Somewhat Frank Established

On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber (@FrankGruber) and John Guidos (@JohnGuidos) talk about the new COVID-19 vaccine that is getting rolled out to address the ongoing pandemic that has taken 300,000+ lives in the US alone. To put that in perspective, WWII took over 400,000 lives, so this vaccine may go down as one of the most important medical breakthroughs in our lifetime. Frank and John also chat about a few ridiculously large IPOs in the tech sector and the trend of migration from big cities. 
 
Frank also shares some stories and remembers the life of his good friend, Tony Hsieh. You can read his article celebrating Tony’s life at: https://tech.co/news/celebrating-tony-hsieh 
 
Frank also celebrates the following people from his network: 
Lou Mintzer  https://twitter.com/mintzer/status/1330873819809144833  Danica Kombol https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mwwpr-acquires-everywhere-agency-leading-influencer-marketing-firm-301190293.html?tc=eml_cleartime&fbclid=IwAR3ZquaI9FMezgAmN21I30x6aVWQhmY0WQOqQgI6ILW51dvcthZOUzP-3Ag  
The guys talk briefly about the 8th annual Startup of the Year Summit that occurred in November. From the startup pitches, to the conversations with folks like Tim Draper, Kara Goldin, and Mike Evans, Lo Toney, and many many more. We also had AMAs with Marc Nager, Carolyn Rodz, Marlon Nichols, NASA, USAF.
 
We also hosted 500+ Curated Office Hours during the summit, not to mention all the interactions and conversations that attendees set up on their own. We also had an amazing Top 100 semi-finalists this year! Here are a few fun stats: 
OVER half of our startups have a female on the founding team 74% of teams have a founder of color nearly 20% were Veteran-led companies SoLo Funds was named the 2020 Startup of the Year and Jeenie won the .US Veteran Startup of the Year. The Top 5 finalists included SoLo Funds, Jeenie, Finmark, GLASS, and Hoy Health. We also named Grifin as the People’s Choice Award winner. As always, remember to register for your free .us domain offer at est.us/SummitUS. 
 
We hope to see you in 2021! Sign up now to get notified about our 2021 application and upcoming events at: established.us/programs and startupofyear.com 
 
Up next, Established will be helping to host the Unvalley 2020 conference on December 17th and 18th. Our team at Established is the Production sponsor and some will be conducting the interviews at the event. This is not only an opportunity to see great speakers it is an opportunity for anyone looking to find a job that best fits their culture or vibe outside of the valley.  Register for Unvalley at the following: https://est.us/unvalley20 
 
Unvalley is a two day virtual conference to connect attendees with the biggest opportunities in tech between the coasts. Speakers include the following:
Steve Case from Revolution and Rise of the Rest.  Arlan Hamilton from BackStage Capital  Rand Fishkin from Moz Mary Grove from Bread and Butter Ventures and many many more.  The guys also discuss the following things they are reading/watching:
Do you know the origin story of Monopoly? Monopoly Was Designed to Teach the 99% About Income Inequality. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/monopoly-was-designed-teach-99-about-income-inequality-180953630/?fbclid=IwAR0Uzcy2c-GkxVwiLSmnBCirgo8lPp12YIh5wKJreyoHHd439G5czv2dtyw Movie night is going to be at home in 2021. Warner Bros. Smashes Box Office Windows, Will Send Entire 2021 Slate to HBO Max and Theaters. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-smashes-box-office-windows-will-send-2021-slate-to-hbo-max-and-theaters Wonder Women on Merry Christmas!!! Wonder Woman 1984 will be released on HBO Max the same day it’s in theaters for no extra cost. https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/18/21504152/wonder-woman-1984-release-delay-new-date-war

