Trailblazers

Erica Wenger
  • 4.9 (63)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger, GP at Park Rangers Capital. Each week, Erica sits down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. From billion-dollar exits to scrappy early pivots, Trailblazers brings you unfiltered stories of how the next generation of companies are really built. Guests share the hardest moments, the surprising wins, and the lessons that don’t make it onto LinkedIn. This podcast is presented by Brex. New episodes every Tuesday.

  1. Leah Solivan: Founder of TaskRabbit and Precedent.vc

    1D AGO

    Leah Solivan: Founder of TaskRabbit and Precedent.vc

    This week, we chat with Leah Solivan! Leah is the founder of TaskRabbit, the pioneering on-demand marketplace that helped redefine the future of work and laid the foundation for what we now know as the gig economy. As CEO for eight years, she scaled TaskRabbit into an international business operating in more than 40 cities before overseeing its successful acquisition by IKEA in 2017. Today, Leah continues to build and back world-changing companies as Managing Director of Precedent.vc, General Partner at Fuel Capital, and founder of The Precedent Collective. Across her investing career, she’s supported more than 150 companies spanning consumer technology, marketplaces, hardware, education, and retail, including companies like Nanit, Pacaso, Our Place, Good Dog, and Upwards. Before founding TaskRabbit, Leah began her career as a software engineer at IBM, where she worked on products like Lotus Notes and Domino, building the technical foundation that would later shape her journey as a founder and investor. Leah is also a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship, proudly representing her Latina heritage and speaking globally on topics like the future of work, innovation, and leadership. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Leah Solivan: @labunleashed Breaking Precedent Podcast: https://www.breakingprecedent.com/ https://truthorlie.ai/ @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

    59 min
  2. Mariam Naficy: Founder of Minted and CEO at Arcade

    APR 28

    Mariam Naficy: Founder of Minted and CEO at Arcade

    This week, we chat with Mariam Naficy! A serial entrepreneur and visionary leader known for pioneering new ways to connect creativity, technology, and human expression. Mariam is the Founder and Chairman of Minted, and now the Founder and CEO of Arcade, a platform that uses AI to help people communicate visually — transcending geographic and language barriers to connect creators, artisans, and consumers worldwide. For Mariam, Arcade is a full-circle moment. Having grown up overseas exploring marketplaces and bazaars, she developed a lifelong love of handcrafted objects and the stories behind them. At Arcade, she’s bringing that passion to life — using technology to foster deeper human connection. By training models for makers like Christofle, Bitossi Ceramiche, Cabana, and Anastasio Home, as well as manufacturers around the world, Arcade empowers anyone to create meaningful, personal objects that reflect individual taste and creativity. Before founding Arcade, Mariam built some of the Internet’s most influential creative brands over the past several decades. She founded and built Minted, the design marketplace that revolutionized the creator economy and became a several hundred million dollar business, and co-founded Eve.com, the very first online cosmetics retailer in the world, in 1998. At the heart of her work is a belief that technology, when used thoughtfully, can bring meaning, beauty, and connection into people’s lives—as well as create meaningful income for others, such as the Minted artist community. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Mariam Naficy: @mnaficy Arcade: arcade_ai @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

    1h 7m
  3. Marlon Nichols: Co-Founder of MaC Venture Capital

    APR 21

    Marlon Nichols: Co-Founder of MaC Venture Capital

    This week, we chat with Marlon Nichols! Marlon is the co-founder and managing general partner of MaC Venture Capital, a leading seed-stage firm backing visionary founders who are redefining industries and shaping the future. Under his leadership, MaC has grown into one of North America’s largest seed-stage venture firms, with over $600 million in assets under management. He’s backed an incredible portfolio of companies including MongoDB, Gimlet Media, Thrive Market, Blavity, and Pipe—consistently identifying cultural and technological shifts before they hit the mainstream. His ability to spot transformative opportunities has earned him recognition on Business Insider’s Seed 100 and PitchBook’s top VCs to watch. Before founding MaC Venture Capital, Marlon launched Cross Culture Ventures and served as an investment director at Intel Capital, developing a sharp lens on the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior. A former professional athlete, Marlon brings a leadership style rooted in discipline and long-term vision, and is deeply committed to expanding access in venture capital through his work with Kauffman Fellows. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Marlon Nichols @MarlonCNichols MaC Ventures: MaCVentureCap @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

    1h 7m
  4. Paige Hendrix Buckner: CEO at All Raise

    APR 14

    Paige Hendrix Buckner: CEO at All Raise

    This week, we chat with Paige Hendrix Buckner! Paige is the CEO of All Raise, a nonprofit working to accelerate the success of women and non-binary venture capitalists and reshape the culture of the venture ecosystem. She previously served as All Raise’s Chief of Staff and Interim CEO before stepping into the role full time. Before joining All Raise, Paige was the COO of Founder Gym, the largest online program training underrepresented founders on how to raise venture capital. Her career spans public service, entrepreneurship, and community building. She started at Teach For America, later became Policy Director for Multnomah County in Oregon, and went on to found her own venture, ClientJoy. She also developed the TIE Young Entrepreneurs program and was a founding board member of XXcelerate, initiatives focused on helping the next generation of entrepreneurs and women founders succeed. Paige has been featured in publications like Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and TechCrunch, where she shares insights on venture capital, diversity in tech, and why building a more inclusive ecosystem is critical to innovation and long-term success. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Paige: @PaigeHBuckner All Raise: @AllRaise @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

