dive into the AI agent economy with a CMO and a CFO who meet in the messy middle. The result is a practical blueprint for moving from hype to governed production without killing momentum. We start by mapping where controls fail: once users pass SSO and MFA, agents often operate beyond traditional identity and network guardrails. That’s how prompts pull sensitive deal data across Salesforce and Gmail, and how third‑party API links expand the attack surface. From there, we lay out an adoption sequence that balances trust and speed. Think frictionless free trials and sandboxes that reach an immediate “aha” visualization of shadow AI and permissions, then progress to a scoped POV inside the customer’s environment with clear policies and measurable outcomes. Along the way, we detail the buying group: economic buyers who sign and practitioners who live in the UI, plus the finance lens that sets pilot capital, milestones, and time-to-value expectations. We also challenge sacred cows. Zero trust is essential, but attackers increasingly log in with valid credentials and pivot through integrations, so verification must include non-human identities and agent-to-agent controls. Breach disclosures, far from being a greater threat than breaches, are foundational to ecosystem trust and faster remediation. And while MSSPs add critical scale, co-sourcing—retaining strategic oversight and compliance ownership—keeps accountability inside. If you care about ICP, PLG motions, PQLs, NRR, or simply reducing AI risk while driving growth, this conversation turns buzzwords into a playbook you can run. Vamshi Sriperumbudur: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vamsri Vamshi Sriperumbudur was recently the CMO for Prisma SASE at Palo Alto Networks, where he led a complete marketing transformation, driving an impact of $1.3 billion in ARR in 2025 (up 35%) and establishing it as the platform leader.  Chithra Rajagopalan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chithra-rajagopalan-mba/ Chithra Rajagopalan is the Head of Finance at Obsidian Security and former Head of Finance at Glue, and she is recognized as a leader in scaling businesses. Chithra is also an Investor and Advisory Board member for Campfire, serving as the President and Treasurer of Blossom Projects. Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/ Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/ Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/ Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

    1h 3m
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

The Spark of Ages podcast is about the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence through a marketing lens.  We are living in the middle of the most important "spark for the ages".   Our episodes are either about looking back to teach us what we can learn for this moment, or looking forward for where the next spark might be.We highlight the stories from business leaders at the intersection of marketing, technology and innovation.

Information

  • Creator
    Rajiv Parikh
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Spark of Ages
  • Show Website
    Spark of Ages