#12 - Trevor Traina: From Serial Entrepreneur to US Ambassador

Lamine has an incredibly powerful story. Visceral, graphic, inspiring. He had to escape Azerbaijan and ended up in Moscow as a kid. For six years, he navigated life as a cash-strapped refugee, starting off in a cramped one-room apartment with a dozen other family members. Eventually, he landed in a semi-permanent spot—a run-down building once used for chemical labs. After experiencing economic exclusion firsthand, Lamine finally found a home in the US and kick-started his vision, which led to his latest project, StellarFi. Along the way, he did a bunch of impressive things - became a policymaker, sold several of his tech companies, and even joined the US Marines. The American dream at its finest. Lamine is the founder of StellarFi, which is part of the next wave of innovative consumer fintech companies. Tune in for this amazing conversation. (00:00) Introducing Lamine Zarrad (01:00) No money, no documents: life as a USSR refugee (06:10) From US immigrant to joining the Marines (08:58) Aiming high: What’s his ambition in life? (12:01) StellarFi, the next big thing in fintech (19:14) It's expensive to be poor (20:57) The history of credit and the FICO score (26:24) Is the FICO score failing us? (30:14) A new education path: Widgitization (33:59) Is the US consumer screwed? (38:20) The future of fintech (40:55) Where to find out more Show notes https://stellarfi.com/ https://www.thoughtco.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571 https://www.amazon.com/Ascent-Money-Financial-History-World/dp/0143116177 https://twitter.com/jessicahblair/status/710935685398564864

Today we're joined by Emily McAteer, Co-Founder and CEO of Odyssey. Emily's journey into the energy space, her experiences fundraising as a woman, and her insights on empowering other women in the space will be at the forefront of our conversation. We'll also dive into the economics of solar power, emerging trends in energy like mini grids, the role of carbon and renewable credits, and why addressing climate change in emerging markets is crucial. Plus, Emily will shed light on Odyssey's vital mission and share her vision for the future. 00:00 Coming next 00:18 Introducing Emily McAteer 01:23 How did Emily get into the energy space? 03:21 Fundraising as a woman: Was it a struggle? What set her up for success? 09:00 Emily’s best tips and advice for woman trying to raise 09:53 Are the stats we see about women and VC lagging indicators? 13:40 Throwing up in between Series A pitches while being pregnant 15:34 Energy Masterclass: All you need to know 20:30 Why solar is the most economical choice in certain places 23:18 Latest trend in energy: What are mini grids? 28:23 Connecting the dots: Clean energy vs energy access vs electrification 30:30 Are carbon and renewable credits the solution? 32:00 If we want to solve climate change, we cannot ignore emerging arkets 33:53 What’s Odyssey and why is it important? 40:04 Where will the first trillionaire in climate change come from? Show notes https://odysseyenergysolutions.com/ https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/19/odyssey-energy-solutions-series-a-seven-months/ https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/the-vc-female-founders-dashboard https://www.masterclass.com/ https://www.amazon.com/How-World-Really-Works-Science/dp/0593297067 https://twitter.com/chamath/status/1318910679856807937?lang=en https://www.seforall.org/press-releases/solar-mini-grids-set-to-play-critical-role-in-achieving-universal-electricity-access https://www.photon.info/en/news/number-solar-mini-grids-africa-and-asia-could-grow-more-31000-units-2023-report https://www.esi-africa.com/east-africa/rwanda-adopts-green-mini-grid-technology/ https://www.i-scoop.eu/industry-4-0/smart-grids-electrical-grid/

