Inside the C-Suite with David Wurth

C-Suite Media
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Access and insights from the most innovative leaders in business from around the world

  1. Oct 20

    From Fleeing Soviet Uzbekistan as a Kid to Building Billions in Fintech with Avant

    From immigrating to Chicago at age 8 to building one of America's leading fintech platforms, Al Goldstein has spent his career challenging how Americans access financial services. The founder of Avant joins Inside the C-Suite to discuss his remarkable journey from Soviet-era Uzbekistan to Wall Street, his early success building and exiting a previous fintech company, and the lessons learned from more than two decades of entrepreneurship. Founded in 2012, Avant has served more than 4.8 million cumulative customers, issued over 3.3 million credit cards through its platform since 2017, and generated $2.43 billion in loan originations in 2025, while achieving GAAP profitability in 2024 and maintaining it since. Goldstein shares how his parents' sacrifices shaped his appetite for risk, why competitive sports taught him to embrace failure, and how he navigated the difficult decisions required to build a sustainable financial institution. He also explores his early adoption of neural networks in lending, the creation and eventual sale of banking technology company Amount, and Avant's ambitions to become a federally chartered bank. Throughout the conversation, Goldstein reflects on the evolution of consumer lending, the importance of expanding access to credit for middle-income Americans, and his ultimate ambition: building a business that will stand the test of time and outlive its founders. Chapters: Introduction: Al Goldstein and the American Dream Growing Up in Soviet Uzbekistan and Immigrating to America Learning Competition, Risk, and Resilience Leaving Wall Street for Entrepreneurship Building and Selling His First Fintech Company Early AI and Neural Networks in Financial Services Founding Avant and Navigating the Challenges of Growth The Difficult Decision to Downsize in 2016 Turning Banking Partnerships into Amount Avant's Ambition to Become a Bank Building a Business That Outlives Its Founders

    From Fleeing Soviet Uzbekistan as a Kid to Building Billions in Fintech with Avant

  2. Feb 25

    From Beirut to Billion-dollar Unicorn | Founder and CEO, Oyster

    What does it really take to build a borderless workforce—and what does it cost the people chasing opportunity? In this episode, we sit down with Tony Jamous, Founder of Oyster, and Hadi Moussa, Oyster’s new CEO, to explore how lived experience, leadership evolution, and global inequality shaped one of the most important HR platforms of our time. Built during the chaos of COVID and now valued at $1.2B, Oyster isn’t just changing how companies hire—it’s challenging the idea that success must come at the cost of home, family, and identity. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why global hiring has been unnecessarily broken—and what it actually takes to fix it How childhood experiences of war, migration, and sacrifice shaped Oyster’s mission The hidden emotional and operational costs of scaling a “unicorn” the wrong way What Tony Jamous learned about fear-based leadership after his first billion-dollar exit How PTSD, burnout, and self-awareness quietly shape executive decision-making Why Oyster prioritized mission alignment over money when choosing investors What it really means to design a human-first company at global scale Why stepping aside as CEO can be an act of leadership—not failure How Oyster is working to reverse brain drain and reduce global wealth inequality What the future of work looks like when borders stop defining opportunity This is a conversation about leadership, identity, and building companies that don’t just scale—but heal. Perfect for founders, executives, operators, and anyone questioning the true cost of success in a global economy.

    From Beirut to Billion-dollar Unicorn | Founder and CEO, Oyster

  3. Jan 13

    Hawke CEO Erik Huberman on Why Most Businesses Fail-and How to Build One That Doesn't

    Most businesses don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because founders lose control of their finances—or refuse to adapt when reality changes. In this episode, Erik Huberman, founder and CEO of Hawke Media, breaks down the uncomfortable truths behind growth, marketing, and modern entrepreneurship. After selling his own ecommerce companies, Erik realized something few founders say out loud: most marketing agencies overcomplicate everything, chase the wrong clients, and leave growth-stage businesses stranded. So he built an alternative—one designed for founders in the messy middle. What started as a four-person team is now a 250-person company supporting more than 6,000 brands. Along the way, Erik developed a simple but ruthless framework: businesses only fail for two reasons—financial misalignment and a failure to adapt. In this conversation, we explore: Why “playing it safe” quietly kills companies The real reason most marketing doesn’t work How founders should think about risk, pressure, and ambition The three pillars of marketing that actually create trust What Erik looks for when investing through Hawke Ventures This isn’t a how-to episode. It’s a reality check—for founders, operators, and anyone trying to build something that lasts.

    Hawke CEO Erik Huberman on Why Most Businesses Fail-and How to Build One That Doesn't

  4. 06/03/2025

    Lucas Keller | CEO, Milk + Honey Music, Sports, and Venture

    In this episode, join David Wurth as he sits down with Lucas Keller, the visionary founder and president of Milk and Honey, a global talent management powerhouse that has reshaped both the music and sports industries. From humble beginnings in Wisconsin’s punk scene to building a music division whose clients have contributed to over a billion album sales and dozens of Grammy nominations annually, Lucas reveals the strategic moves that propelled Milk and Honey’s songwriters and producers to craft chart-topping hits for Dua Lipa, BTS, Post Malone, and beyond. Discover how Lucas parlayed his success in music publishing—brokered hundreds of millions in catalog sales at peak market multiples—into a groundbreaking sports agency representing NFL stars like Travis Kelce and Cortland Sutton. Lucas shares his playbook for scaling internationally, launching offices in New York, Nashville, London, and Dallas, and diversifying genre portfolios while maintaining high-touch service. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, music industry insider, or sports agent, Lucas’s resume-driven story—built on relentless hustle, strategic vision, and innovative asset-building—offers actionable lessons on building a resilient, asset-backed service empire. Tune in to learn how to turn creative passion into a multi-million-dollar platform that stands at the intersection of entertainment, advocacy, and investment.

