10x Unicorns Podcast

Shane Austrie
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  • Entrepreneurship

This is a part-time podcast showcasing the amazing VC-backed startups and investors that Shane (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaneaustrie) meets along his journey. Feel free to subscribe to the newsletter: http://10xunicorns.com/

  1. From Classics to Cosmos; Mark Stokes on Powering the Startup Space Race

    06/26/2025

    From Classics to Cosmos; Mark Stokes on Powering the Startup Space Race

    How does a kid obsessed with ancient Rome end up building rocket software for startups? In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Mark Stokes, CEO of Magdrive, a space-tech startup building high-performance propulsion systems to move satellites and spacecraft through orbit and beyond. With a background in physics and a deep curiosity about how the world (and universe) works, Mark shares how he went from reading classics to pioneering electric plasma engines for New Space companies. In this wide-ranging conversation, you'll hear: – Why most small satellites today are “floating bricks” with no way to maneuver – How Magdrive is enabling a new layer of autonomy for satellites – The shift from university labs to venture-backed space startups – What it's like fundraising in a high-risk deep-tech field – Why space propulsion isn’t about fuel, but control and precision – The mental shift from research scientist to company CEO – How to hire in aerospace when you’re competing with SpaceX – The unexpected intersections between classic literature and startup leadership – What the future of space logistics looks like—and why Mark believes “mobility is freedom” even in orbit – The role of the UK space ecosystem in the next decade A blend of philosophy, physics, and founder grit—this episode captures the ambition behind making space tech more accessible, precise, and commercially viable.

    35 min
  2. The EV Gap; Kameale Terry’s Bet on Broken Chargers

    06/26/2025

    The EV Gap; Kameale Terry’s Bet on Broken Chargers

    In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Kameale Terry, co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp, to explore the overlooked crisis in the electric revolution: broken EV chargers. Born and raised in South Central LA to Belizean immigrants, Kameale shares how resilience, curiosity, and community shaped her path from tech ops to climate startup founder. They cover: – The hidden issue of EV charger maintenance—and why no one budgeted for it – How her dad’s repair skills shaped her approach to IoT infrastructure – Raising venture capital as a Black woman founder during a pandemic – The importance of focus—why ChargerHelp only fixes chargers – Scaling reliability operations across 17+ states – Why EVs are “computers on wheels”—and what that means for identity and payments – ChargerHelp’s “Reliability as a Service” model and uptime guarantees – The value of saying “I don’t know” as a founder – Balancing belief vs. delusion when building from zero – How solving infrastructure creates jobs and long-term impact For anyone building in climate, hardware, or overlooked corners of tech—this one’s a masterclass in resilience and focus.

    25 min
  3. Turning Creators into Collectibles; How Revel Is Redefining Social Media

    06/26/2025

    Turning Creators into Collectibles; How Revel Is Redefining Social Media

    In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Braxton Bragg, VP of Growth at Revel, a social app turning creators into tradable digital collectibles. Braxton walks us through how Revel blends gamification, community, and crypto—without the hype—to reshape what it means to be a creator in the Web3 era. Together, they explore: – How Revel works and why creators make digital "trading cards" – Why Revel isn’t chasing speculation—and how that shapes UX – The platform’s roots in social media and gaming culture – Lessons from Braxton’s time at Zynga, Slice, and McKinsey – Gamification tricks (like “Daily Shake”) that keep users coming back – How new artists build community from scratch on Revel – Why even casual users can be “collected” by friends and family – What makes good product leadership in scrappy startups – Balancing vision with practical constraints in fast-moving teams – Why Braxton believes fans should benefit too—not just influencers Whether you're a builder, creator, or Web3 skeptic, this conversation dives into the creative and economic layers behind the next wave of social apps.

    21 min
  4. The Climate Founder’s Diet; Spirulina, Startups, and Staying Resilient

    04/23/2025

    The Climate Founder’s Diet; Spirulina, Startups, and Staying Resilient

    In this episode, Shane Austrie chats with Jonas Guenther, co-founder of We Are the New Farmers, a startup turning spirulina—a climate-resilient superfood—into a mainstream nutritional product. From farming algae on a Brooklyn rooftop to pitching to sustainability VCs, Jonas shares the gritty realities of building in climate tech. What’s inside: – How spirulina could replace meat, dairy, and soy in the climate diet – What Jonas learned from running a rooftop farm in NYC – The trade-offs between bootstrapping and raising capital – How to market a product people don’t understand yet – Lessons from selling spirulina cubes door-to-door – Why community and culture matter in food startups – A candid take on burnout, founder loneliness, and staying grounded – What climate founders can learn from nature’s pace – How climate messaging can inspire—not guilt—consumers – The spiritual side of resilience in mission-driven work A deeply honest episode about food, the planet, and the internal life of a founder trying to do both justice.