Today, we sit down with Trevor Traina, an investor, former US Ambassador, and serial tech entrepreneur. Born into one of the wealthiest families in the US, Trevor shares common traits of the most successful individuals and discusses his relationship with risk. We delve deep into one of the most important tools for entrepreneurs and investors these days: M&A strategy. Trevor also presents his latest startup, Kresus, and we wrap up with his experience as a politician and his views on who will be the next US president? (00:37) Introducing Trevor Traina (01:11) Being born into one of the wealthiest families in the US (03:24) What motivates already successful founders to keep going? (07:43) Arnold Schwarzenegger as the embodiment of the “keep going” mentality (09:57) Selling his first company to Microsoft in the early Internet days (13:54) Impossible debate: What’s more important, the market or the founder? (17:43) Having sold 5 companies, when is the best time to sell? (20:00) What exactly do you need to do if you want to sell? (23:51) Trevor’s latest startup in the blockchain space (26:17) How to navigate such a deep bear market (29:12) How brands are looking at the crypto space now (32:12) AI advancements and identity issues (33:07) How did Trevor become a US ambassador? (34:37) Achieving top-secret security clearance (35:10) What’s it like to be a US Ambassador? (37:12) The relationship between being an entrepreneur and an Ambassador (39:58) Views on upcoming US elections and his prediction on who will win (41:38) Closing remarks

Welcome to a new episode of Sobremesa Podcast. Today we have Jack Greco, a prolific angel investor and entrepreneur who built a multibillion-dollar company. ACV Auctions is a B2B marketplace and one of the few in this category that had a successful large exit. Today Jack will share the story behind ACV Auctions, its development and why he ultimately decided to leave. We will also get into his hiring process and investments at his new fund, Far Out Ventures. 00:00 Coming Next 00:23 Introducing Jack Greco 01:02 The idea behind ACV Auctions 09:08 One of the few successful exits in B2B marketplaces 14:00 When hiring and culture are not just buzzwords 19:05 When to use human interactions and when to use tech instead? 24:11 What advice do you have for entrepreneurs? 27:19 The importance of doing investor updates right 32:11 When is leaving as a co-founder a red flag? 37:25 Angel investing is the best asset class in the world 41:28 Controversy around accredited investor definition 45:32 Forget Silicon Valley: investing in tier 2 and 3 cities in the US 50:19 VC as an agent of change 52:55 Optimistic closing remarks Show notes https://www.acvauctions.com/https://www.farout.vc/https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/bcas-expanded-manchester-remarketing-centre-running/141148 https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/watercooler/the-nine-archetypes-exploring-the-enneagram-personality-test/51-574457436https://www.sec.gov/education/capitalraising/building-blocks/accredited-investor

Today we have the great Dane Atkinson, founder and CEO of Odeko. Odeko is helping small coffee shops to compete against large chains like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts through an all-in-one technology platform. Also, Dane is one of the best fundraises I've met, so stay tuned for some advice on pitching, building B2B marketplaces and the latest trends. 00:00 Coming Next: Sobremesa - Dane Atkinson @ Odeko 01:30 Dane as Serial-CEO with ADHD 03:26 How to approach new tech platform shifts 05:49 Any similarities between dot com bubble and now 13:33 Pitching 101 from one of the best fundraisers I met 25:14 Additional tips after the pitch 27:43 Coffee deliveries in the middle of the night 31:20 The huge invisible hand of Odeko: how big are they really? 33:31 New trend: make software invisible 37:23 Commandments when building B2B marketplaces 41:55 How to sell to SMEs 44:06 How will this new category be valued in the public markets? 47:31 New York vs SF coffee culture? 49:28 What are the emerging trends in the world of coffee?

26 visualizaciones 27 abr 2023I sat down with Alex Jones, co-founder and CEO of Hallow, a religion tech startup focused on praying and meditation. Hallow is the #1 catholic app in the world, has more than 3mm downloads, and was the first religion and meditation app to crack the Apple App Store Top 10, beating popular apps like Instagram and TikTok. Ever. Enjoy my wild chat with Alex: (00:35) Introducing Alex Jones (01:42) Alex journey’s to entrepreneurship (06:36) Launching Hallow during his MBA at Stanford  (14:28) Difference between Calm and HeadSpace  (19:43) The complex relationship between religion and money  (21:53)  Why bishops urged him NOT to structure Hallow as a non-profit (23:14) What is a Public Benefit Corporation? (30:51) Views on OpenAi moving from non-profit to a capped-profit model (34:38) How technology impacts religion  (38:18) The steep decline in religiosity in the US  (42:22) “I’m spiritual but not religious” fashion  (46:51) Can AI become a new form of God in the future? (52:10) Closing remarks Shownotes: https://hallow.com/ https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/c... https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polli... https://www.reddit.com/r/Ni_Bondha/co...

