The Morning P!NG

Jane Lo, Rob Whitten, Justin Starbird

Fast coffee. Bold ideas. Real conversations… served wicked early. The Morning P!NG is a high-energy podcast brewed at the intersection of coffee culture, innovation, and community. Hosted by storyteller Justin Starbird alongside p!ng cofounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten, the show delivers candid, caffeine-fueled conversations about building something new, and doing it with grit, heart, and a strong New England backbone. At its core, The Morning P!NG is about starting the day with intention, good coffee, smart conversation, and a reminder that big ideas can come from anywhere. Grab a cup!

Episodes

  1. Founder-Funded Disruption: Why The CEOs of P!ng and RISE Robotics Are Investing in Each Other

    May 28

    Founder-Funded Disruption: Why The CEOs of P!ng and RISE Robotics Are Investing in Each Other

    In this crossover episode of The Morning P!ng, Ping co-founders Rob Whitten and Jane Lo sit down with Hiten Sonpal, CEO of RISE Robotics, to pull back the curtain on the founder-investor relationship.  Hiten breaks down his personal investment thesis: the critical "3 Ts" (Team, TAM, and Traction) that made him support p!ng. Rob and Jane reveal why they put their money into RISE (it’s all about crushing antiquated systems, from coffee drive-thrus to the $750 billion hydraulic market).  The conversation gets real on startup resilience, the power of healthy conflict, and how they navigate massive crowdfunding campaigns on Wefunder.  Tune in for master-level strategy on scaling, culture, and learning to love being wrong! Want to join the movement!? You can explore the community investment opportunities for both P!NG and RISE Robotics on Wefunder.

    36 min
  2. From AgTech to Autonomous Coffee: Rory MacKean on p!ng

    May 14

    From AgTech to Autonomous Coffee: Rory MacKean on p!ng

    Tired of the drive-thru line eating up your morning? According to the team at p!ng⁠ , it is not bad luck... it is a broken system. This week on The Morning P!NG podcast⁠, founders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten are joined by new CTO Rory MacKean⁠, a robotics engineer and startup builder with a background spanning factory automation, autonomous mobile robots, agricultural robotics, and consumer robotics startups. Rory breaks down why traditional drive-thrus create what he calls a “queuing nightmare,” and how p!ng is approaching the problem from a completely different angle by designing an autonomous coffee experience from the ground up. The conversation dives into the real-world chaos of automation, including multi-order vehicles, connectivity issues, operational logistics, and why building directly in front of real customers has become one of p!ng’s biggest advantages. They also discuss an unexpected lesson learned along the way: even in an autonomous future, the friendly site host still matters. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build autonomous retail technology in the real world, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

    37 min
  3. Monetizing "Dead Space": The autonomous coffee pod disrupting the commercial real estate market

    Apr 30

    Monetizing "Dead Space": The autonomous coffee pod disrupting the commercial real estate market

    The 120-Square-Foot Land Grab: How Robotics is Cracking the Real Estate Code Forget everything you know about drive-thrus. This week, we're dissecting the game-changer that is p!ng's coffee pod.  Commercial real estate legends Jim Sylvia (JSylvia Advisory Services) and Louis Cirignano The Synergy Group join the p!ng founders to talk about how a 120 sq. ft. autonomous coffee pod, with no water or sewer hookups, is unlocking massive, untapped revenue in "dead space" parking lots. You'll learn why this "Lego Block" of retail is solving traditional drive-thru zoning nightmares, beating Starbucks' 18-month build times, and setting the precedent for a new, profitable class of micro-franchising.  If you own commercial property or think the future of retail is broken, you need to hear this conversation about the coming shift in the last 50 feet of development! Learn more about p!ng!