On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber (@FrankGruber) and John Guidos (@JohnGuidos) talk about Friday the 13th and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. They also talk about the following current trending topics:  
#WorldKindnessDay  #FridayMotivation #Elon #PS5 Frank also celebrates the following people from his network: 
Ari Newman has launched a new seed fund, The Fund Rockies - https://arinewman.medium.com/launching-the-fund-rockies-54a575411ed9 Josh Williams has relaunched the geo-location app, GoWalla - https://go.gowalla.com/ Matt Van Horn has launched the Gen3 June Oven, just in time for the holidays. - http://juneoven.com/ Matt Haggman joined the Beacon Council as EVP. - https://www.beaconcouncil.com/matt-haggman-joins-the-miami-dade-beacon-council/?fbclid=IwAR1bqk1ufKsR5s1Q2Di6Poh63XZrgh4Ja-iUuVFwHQxKNczxPX99eeLkx6E Kira M. Newman for editing the new book, The Gratitude Project (https://amzn.to/2Hs6KGA), the result of a multiyear collaboration between the Greater Good Science Center and Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis.  Courtney and Tye Caldwell of ShearShare have raised $2.3M more funding (Note: I’ve invested in ShearShare through Established Ventures). - https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/26/dallas-shearshare-has-a-marketplace-connecting-stylists-with-available-seats-at-salons-and-2-3-million-in-funding/ Mac Conwell on the launch of RareBreed VC. - https://technical.ly/baltimore/2020/10/29/mckeever-conwell-rarebreed-vc/ Susan McPherson on her book, The Lost Art of Connecting, due out next year. - https://amzn.to/3eWUiuI Ron Klain of Revolution on being named President-Elect Joe Biden's Chief of Staff. - https://twitter.com/FrankGruber/status/1327054751691894788  
This weekend we'll be watching the first NASA launch of astronauts from US soil since 2011. They will be headed to the International Space Station. This launch will be in partnership with SpaceX and is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 14th at 7:49 PM ET from Florida. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/12/spacex-launch-scheduled-saturday-expected-draw-many-spectators/6268327002/
 
The guys once again chat about the 8th annual Startup of the Year Summit (https://startupofyearsummit2020.eventbrite.com/?aff=FrankVIP). We vetted thousands of startups down to the Top 100 that will compete at our 8th annual Startup of the Year Summit for a shot at a potential investment, prizes, and the championship. If you have a moment next week, please tune into this “Shark Tank” style pitch competition. We will stream this special event for free, online on November 16th - 18th. I'll also be conducting the following interviews:
Tim Draper, venture capitalist and founder of Draper Associates; Kara Goldin co-founder and CEO of Hint Water and author of Undaunted (order the book today) - https://amzn.to/3lN5lsQ Mike Evans co-founder of GrubHub and Fixer.com, and author of forthcoming book Hangry Lo Toney venture capitalist and founder of Plexo Capital Rohit Bhargava author of Non-Obvious Mega Trends (https://amzn.to/3dB741t); Meredith Fineman author of Brag Better (https://amzn.to/3iVDh4E); Ximena Hartsock co-founder of Phone2Action Marc Nager, venture capitalist of Greater Colorado Venture Fund Sarah Evan, marketing & digital PR at Sevans Digital PR  Whitney Johnson will teach you how to Disrupt Yourself (https://amzn.to/377g5xZ), and many more.   
We invite you to join me next week by ​registering today at: http://startupofyearsummit2020.eventbrite.com/?aff=FrankVIP
 
Frank also discuss the following things that he is reading/watching:
Trendspotting: Zoom towns - https://www.fastcompany.com/90564796/zoom-towns-are-exploding-in-the-west 'Zoom towns'  MTV is back! Kind of… - https://variety.com/2020/music/news/apple-music-tv-launch-videos-1234809088/ Welcome to cry

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about enjoying the cooler temperatures and the fall harvest and about the Earth and what we're doing to it. Specifically, they discuss the new documentary Kiss The Ground, which talks about a global movement of regenerative agriculture, balancing our climate, replenishing our vast water supplies, and feeding the world. Additionally, the problem is further reaching than just the Earth, out in space there is apparently a mass of space junk that needs to be taken care of as well.
 
Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:
Lolita Taub and Jesse Middleton are teaming up to launch The Community Fund.  NOTE:  Investing in early-stage  Community focused or powered startups.  Ben Metcalfe has launched a fund and made his first investment. Benoit Wirz at Brighteye VC has raised a new fund.  J.D. Vance has his book Hillbilly Elegy is soon to be a movie on Netflix (Nov 24th). Andrew Song at Whisper has developed a new kind of hearing aid and have raised funds.  Mike Levins on the launch of this startup in the insurance tech space!   
Frank also suggests that everyone try and attend the 8th annual Startup of the Year Summit! We will stream this special event for free, online for your viewing pleasure, on November 16th - 18th. Also featured during the Summit are a number of exciting speakers including Tim Draper, venture capitalist and founder of Draper Associates; entrepreneur and author Kara Goldin will discuss her journey in starting Hint Water and her new book Undaunted (order the book today) entrepreneur Mike Evans will share his candid story behind starting and taking GrubHub to IPO plus his new startup Fixer.com, and forthcoming book Hangry; author and entrepreneur Rohit Bhargava will share learnings from his latest book Non Obvious Mega Trends; author Meredith Fineman will teach us tips from her new book Brag Better; author Whitney Johnson will teach you how to Disrupt Yourself, and more. Register now.
 