Welcome Amol Sarva to Sobremesa. Impossible to be accurate with his introduction: serial entrepreneur, angel investor, philosopher, VC, and just a fun person to chat with.   He started Knotel (one of WeWork's fiercest competitors), co-founded Virgin Mobile USA, entered the Museum of Failure with a crazy gadget called Peek, and now spending his time with amazing new things like Aikito and CornerUp, and investing in climate and longevity through LifeX ventures. (00:56) Introducing Amol Sarva (02:08) The story behind Virgin Mobile USA (06:02) Why did Peek fail? (09:19) How did Twitter Peek come about? (11:15) Do you think a hyper-specialized product like Twitter Peek could have worked today? (12:57) What was the thesis behind launching Knotel? (16:37) What are your thoughts on WeWork and Adam Neumann? (20:26) What was Knotel like? (22:46) What is the idea behind Aikito? (27:12) Do you have any specific framework when starting companies? (28:48) Why do you think people need to believe in what you are doing? (31:37) What is the biggest mistake people make? (35:30) What would you like to be remembered for? (37:43) What is Life Extension Ventures? (40:33) How can you improve longevity? (44:07) What is your view on the urgency of global warming? (45:53) Closing remarks Shownotes:  - https://amol.sarva.co/ - https://www.lifex.vc/ - https://www.aikito.co/ - https://www.cornerup.com/ - https://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/08/22/the-failure-awards-defunct-branding-2-twitter-peek

Charles Gorra, founder and CEO of Rebag, gives us an insider look into the second-hand luxury fashion business. Charles shares his full story: starting as another generalist MBA graduate to becoming a leader in the circular economy space as a tech founder. We also have an exciting back-and-forth on AI tools, the use of NFTs in fashion, luxury fashion as an alternative to the S&P, and the return of brick-and-mortar stores. Enjoy! Rebag is an online marketplace for 2nd-hand luxury items like handbags and fine jewelry and a leader in the circular economy space.  (00:00) Next on Sobremesa (00:30) Introducing Charles, CEO of Rebag (03:33) Going from a generalist job to becoming a tech entrepreneur  (06:10) How to start a business without a specific passion? (09:42) Current fashion industry is completely broken (12:14) Challenges of being a foreigner in the US  (16:14) Discussing the ideation phase and the studio model (19:55) How does Rebag work? (25:44) Why did The Real Real and other companies lose ~90% of their value? (30:30) Key to success in 2nd hand: authentication process (34:32) Using AI as a luxury valuation tool  (35:37) Fun tips to identify counterfeit items when thrifting? (37:37) NFTs and the future of authentication in fashion (42:53) Do fashion brands have an issue with startups like Rebag? (45:40) Views on the circular economy    (48:40) Buying luxury items as an investment: worth it?  (53:20) Benefits of having physical stores as an online brand Shownotes - https://www.tradingview.com/chart/?symbol=NASDAQ%3AREAL - https://auraluxuryblockchain.com/ - https://time.com/4182246/hermes-birkin-bag-investment-gold/ - https://www.rebag.com/clair-report/