    1h 9m
  5. Rob Schutz: Founder of Snagged

    APR 7

    Rob Schutz: Founder of Snagged

    This week, we chat with Rob Schutz! Rob is a serial entrepreneur, operator, and growth expert who’s spent his career building and scaling technology businesses that challenge outdated systems. He’s the founder of Snagged, where he helps entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies acquire premium domain names—and he’s also the co-founder of Ro, the digital health platform that’s transformed how millions of people access care and was last valued at $7 billion. Before Ro, Rob was employee number seven and later VP of Growth at Bark, where he helped take the company from zero to a $100 million run rate and ultimately to the public markets as NYSE:BARK. Earlier in his career, he worked in healthcare consulting, helping hospitals transition to digital EMRs, and even founded and sold a daily deals company called What’s the Deal—a move that set the stage for his long-term focus on marketing, growth, and scaling consumer tech. At Ro, Rob played a key role in building a vertically integrated digital clinic—combining telemedicine, pharmacy, and logistics—to make healthcare more accessible, stigma-free, and user-first. His work has helped redefine what modern healthcare can look like, especially in areas like men’s health, mental health, and chronic care. Rob is a Penn State graduate and currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two young kids, and his dog. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Rob Schutz: @rob Snagged: @snagged @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger 🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital!

    1h 7m
  6. Mayssa Chehata: Founder of Behave Candy

    MAR 31

    Mayssa Chehata: Founder of Behave Candy

    This week, we chat with Mayssa Chehata! Mayssa is the founder of BEHAVE Candy, the first low-sugar, clean-label candy designed not to spike blood sugar. Inspired by her love of sweets and her father’s diabetes, she set out to create a better alternative—partnering with chefs and food scientists to develop candy that delivers on taste while helping reduce sugar in the food system. In addition to building BEHAVE, Mayssa is also the host of the ROCK BOTTOM podcast, and is a writer and speaker. Before starting her company, she built her career across a range of well-known organizations, including the NFL, Uber, Daily Harvest, and SoulCycle. And outside of all that, she also moonlights as a DJ. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Mayssa Chehata: @mayssa_c @behavecandy @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger 🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital!

    1h 8m
  7. Satya Patel: Co-Founding Parter of Homebrew and Screendoor

    MAR 24

    Satya Patel: Co-Founding Parter of Homebrew and Screendoor

    This week we chat with Satya Patel! Satya is the co-founding General Partner of Homebrew, a seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco. Through Homebrew, Satya has backed some of the most impactful startups of the past decade, including Chime, Cruise, Finix, Gusto, Habi, Honor, Plaid, and Shield AI. He’s also the co-founder of Screendoor, an investment platform designed to support emerging fund managers by pairing mentorship from experienced GPs with anchor capital from world-class institutional LPs. Before becoming a venture capitalist, Satya served as VP of Product at Twitter, where he built and led the Product Management and User Services teams during a pivotal period of the company’s growth. Prior to that, he held venture and product roles across the tech ecosystem, including serving as a Partner at Battery Ventures and as a product management leader at Google. Satya has been recognized on the Forbes Midas List Seed for his track record backing category-defining companies, particularly in fintech and AI. The U.S.-born son of Indian immigrants, he grew up in Las Vegas before building a career at the intersection of technology, product, and venture capital. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Satya Patel: @satyap @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger 🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital!

    1h 2m
  8. Kipp Bodnar: CMO at HubSpot

    MAR 17

    Kipp Bodnar: CMO at HubSpot

    This week we chat with Kipp Bodnar! Kipp is the Chief Marketing Officer of HubSpot, the #1 CRM platform for scaling companies, where he leads the company’s global marketing strategy—driving awareness, demand, and growth across one of the most influential software brands in the world. Before stepping into the CMO role, Kipp served as Vice President of Marketing at HubSpot, overseeing worldwide demand generation, building out the EMEA and APAC marketing teams, and managing field marketing, localization, strategic partnerships, and social media. He’s helped shape how modern SaaS companies think about growth at scale. Beyond HubSpot, Kipp is a trusted advisor to leading SaaS companies like SimplyMeasured, InsightSquared, and Guidebook. He’s also the co-author of The B2B Social Media Book, a playbook for marketers looking to generate real results through digital channels. An industry-leading speaker, blogger, and marketing strategist, Kipp combines storytelling with data-driven execution—and has been at the forefront of how B2B marketing has evolved over the past decade. This is going to be a masterclass in modern marketing. ✨ This episode is presented by Brex. Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena. RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger Follow Us! Kipp Bodnar: @kippbodnar @thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger 🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital! HubSpot AEO Grader: https://www.hubspot.com/aeo-grader Marketing Against The Grain Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MATGpod

    55 min
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4.9
out of 5
63 Ratings

About

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger, GP at Park Rangers Capital. Each week, Erica sits down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. From billion-dollar exits to scrappy early pivots, Trailblazers brings you unfiltered stories of how the next generation of companies are really built. Guests share the hardest moments, the surprising wins, and the lessons that don’t make it onto LinkedIn. This podcast is presented by Brex. New episodes every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Erica Wenger
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Trailblazers

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