    38 min
  4. The Coffee-Loving EMT Who Bet His Money Against Starbucks and Dunkin'

    Apr 16

    The Coffee-Loving EMT Who Bet His Money Against Starbucks and Dunkin'

    In the coffee world, keeping a customer is the hardest part. So, what do you do when 67% of your customers keep coming back? Host Justin Starbird and p!ng CEO Rob Witten are joined by Jon Kelley, an EMT, one of p!ng’s first customers, and a highly passionate investor. Jon, a lifelong New Englander who grew up surrounded by Dunkin’, breaks down exactly how p!ng’s robotic pod turned his one-time curiosity into a daily habit. It’s more than just speed. It’s the "no-friction" lifestyle. Hear Jon talk about: The moment he realized the "Blue Energy Drink" was better than a burnt cup from the shop down the street. The tech that ensures your drink is made right before you arrive, thanks to the app's geofencing. Why the consistency and quality of the robotic drink beats a human barista (even on overnights and holidays). How his conviction led him to literally show up with a check and inspire p!ng’s crowdfunding round. This episode shows exactly what product-market fit looks like in the real world, and how a great customer experience becomes the foundation for real scale.

    24 min
  5. How Investors Spot the Next Big Thing (Before Everyone Else)

    Apr 2

    How Investors Spot the Next Big Thing (Before Everyone Else)

    Investing in the Drive-Thru of Tomorrow Justin Starbird is joined by p!ng co-founders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten, along with their lead investor, Haley Bryant from Hustle Fund, to get the unfiltered story of how they met. Haley breaks down the Hustle Fund thesis, why they bet on a team's execution, not just the "spicy pitch deck," and how Rob and Jane's ability to "come back with hardware in less than a year" was the ultimate signal. You'll hear the team discuss: The Power of EQ: Why Hustle Fund prioritizes founders with high emotional intelligence and "kindness" who are in it for the long, 20-year journey. The Next Chapter: The clear, aggressive milestones the team is hitting, from providing a five-star customer experience with the first pod to redesigning for mass manufacturability so they can "crank out hundreds, even thousands" next. Democratizing Ownership: How p!ng's Wefunder campaign is strategically bringing early believers and customers into the fold, turning them into future licensees and marketers. This conversation is a masterclass in founder-investor alignment, proving that sometimes, the only path to a "yes" is to simply go out and build the thing.

    42 min
  6. Sorry Starbucks…You Just Got p!nged

    Mar 19

    Sorry Starbucks…You Just Got p!nged

    It’s the question everyone asks: "How are you ever going to beat the biggest name in coffee!?"  And the answer from p!ng founders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten? We already are. We're not playing the same game. While the competition is busy managing chaos, adding endless apps, confusing menus, and more clicks, p!ng has removed it. We took the 70-year-old drive-thru, tossed out the headaches, and built a robot-powered system that delivers the perfect cup.  Every time. In seconds. The proof? Our pilot showed an impressive 67% repeat customer rate with ZERO rewards programs. It turns out when you make life easier, people show up! If your coffee run is the most stressful part of your morning, this episode is a wake-up call! Stop tolerating the line. Be a part of the future of coffee! Get the full story and invest in our community round, open to the public: wefunder.com/ping

    28 min
  7. Smart Money! Fast Coffee

    Mar 5

    Smart Money! Fast Coffee

    It’s the morning after the Super Bowl in New England. In Boston, spirits are mixed, and coffee is not optional. Justin Starbird is back with p!ng CoFounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten to talk about their community round and what it feels like to open the doors to everyday investors. They share why crowdfunding mattered from the start, what it’s been like to reconnect with friends and family you have not talked to in years, and how “smart money” often shows up with advice and introductions, not just dollars. They also get real about what it takes to scale. The plan, the milestones, the risks, and the way they think about keeping investors in the loop as the pod network grows. Then the conversation turns practical: Form C timing, the week-to-week rhythm of momentum, and the ongoing debate between paid ads and trusted newsletters. Around here, we do not sugarcoat losses, but we do refuel fast. And if your day needs a reset, you’re in the right place. Learn more at wefunder.com/ping.