The guys also talk about the following books/article they’ve read recently:
Loneliness is at an all-time high with the isolation caused by the global pandemic - AI system detects loneliness in natural speech patterns It's about damn time! - Airbus Unveils Hydrogen Designs for Zero-Emission Flight Clean energy could be in our future - Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is ‘Very Likely to Work,’ Studies Suggest Stay cool. - The Arctic hasn’t been this warm for 3 million years 1 Tree, 2 Trees, 3 Trees… - Satellites could soon map every tree on Earth How is space already filled with garbage? And how do we fix it? - Over 75% of space debris detected in new survey is unknown objects Trendspotting: Diversity is now being rewarded at Starbucks - Starbucks Ties Executive Pay to 2025 Diversity Targets This is what parents are going through everywhere. - Op-Ed: Working Moms Like Me Are at the Coronavirus Breaking Point The theater industry is quite stressed out by the pandemic. - AMC Will Rent Out Entire Theater for $99 Either way, there's a 50/50 chance we live in a simulation. - A Study Shows There's a 50% Chance We're Living In A Simulation Frank and John also chat about the new Shuffle app that is like Instagram for podcasts. It allows you to make 60-second clips of your favorite podcasts and then post them you would on your Instagram stories and profile. Thus, enabling you to discover and share parts of podcasts. 
 
Please listen to Frank’s interview with Polly Rodriguez from Unbound on the latest edition of the Startup of the Year Podcast, where she shared her rollercoaster ride bootstrapping her sexual wellness startup to success. We hope you enjoy the candid conversation, and maybe pick something up to apply to your life. Listen here.
 
One last final note, please

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about enjoying the splendors of Fall during the COVID-19 pandemic.  They also take a virtual moment of silence for the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who recently passed away and was a force who fought for freedom and equality in America. 
 
Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:
 
Tamar Weinberg survived COVID-19 and wrote about it a few times on medium (http://medium.com/@tamar) - She also started a fragrance https://medium.com/@tamar/my-journey-into-wellness-2bb18686548d Genevieve Thiers founder of SitterCity has had it acquired - https://www.americaninno.com/chicago/inno-news-chicago/sittercity-acquired-by-child-care-firm-bright-horizons/ Kara Goldin on raising $25M for Hint and her new book Undaunted - https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200818005305/en/Hint-Closes-25-Million-Investment-Led-Springboard#.Xzw3ekQdbhc.twitter Ben Parr on his up and down startup journey with Octane AI - https://www.forbes.com/sites/martyswant/2020/08/21/from-celebrity-chatbots-to-new-life-in-e-commerce-octane-ai-raises-425-million/#60f66f1b4795 Neal Sales Griffin on joining MATH Ventures as a Venture Partner- https://www.mathventurepartners.com/in-the-news/2020/9/21/math-venture-partners-brings-on-neal-sales-griffin-as-venture-partner?fbclid=IwAR3ePYMi52kW5JuoOtTCnGNijD-5ZuQLNKVl7zblVwvIi-ffSnYIXzySgvY The guys also talk about the following books/article they’ve read recently:
 