Today we bring Matt, co-founder and CEO of PhotoRoom, a generative AI startup that's creating magic-like services for its customers. Given how fast the generative AI space is evolving, we did things a bit differently this time, and included a short 15min introduction to the topic and offered some preliminary conclusions and food for thought around the latest hot trend in tech. Enjoy my chat with Matt on PhotoRoom and the future of generative AI.  (00:00) Generative AI Intro - Is it overhyped? (15:36) Intro to Matt  @PhotoRoom   (16:09) Starting PhotoRoom out of frustration  (18:39) Learnings from his days at GoPro? (19:36) Building iPhone apps in mobile’s golden era (21:52) Top advice to ship fast  (23:23) Generative AI: layman’s explanation (25:47) What’s Stable Diffusion? (27:51) The magic-like value proposition of PhotoRoom (30:19) How to keep up with all of the changes in AI? (32:12) Which companies in ‘generative AI’ will win?  (35:22) What will PhotoRoom be able to do in the future? (38:48) Advances in generative AI (40:13) When should you not use generative AI (41:52) Which jobs could be replaced by generative AI? (44:46) Advice on what to learn today to avoid getting disrupted (47:20) Are we in an AI bubble? (49:07) Closing remarks and where to find more Shownotes: PhotoRoom hiring: https://jobs.lever.co/photoroom * https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/what-s-new-in-artificial-intelligence-from-the-2022-gartner-hype-cycle *https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/v7su29/this_time_its_different_4_most_dangerous_words_in * https://www.bvp.com/atlas/is-ai-generation-the-next-platform-shift * https://www.bvp.com/atlas/the-evolution-of-machine-learning-infrastructure/?from=feature * https://aiindex.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-AI-Index-Report_Master.pdf * https://twitter.com/benjamin_hilton/status/1519417377720524800?s=20&t=ptzz-vfaa32PP5RVhj_rVg * https://twitter.com/Dalle2Pics/status/1550685558309109767?s=20&t=KqALrElIMXd8gIUGb8AEdw * https://twitter.com/AndrewYNg/status/1602725934565830657?s=20&t=0R3JTqpFUO9g-ev-4Sepxg * https://www.bvp.com/atlas/state-of-the-cloud-2019 * https://www.chartr.co/stories/2022-12-09-1-chatgpt-taking-the-tech-world-by-storm * https://twitter.com/SashaKaletsky/status/1610421803016503296/photo/1 * https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-best-little-unicorn-in-texas-jasper-was-winning-the-ai-race-then-chatgpt-blew-up-the-whole-game * https://www.cfodive.com/news/meta-cfo-ai-capacity-metaverse-bleeds-billion-dollars/635155/ * https://www.investors.com/news/technology/msft-stock-how-big-artificial-intelligence-investment-could-threaten-googl-stock/

Today, John Garder, co-founder at online personal trainer Kickoff lets his hottest takes come out in an amazing wide-ranging conversation. Are we in the midst of a deep obesity crisis? What can we do about it? How the ultra-rich avoid it and how you can too. What are the latest trends in wellness and longevity? What can we do to live longer? Join us in our latest Sobremesa! Kickoff is a remote personal training platform that makes it easy for anyone to become a fantastic fitness and nutrition coach and change the lives of hundreds of people at a time. (00:00) Sobremesa (01:00) Introducing Kickoff (02:30) How to break into a crowded market? (04:55) Ever had insecurities as a founder?? (07:15) The story about Kickoff’s first-ever user  (10:00) Global obesity epidemic is getting worse (12:45) Why is obesity not an issue for the ultra-rich?   (14:00) The non-obvious choice: focusing on the coaches (21:15) Will technology replace humans? (20:30) Growth at all costs vs retention  (29:15) Best way to get fit: focus on nutrition or exercise? (33:30) The Tinder effect for Kickoff (36:40) The benefits of working remotely vs in person  (42:00) Why you shouldn’t be calling your team a ‘family’ (45:15) How is inflation affecting the industry? (50:10) The future of the wellness industry (56:00) Unlocking secrets of living longer (59:10) Where to find out more - we are hiring! Coinbase is a mission focused company - Blog Shopify CEO Sends Email to Staff Saying Company Is 'Not a Family': 'We Cannot Solve Every Societal Problem' (newsweek.com) https://jobs.lever.co/Kickoff