    48 min
  5. From Bolivia to Fintech: The Fuse Founder’s Journey

    02/11/2025

    From Bolivia to Fintech: The Fuse Founder’s Journey

    In this powerful episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Andres Klaric, co-founder of Fuse, a fintech startup transforming how banks and credit unions handle loan origination. Born and raised in Bolivia, Andres shares his unconventional journey from growing up in South America to building software that’s reshaping financial access in the U.S. They cover: – What Fuse actually does (and doesn’t do) – How growing up in Bolivia shaped Andres’ thinking on money and credit – Lessons on startup discipline, pivoting with data, and building with conviction – Why time—not talent—is the real startup advantage – The two founder traits Andres sees over and over again A must-listen for anyone curious about building real infrastructure, not just buzzwords.

    22 min
  6. Justice on a Budget; How SoloSuit Levels the Legal Playing Field

    12/15/2024

    Justice on a Budget; How SoloSuit Levels the Legal Playing Field

    Justice on a Budget: George Simons on Making Legal Help Affordable with SoloSuit In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with George Simons, co-founder of SoloSuit, a startup helping everyday Americans fight back against debt lawsuits—without needing to hire a lawyer. From a law school project to a venture-backed platform serving users across the U.S., George shares how SoloSuit is turning legal defense into a product. This episode covers: – The $1B+ debt lawsuits SoloSuit has helped users respond to – Why traditional lawyers avoid debt collection cases—and how SoloSuit fills the gap – How George’s bad car purchase inspired a startup – Why court fees in 20 U.S. states punish the poor – The surprising factors that influence how much you can settle a debt for – From art to law to tech: George’s unconventional path – Early wins in marketing through YouTube and SEO – How the team scaled SoloSuit from Utah to nationwide – Getting into Y Combinator and TechCrunch Battlefield – George’s take on what traits great founders really have For anyone building in access-to-justice, fintech, or who just loves a good underdog story—this one’s for you.

    28 min
  7. Rewriting Estate Planning; Renee Fry on Protecting Families with Gentreo

    10/16/2024

    Rewriting Estate Planning; Renee Fry on Protecting Families with Gentreo

    In this episode, Shane Austrie speaks with Renee Fry, co-founder and CEO of Gentreo, a platform bringing estate planning into the digital age. Born from personal experience and frustration with costly legal systems, Gentreo empowers families to protect their health, assets, and loved ones—without $10K lawyer fees. They cover: – The origin of “Gentreo” and its three-generation mission – Why estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy – How digital vaults and asset sharing are changing the game – COVID’s impact on awareness of healthcare proxies – How Gentreo blends B2B2C to meet users at life inflection points – Fundraising transparency and building a mission-led team – The overlooked value of digital assets and passwords – How Renee’s family inspired (and sells) the product – Pricing and why estate planning should be a living, ongoing process – What boundless energy and embracing failure taught her as a founder This is an episode for anyone building trust-driven products, selling into emotional moments—or just trying to understand the real meaning behind legacy tech.

    32 min
  8. Rewriting Benefits; Marshall Darr on StretchDollar’s Small Biz Mission

    08/14/2024

    Rewriting Benefits; Marshall Darr on StretchDollar’s Small Biz Mission

    Health benefits for small businesses are broken—and Marshall Darr is trying to fix them. In this episode, Shane Austrie speaks with the CEO and co-founder of StretchDollar, a startup that helps small businesses offer pre-tax health funding without the red tape of traditional group plans. Marshall shares how a deep background in health tech (Gusto, Decent) and a post-layoff rally with a like-minded team led to StretchDollar’s formation. Together, they’re flipping the model—empowering employees to choose their own plans while saving time and money for business owners. In this episode: – Why traditional small-group insurance is expensive, clunky, and often pointless – How StretchDollar turns a 60-hour process into a $15/month subscription – What the ICHRA regulation enabled—and why few founders know about it – Lessons from marketing benefits at Gusto and building infrastructure from scratch – What email automation gets right (and wrong) in health tech – The team origin story: a "healthcare mafia" born from layoffs – Wrestling, body image, and what cutting weight taught Marshall about systems and control – Cold email skepticism, warm email obsession – Why small businesses should be the best places to work—and what’s holding them back – The two traits Marshall believes every founder must have A personal and practical episode about rebuilding a broken system with empathy, grit, and infrastructure thinking.

    20 min
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About

This is a part-time podcast showcasing the amazing VC-backed startups and investors that Shane (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaneaustrie) meets along his journey. Feel free to subscribe to the newsletter: http://10xunicorns.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Shane Austrie
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shane Austrie
  • Show Website
    10x Unicorns Podcast