In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, we sit down with Ash Kaluarachchi, a passionate advocate for education innovation and the CEO of StartEd. As a producer of EDTECH WEEK and an expert in strategic partnerships, early-stage investment, and the future of work, Ash has been at the forefront of the EdTech revolution. His programs have accelerated over 2,000 companies globally, including multiple unicorns, through partnerships with organizations such as Google, Kaplan, Intel, and leading universities.

In our conversation, Ash shares insights into the significance of EDTECH WEEK and the innovative approaches of StartEd in supporting educational startups. We explore New York’s role as a hub for education innovation and discuss the evolving landscape of funding, including alternative sources crucial for today's founders. Ash emphasizes the importance of community, mental health awareness, and the scientific method in entrepreneurship while reflecting on his experiences and lessons learned throughout his career.

Key Takeaways:

• New York is a central hub for education innovation, bringing together key stakeholders during EDTECH WEEK.
• StartEd provides tailored support for educational startups and advocates for alternative funding sources.
• The landscape of startup funding has changed dramatically, requiring new approaches to building companies.
• Entrepreneurship is increasingly viewed as a science, with mental health awareness and community support playing vital roles in a founder's journey.
• Modern entrepreneurs come from diverse backgrounds, shaping the future of education.

Chapters:

• Introduction to EdTech Week
• The Vision Behind StartEd
• Innovative Approaches to Education
• Navigating Alternative Funding Sources
• The Science of Startups
• Mental Health in Entrepreneurship
• The Role of Community in Learning
• Final Thoughts and Personal Reflections

Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams

Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com

Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie

#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #venturecapital #startups #EdTech #education #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #educationinnovation #StartEd #EDTECHWEEK #mentalhealth #communitylearning

In this episode of Tech Scenes Thousand Oaks, we take a ride with Mikey Taylor, a former pro skateboarder turned successful entrepreneur and city council member. Even during his skateboarding career, Mikey was an entrepreneur at heart, leveraging his passion and skills to build authentic connections and strong personal brands. Now, as the Founder and President of Commune Capital, Mikey is pioneering a new way of real estate investing, providing younger generations, including Gen Z, with opportunities to invest in their future. Mikey’s entrepreneurial ventures began with co-founding Saint Archer Brewing Company, which was acquired by MillerCoors in 2015. His experience managing high-growth companies and building teams eventually led him to take on a leadership role in local government as a city council member in Thousand Oaks. In this episode, we explore how Commune Capital is revolutionizing real estate investing by offering younger generations the tools to invest in their future. We also dive into how Mikey leveraged his skateboarding career to connect with audiences and build authentic, lasting brands. He shares his experience managing people at Saint Archer Brewing during a period of high growth, ensuring the right people were in the right seats to drive success. Mikey also explains how Commune is set up traditionally but is breaking new ground by using social media to go directly to investors, attracting the right partners and fueling its growth. Join us for a conversation with Mikey Taylor, where we discuss how he blends his passion for community, entrepreneurship, and innovation to create a lasting impact. Whether you’re interested in real estate, entrepreneurship, or skateboarding, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration. Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie #collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #venturecapital #startups #realestate #ceo #founder #skateboarding #MikeyTaylor #SaintArcher #CommuneCapital #entrepreneurship #growthcompany #leadership #mikeytaylor #communecapital

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, we sit down with Shane Bigelow, CEO and Co-Founder of ChampTitles, a company revolutionizing the DMV processes in the United States through digitization. Shane brings over 20 years of experience working on all sides of the investment and entrepreneurial world, including running part of AB Bernstein’s business in the U.S., founding his own companies, and being involved in the sale of public companies.

Founded in 2018, ChampTitles is on a mission to replace outdated, paper-based DMV processes with their digital platform, allowing vehicle title, lien, and registration transactions to be completed quickly and efficiently. In this episode, we explore the pain points within current DMV systems and how ChampTitles aims to eliminate the “time tax” that consumers and businesses face by making the entire process digital. ChampTitles leverages patented technology, utilizing Hyperledger Fabric, to modernize and simplify these processes.

Jeff James Martin and Shane also dive into the importance of alignment within teams and with investors, and how that alignment drives success. The conversation covers the benefits of creating a learning environment in organizations, the balance between remote work and in-office collaboration, and the mindset of treating ‘no' as a stepping stone to ‘yes.’ They also discuss Shane’s thoughts on the pay-for-performance model in government contracting and how ChampTitles plans to expand its solutions beyond the DMV to other government entities and developing nations.

Key Takeaways:

- ChampTitles is focused on digitizing title, lien, and registration capabilities within DMVs to replace paper-based processes.

Paper-driven systems create inefficiencies and delays for consumers and businesses.

- ChampTitles aims to eliminate the "time tax" by making DMV transactions digital.