    26 min
  8. Robot Pioneers: Helen Greiner on Building Robots That Matter

    Feb 25

    Robot Pioneers: Helen Greiner on Building Robots That Matter

    In this special Morning p!ng Coffee Chat, we sit down with robotics pioneer Helen Greiner, Cofounder of iRobot, alongside longtime collaborator Chris Norman and Rob Whitten. From the early PackBot days to the global success of Roomba, Helen shares what it really took to bring robots out of the lab and into everyday life.  We talk about: Why most founders start with the wrong problemThe 12-year road to product-market fit at iRobotWhy robotics is harder than it looksThe real future of humanoids (and why today isn’t the day)How robots can transform elderly care and daily lifeWhat startup founders consistently get wrongWe also reflect on the iRobot legacy, the products, the people, and the companies it inspired (Boston Dynamics, Kiva Systems, and beyond). This episode is especially meaningful for us at p!ng, as we officially announce the public launch of our Wefunder community round. If you care about robotics, startups, product-market fit, and building technology that actually improves daily life, this one’s for you.

    1h 1m
  9. Death of the Coffee Line

    Feb 19

    Death of the Coffee Line

    You know that moment when you pull up to the drive-thru and already regret it? Episode 2 is for that exact feeling. Justin Starbird sits down again with p!ng cofounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten to talk through how the whole system actually works, without turning it into a science fair. They break down how the app and on-site sensors line you up in the right order, why the window handoff matters, and how the goal stays the same every time: your drink is ready when you arrive, not five minutes before. They also get into the stuff New Englanders complain about loudly and correctly: lids that fail, spills in the backseat, and drinks that taste like they have been waiting longer than you have. Around here, we do not have time for a coffee adventure. You will hear how p!ng is thinking about 24/7 access for night shift workers, why energy drinks belong on the menu, and how custom caffeine levels could become a real thing. They also touch on the community round on Wefunder and why letting customers invest just makes sense. Fast coffee. Clear choices. No nonsense.

    31 min
  10. Coffee at Code Speed

    Feb 19

    Coffee at Code Speed

    Coffee lines are still a mess. This episode is about fixing them. Justin Starbird sits down with p!ng cofounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten to talk about why drive-thru coffee still feels stuck in the past, and why New England impatience might be the perfect fuel for a better system. Scratchy speaker, wrong order, cold cup. A New England classic. They share the origin story, their backgrounds, and what they learned from the pilot: people came back again and again, even without a loyalty program, and the loudest request was simple. More hours. More pods. Now. As we all know, New Englanders do patience in small doses. You will hear how p!ng plans to make coffee faster without turning it into a sad, lukewarm afterthought. Orders can sit for hours, but the drink does not get made until you are close, so it stays fresh. They also dig into the community round on Wefunder and why they want customers to become investors from day one.  Fast coffee. Bold ideas. Real talk. Wicked early.

    29 min
  11. Wicked Early

    Feb 19

    Wicked Early

    The coffee is hot. The sun is barely up. Justin Starbird joins p!ng CoFounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten to open the very first conversation of The Morning p!ng. This episode introduces the story behind p!ng, a modern coffee experience built around speed, community, and bold ideas. The founders talk through early risks, long mornings, small wins, and the real work of building a startup people trust enough to visit every day. You will hear how coffee culture, robotics, and local connection all shape the brand they are creating from the ground up. Expect honest founder stories, clear thinking, and a strong New England tone that values effort over noise. This is a podcast about momentum, routine, and showing up before the world gets busy. Start your day with real conversation, a fresh perspective, and a reminder that big ideas often begin with a simple cup of coffee.

    2 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Fast coffee. Bold ideas. Real conversations… served wicked early. The Morning P!NG is a high-energy podcast brewed at the intersection of coffee culture, innovation, and community. Hosted by storyteller Justin Starbird alongside p!ng cofounders Jane Lo and Rob Whitten, the show delivers candid, caffeine-fueled conversations about building something new, and doing it with grit, heart, and a strong New England backbone. At its core, The Morning P!NG is about starting the day with intention, good coffee, smart conversation, and a reminder that big ideas can come from anywhere. Grab a cup!

Information

  • Creator
    Jane Lo, Rob Whitten, Justin Starbird
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jane Lo, Rob Whitten, Justin Starbird
  • Show Website
    The Morning P!NG