The greatest software IPO of all time just happened with Snowflake.
Warren Buffett backed Snowflake's value doubles in stock market's largest software debut - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-snowflake-ipo/buffett-backed-snowflakes-value-doubles-in-stock-markets-largest-software-debut-idUSKBN2672VA Would you want to live forever? - Frozen in time: Inside the facility preserving the dead through cryonics. https://flip.it/kNOAjZ How do they live so long in blue zones? - Longevity nutrition tips from Blue Zones communities. https://flip.it/GQxMbn Maybe you should try cold showers instead.- Here’s What Taking a Cold Shower Does to Your Body, According to Experts. https://flip.it/ViG39W If you could live anywhere would you stay in Silicon Valley? - How Remote Work Could Destroy Silicon Valley. https://marker.medium.com/amp/p/761b398dc9fb Some think cities like NYC will bounce back, while others do not. - NYC is Dead Forever … Here’s Why. https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/nyc-is-dead-forever-heres-why/ Digital nomads your time to shine is now! - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2020/07/18/digital-nomads-are-new-travel-winners-as-entire-countries-open-doors-to-work-tourism/ Want to work remotely from a Caribbean Island for a year? - Barbados offering 12-month remote-work stay incentive to attract visitors. https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/barbados-offering-12-month-remote-work-incentive-to-attract-visitors/ Get ready. - Pentagon Has ‘Off-World Vehicles Not Made on This Earth.’ https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/amp33413777/pentagon-ufo-program-materials-vehicles/ This blows my mind! - Elon Musk to show off working a brain-hacking device. https://flip.it/Xw2pkB Plastic pushed on us by big oil? - How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled?utm_source=davidhauser.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_newsletter Quibi - After 6 months and $1.8 billion, Quibi wants a new owner. That will be a hard sell. https://flip.it/LFi86q LinkedIn lists the 50 top U.S. startups on the rise in 2020: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-top-startups-2020-50-us-companies-rise-jessi-hempel/  
Frank and John chat about watching the Apple TV show “Ted Lasso” and th

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. They also chat about the recent rise in RV sales and the benefits of the vagabond lifestyle during the pandemic.

Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:
Arlan Hamilton on the release of her book, It's About Damn Time.  Brad Feld on his latest book, The Startup Community Way. Meredith Fineman on the launch of her book, Brag Better. Matt Rissel on joining Summit Partners as an Executive In Residence. Derek Andersen on the growth and fresh $15M in funding to Bevy. Mary Grove on the launch of her new VC firm Bread and Butter Ventures. Cat Hernandez on the launch of a new pre-seed fund model with The Venture Collective.  Paul Carr on launching Needhop. Need help? Book someone on a call via the app (more on this below). Dawn Dickson on raising $2.3M for her startup via crowdfunding.   
The guys also talk about the following books/article they’ve read recently:
Too early to ditch the gym for gene therapy?  Experimental gene therapy prevents obesity, builds muscle, without exercise or dieting How To Read Water Clues and Patterns from Puddles to the Sea by Tristan Gooley Underwater tourism Cutting edge tourist submarine will allow 24 passengers to explore the ocean depths
Frank also talks about the new app Needhop. It offers on-demand audio calls for anyone looking for help. You can sign up to share your time and advice with others or look for others you might want to talk to for help. You can book people like Sarah Lacy, David Hornik, Paul Carr, and Frank Gruber and many, many, more! 


Established and Startup of the Year are excited about these upcoming events: 
Tune-in on July 23rd at 1 pm ET as we're hosting another Startup of the Year online pitch event, this time focused on spotlighting US Veteran Founders - RSVP here.   We're also assisting the Greater Colorado Venture Fund with their upcoming pitch event on July 30th where they will be investing in some early-stage companies from rural Colorado - RSVP here. 
Lastly, Frank and John chat about the last episodes of the Bulls documentary The Last Dance and the Long Gone Summer, another ESPN documentary, that covers the summer of 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were slugging it out chasing the single-season home run record.

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On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about the recent release of confirmed UFO footage by the Pentagon. 

The guys also celebrate Logan LaHive for building something new for the last year called Frank (catchy name). Sarah Cooper has been blowing up on TikTok and every other social channel for her comedic videos.

Alex Iskold launched 1kproject.org to help families in need by giving them $1k per month for 3 months. Josh Constine for leaving TechCrunch to join a VC fund, and Max Wessel at SAP had a conversation with best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell.

Rohit Bhargava also launched a book on best practices for working from home - it's currently free on Amazon, and Joey Arora of AFWERX shared how entrepreneurs can get contracts working on solutions for the Air Force. 


Frank talks about his experiences with llamas and alpacas and he is Hoping Llamas Will Become Coronavirus Heroes. He also talks about sleep being very important and the article he read "Tech Eroded Sleep Quality in the 1800s. Can it restore it 200 years later?"

Frank and John have been watching The Last Dance, a docu-series re-living the excitement of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 90's. They also enjoyed Leslie Knope and her team coming back for a special episode of Parks and Recreation, if you missed it you can view it here.

Lastly, Frank mentioned that another Startup of the Year online pitch event, is coming up on May 28th at 1 p.m. ET - you can RSVP here.  This time the event will be focused on spotlighting Female Founders.

This episode was live-streamed on @frankgruber’s Instagram account for additional engagement and viewing pleasure.


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