- The company embraces a pay-for-performance model in government contracts, where vendors are only paid when transactions occur.

- Alignment within teams and with investors is essential for success and growth.

- Remote work offers flexibility, but being together in an office fosters better communication, alignment, and speed.

- A growth mindset that treats ‘no’ as a stepping stone to ‘yes’ is essential for innovation and success.

- Implementing a clear operating system and cadence for communication is vital for venture-backed companies.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Overview of ChampTitles

04:42 - Eliminating the Time Tax

13:31 - The Pay for Performance Model

21:42 - Alignment in Teams and with Investors

28:19 - Finding the Right Investors and Creating a Learning Environment

30:52 - The Benefits of Being Together in an Office

35:19 - Treating 'No' as a Stumbling Block to 'Yes'

38:33 - Creating an Operating System for Venture-Backed Companies

Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams

Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com

Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie

#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin #startup #startups #growthcompany #seriesA #seriesB #seriesC #ceo #investing #management #leadership #coaching

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, we dive deep into the journey of Adam Weber, a two-time founder with successful exits and the founder of Adam Weber Coaching, his newly launched executive coaching business. Adam is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book "Lead Like a Human" and formerly the Chief Evangelist at 15Five. With a rich background in founding and scaling companies like Emplify and Bluebridge Digital, Adam has a wealth of experience in leadership, team building, and executive coaching.

Adam's passion lies in helping leaders navigate pivotal moments in their careers or when their companies are experiencing significant growth. In this episode, Adam shares insights into his coaching practice, where he focuses on developing executives to become the best version of themselves, aligned with their values.

Throughout the conversation, we explore the importance of personal growth and authenticity in leadership, the role of vulnerability and open communication in building high-performance teams, and the challenges that come with scaling a company. Adam and Jeff Martin also discuss the significance of aligning with a company's purpose and core behaviors, as well as the need for teams to maintain a long-term vision and adapt to evolving market needs.

Adam emphasizes the value of one-on-one relationships and the fulfillment that comes from helping others succeed. The episode concludes with a discussion about the unique challenges faced by venture-backed teams and the importance of having an effective operating system in place to navigate these challenges successfully.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Adam Weber as we uncover the strategies, philosophies, and experiences that have shaped his approach to leadership and coaching. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a leader, or someone passionate about personal and professional growth, this episode offers valuable lessons and inspiration.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of personal growth and authenticity in leadership
• How vulnerability and open communication contribute to building high-performance teams
• Strategies for scaling a company while staying aligned with purpose and core behaviors
• The need for teams to maintain a long-term vision and adapt to feedback and market needs
• The fulfillment that comes from one-on-one relationships and helping others succeed

Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Background
01:42 - The Importance of Personal Growth in Leadership
04:00 - Building High-Performance Teams through Vulnerability
07:19 - Challenges and Strategies for Scaling a Company
09:21 - Aligning with Purpose and Core Behaviors for Success
27:41 - The Importance of Long-Term Vision
31:23 - The Value of One-on-One Relationships
35:23 - Challenges Faced by Venture-Backed Teams

Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams

Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com

Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie

#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin #startup #startups #growthcompany #seriesA #seriesB #seriesC #ceo #investing #management #leadership #coaching

Welcome to another episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, where we dive deep into the journeys of leaders and innovators. In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Vaughn, the Founder and Executive Coach of Inside-Out, a boutique executive coaching firm that helps founders transform their companies into masterpieces while fully embracing their lives.

Ryan's story is one of transformation. Over 15 years, he founded and served as CEO of three companies, the last of which, VNN, became the largest and fastest-growing high school sports marketing platform in the U.S. After raising $20M from leading VCs, building a world-class team of over 100 professionals, and scaling VNN to nearly 20% of the U.S. market, Ryan realized that the relentless pursuit of presenting a polished, hyper-competent image had left him disconnected from his true self.

In 2020, Ryan made the difficult decision to step down as CEO, embarking on a personal journey of self-discovery that led him to found Inside-Out Leadership. Today, he helps other founders navigate their own transitions, encouraging them to embrace vulnerability, self-knowledge, and authentic leadership.

In this episode, Ryan shares the founding story of VNN and discusses the critical importance of being present, supporting founders in transition, and creating a learning environment that fosters growth. We explore how pain can be an opportunity, the role of love and trust in leadership, and the importance of business operating systems. Ryan’s insights offer a fresh perspective on what it means to lead with authenticity and purpose.

Join us for a great conversation with Ryan Vaughn as we explore the profound lessons he’s learned on his journey from CEO to executive coach. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a leader, or simply someone seeking more meaning in your work and life, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with all our episodes, where we bring you the untold stories of innovation and leadership from the tech world, only on Tech Scenes.

Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams

Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com

Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie

#ryanhvaughn #executivecoaching #executivecoach #collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin

Welcome to another episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, where we connect with leaders and innovators in the tech world. In this episode, we sit down with Derek Streat, a serial entrepreneur with a passion for starting, building, and growing impactful businesses. Derek has co-founded and led six venture-backed companies, four of which have successfully exited to much larger companies. With a track record of scaling businesses into $100+ million enterprises, Derek brings a wealth of experience to the conversation. Derek is currently the CEO of DexCare, a data-driven intelligence company incubated at Providence, one of the nation’s largest health systems. DexCare's mission is to improve healthcare access for everyone by orchestrating digital demand and health system capacity across all lines of care. The platform is designed to attract high-value, commercially-insured consumers by providing a fully digitized and unified healthcare experience while leveraging health systems' existing EMR, caregiver, and brand investments. DexCare's unique approach lies in its intelligent navigation and load balancing across providers, settings, modalities, and service lines, optimizing resources to meet both consumer demand and health system business goals. In this episode, we delve into Derek's background and his motivation for making a difference in healthcare. We discuss the importance of capital efficiency, the challenges of scaling with capital, and the critical need for creating visibility and alignment within teams. Derek also shares insights into the qualities that make successful CEOs and founders, and warns against the common trap of neglecting the importance of building the right team. Join us for this insightful conversation with Derek Streat as we explore the strategies and experiences that have driven his success in the healthcare and technology sectors. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or someone passionate about healthcare innovation, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with all our episodes, where we bring you the untold stories of innovation and leadership from the tech world, only on Tech Scenes. Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie #DerekStreat #DexCare #collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin

Welcome to another episode of Tech Scenes, where we explore what makes tech founders and the cities they live in thrive. In this episode, we go for a ride with Anna Barber, an Investing Partner at M13, focusing on enterprise AI and commerce enablement. Anna has an impressive background as a former Partner at The Fund LA and Managing Director at Techstars LA, where she invested in early-stage startups across Southern California. Anna believes in the power of diverse teams and has backed over 100 companies, more than half of which have underrepresented founding teams. She brings a wealth of experience as a founder, co-founder, and early employee at various e-commerce, media, and EdTech startups. Additionally, Anna has worked as a strategy consultant, corporate lawyer, talent manager, film producer, round-the-world traveler, and outdoor adventurer. In this episode, we delve into the mission and vision of M13 and discuss Anna's journey in founding Scribble Press, a creative platform for kids. We explore her approach to investing in great founders at Techstars, managing boards, and balancing growth with profitability. Anna shares how M13 supports its portfolio companies with a team of operators and the strategic differences between playing offense versus defense in business. Join us for this insightful conversation with Anna Barber as we uncover the strategies and experiences that drive her success in the venture capital world. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or simply interested in the dynamics of startup ecosystems, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with all our episodes, where we bring you the untold stories of innovation and leadership from the tech world, only on Tech Scenes. Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie #AnnaBarber #M13 #m13Ventures #collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin

Welcome to another episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged. In this episode, we have a conversation with Jason Rose, CEO of Clearsense, a Platform as a Service (PaaS) company that partners with healthcare organizations to increase data value, governance, and transparency.

Jason Rose is a seasoned executive with 30 years of experience in healthcare IT. He has a proven track record of transforming disruptive concepts into successful products with sustained high annual revenues. Before joining Clearsense, Jason was CEO of AdhereHealth, where he spearheaded value-based care through medication adherence technologies. He also played a key role in Inovalon's multi-billion dollar IPO as Chief Strategic Development Officer and Executive Vice President.

Clearsense is committed to transforming healthcare by enabling data confidence to support improved clinical and financial outcomes. Their cloud-based, AI-enabled, and HITRUST-certified platform ensures rapid implementation, data governance, and analytics while remaining scalable and secure. This drives faster outcomes in clinical, financial, and operational environments.

In this episode, we delve into Clearsense, application decommissioning and cost reduction, research enablement and AI in healthcare, customer success and value creation, team alignment and role clarity, and the Peak Operating System. We also discuss finding 'blue ocean' opportunities and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the healthcare tech landscape.

Join us for this insightful conversation with Jason Rose as we explore the strategies and innovations driving the future of healthcare technology. Whether you're an founder, investor, or healthcare professional, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with all our episodes, where we bring you the untold stories of innovation and leadership from the tech world, only on Tech Scenes.

Learn more about the book “Peak Teams - Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies” - https://geni.us/peak-teams

Visit Collective Genius to Build your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System - www.collective-genius.com

Music by Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie

#JasonRose #Clearsense #collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #innovation #investing #venturecapital #startups #SaaS #entrepreneurship #ceo #founder #cofounder #jeffjamesmartin