    Lucas Keller | CEO, Milk + Honey Music, Sports, and Venture

  5. 01/31/2025

    Phil Shawe - CEO, Transperfect | From Dorm Room to $1B+ in Revenues

    "From Dorm Room to Billion-Dollar Success: Phil Shawe’s Journey with TransPerfect" How do you turn a two-person startup into a global leader with over 10,000 employees and $1 billion in revenue? Phil Shawe, CEO and Co-Founder of TransPerfect, shares the incredible journey of building the world’s largest translation services company—one that has achieved 33 consecutive years of growth. In this episode, we explore: How TransPerfect started as a school project and grew into an industry powerhouse The key strategies behind sustained growth, employee retention, and customer loyalty Why embracing AI and emerging technology has been critical to staying ahead The dramatic legal battle that led to TransPerfect relocating to Puerto Rico Shawe’s vision for the future as TransPerfect expands beyond language services This is an unmissable episode for entrepreneurs, innovators, and anyone looking to scale a business against all odds. Listen now on Spotify. #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #StartupSuccess #AI #Innovation #PhilShawe #TransPerfect

    Phil Shawe - CEO, Transperfect | From Dorm Room to $1B+ in Revenues

  6. 01/31/2025

    Anousheh Ansari - CEO, XPRIZE | From Space Traveler to Solving the World's Biggest Problems

    Building a Future That Doesn’t Yet Exist: An Interview With Anousheh Ansari From a young girl staring up at the stars in Iran to becoming a space traveler, tech entrepreneur, and CEO of XPRIZE, Anousheh Ansari has always dared to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist. In this powerful conversation, Ansari shares: How she manifested her journey to space and spent nine days aboard the International Space Station Her role in revolutionizing commercial space travel through the first XPRIZE competition The future of technology, AI, and sustainability, and how XPRIZE is solving humanity’s biggest challenges Why hope is the antidote to despair and how we can all contribute to a better future Join us for an inspiring discussion about innovation, impact, and shaping the world of tomorrow. Listen now on Spotify. #SpaceExploration #Innovation #XPRIZE #FutureOfTechnology #STEM #Entrepreneurship #HopeForTheFuture

    Anousheh Ansari - CEO, XPRIZE | From Space Traveler to Solving the World's Biggest Problems

  7. 12/31/2024

    Jessica Schaefer - Founder, Lushi | From High 8-Figure Exit to Rethinking the Process Around Women's Fertility

    Jessica Schaefer, a trailblazer in PR and communications, shares her inspiring journey from Point72 with Steven Cohen to founding Bevel, a PR firm that helped shape multi-billion-dollar brands like Venmo, Coinbase, and Acorns. In a candid conversation with CSQ’s David Wurth, Jessica delves into her unique approach to building brands, fostering diversity, and her bold entrepreneurial moves that led to Bevel’s $75 million acquisition. Jessica also introduces her latest venture, Lushi, a revolutionary fertility platform aimed at empowering women with innovative solutions to fertility challenges. She discusses how Lushy addresses the stigma around fertility treatments, simplifies complex medical processes, and creates an emotionally supportive experience. Jessica's story is a testament to resilience, bold vision, and breaking barriers in male-dominated industries. Tune in to learn from Jessica’s insights on leadership, the power of storytelling, and how she continues to redefine industries with her visionary approach. Perfect for entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone inspired by stories of innovation and empowerment.

    Jessica Schaefer - Founder, Lushi | From High 8-Figure Exit to Rethinking the Process Around Women's Fertility

  8. 12/31/2024

    Brandon Steven & Seth Glassman - Founders, Gravitas Club | Reinventing the Private Social Club

    Step into the world of high-stakes innovation and entrepreneurial brilliance with Brandon Steven and Seth Glassman, the visionary founders behind Gravitas Club in Beverly Hills. In this captivating conversation with CSQ's David Wurth, they share the journey of turning an underutilized corner into a 28,000-square-foot luxury members-only super club designed to redefine hospitality and community. From Brandon’s entrepreneurial roots selling pigeons at 12 to building a business empire across automotive (21 dealerships), fitness (71 health clubs), and hospitality, and Seth’s rise through top-tier restaurants and his passion for hospitality, discover how these two powerhouses merged their talents to create an unparalleled experience. Gravitas Club isn’t just a space—it’s a statement of sophistication with retractable roofs, private meeting spaces, and a culture-first approach that celebrates diversity, innovation, and exclusivity. Learn about the highs, the challenges, and their relentless pursuit of excellence as they've opened this transformative venue. Perfect for visionaries, business leaders, and anyone inspired by bold ideas, this episode reveals the making of a modern cornerstone for community in the heart of Beverly Hills.

    Brandon Steven & Seth Glassman - Founders, Gravitas Club | Reinventing the Private Social Club
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Access and insights from the most innovative leaders in business from around the world

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