Larry Connor, Managing Partner, The Connor Group (Part 1 of 2) – Daring to Be Different: Disrupting industries through radical strategies

Summary:  There's a growing call for clean energy solutions in America, and our guest today is ready to answer it. With an unpredictable geopolitical landscape and US lithium demands projected to skyrocket over 500% by 2030, now is the time for American innovation in the outdated lithium refinement industry. Today’s guest is leading this charge, modernizing an industry long overdue for and upgrade with a commitment to environmental responsibility and smarter, sustainable practices. Roshan Pujari is the founder and CEO of Stardust Power, a sustainability-focused, American developer of battery grade lithium resources, which lists on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol SDST. Currently, the company is focused on building 'the U.S.’s largest battery-grade lithium refinery' in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which is expected to process up to 50,000 metric tons of lithium annually (enough to power almost five million electric vehicle (EV) batteries every year). Previously serving as founder and CEO of VIKASA Capital, Roshan brought over 20 years of experience in market analysis with him to Stardust. He is a recognized investor and philanthropist, and is chairman of the Pujari foundation, a 501(c)(3) educational organization promoting arts, culture, education, and community around the globe.  In this episode, Roshan discusses the strategic advantages of the location chosen for their Oklahoma refinery, and outlines the sustainable practices, including the use of recycled wastewater from oil and gas production, at the core of Stardust's business model.  Highlights:Roshan's path to the energy industry (3:00)Stardust Power's Oklahoma refinery project (4:15)Roshan describes the lithium supply chain (5:21)What are the advantages to keeping lithium production domestic? (7:22)Roshan describes the strategic advantages of building the refinery in Oklahoma (9:28)How do legacy methods of lithium production harm the environment? (11:52)Roshan reflects on potential impacts of the upcoming US election to the industry (13:26)Where is the electric vehicle industry likely headed? (15:04)The expertise of Stardust Power's leadership team (16:45)Taking Stardust Power public (18:23)Limiting technology risk in the supply chain (20:15)Roshan's vision for Stardust's future (22:03) Links:Roshan Pujari on LinkedInStardust Power on LinkedInStardust Power WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Summary:  On October 22, the CDC reported that an outbreak of E. coli infections was connected to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers, leading to recalls of their quarter pound beef patties and fresh slivered onions from supplier Taylor Farms in several states. This outbreak has spotlighted the importance of food safety for restaurants and food services companies and has reminded us of an interview from earlier this year with food safety expert, and CEO & Founder of PathSpot, Christine Schindler. This is a timely episode and, whether you caught it when it originally aired or are listening now for the first time, one you won’t want to miss. In an industry booming with customer-focused innovations, it's crucial not to overlook the backbone of an enterprise. Today's guest created a groundbreaking technology that prioritizes health and safety for both customers and in-house staff and is a critical asset for hospitality businesses as a whole.  We're sitting down with Christine Schindler, who is CEO and co-founder of PathSpot, a technology company dedicated to protecting businesses and their customers from the threat of food borne illnesses and outbreaks. An engineer and entrepreneur who is passionate about utilizing technology to overcome gaps in healthcare, Christine invented PathSpot's hand scanner in 2017, following a transformative educational trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. The scanner instantly detects carriers of harmful contamination commonly spread through poor handwashing. PathSpot has now broadened its safety suite to include a comprehensive range of back-of-the-house digital health and safety tools that track temperature, expiration, and more.  Christine has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Global Health from Duke University. Prior to founding PathSpot, she assisted with biomedical research for Engineering World Health at Mount Kilimanjaro and spent two years on the innovation and M&A team at Cigna. In addition to PathSpot, Christine is Founder and CEO at Girls Engineering Change, a non-profit focused on increasing female representation in STEM. She was also featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2021 and Hospitality Technology's Top Women in Restaurant Technology in 2023. Highlights: ·       Christine's background in healthcare and public health (4:30)·       Christine describes the entrepreneurial influence that motivated her (5:30)·       The a-ha moment for PathSpot's hand scanner technology (6:20)·       How the hand scanner technology works (8:12)·       How PathSpot found and targeted their audience (9:22)·       Brands that PathSpot works with (10:24)·       Christine describes PathSpot's safety suite of services and data platform (11:30) ·       The pandemic's impact on PathSpot's newly founded business (13:01)·       PathSpot's economic model (14:29)·       How PathSpot uses their data bank as an ROI feature for businesses (15:36)·       Christine explains the data PathSpot technology detects, and how businesses can utilize it (17:17)·       How PathSpot maintains legal regulation and brand compliance (20:07)·       PathSpot's areas of focus for the new year (21:23)·       Christine's perspective on the society's mindset on health and safety conditions, post-COVID (22:03)·       PathSpot's goals and trajectory over the next 10 years (23:13)  Links:Christine Schindler on LinkedInPathSpot on LinkedInPathSpot WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].  

Summary: Last week, we welcomed Sandra Campos back to the show to discuss her new role as CEO of PetMed Express, and her vision for the company's future. This week, we’re revisiting our previous interview with Sandra, where we unpacked the career trajectory that set the stage for her leadership at PetMeds today. If you missed it the first time, this conversation is a must-listen. The fashion industry is powered by the sometimes differing perspectives of artistic entrepreneurs and business executives. It takes an intuitive and bold business innovator to merge those visions, and lead brands into the future.  On this episode we sit down with Sandra Campos, a board member, three time CEO and two-time entrepreneur and advisor. Throughout her career, she's built global lifestyle brands, and she's been instrumental in turnarounds, digital transformations, and innovative marketing campaigns, as well as international expansion as a technology-focused operator.  She's the only independent board director at Fabric, a modular and headless commerce solution. She's also a board member at Private Equity-backed Daniels Jewelers, and Big Lots. Her retail career has included being CEO of Diane Von Furstenberg, president of a portfolio of billion dollar contemporary brands, including Juicy Couture, and Division President at Oscar de la Renta. As an entrepreneur, she created the first teen celebrity brand management company in partnership with fellow Latina, Selena Gomez. Together, they launched Gomez's first lifestyle brand 'Dream out Loud'. Sandra is an advocate for Latinos, and recently launched Latina Disruptors, an event highlighting and honoring entrepreneurs. She has received numerous awards, including Top 100 Latina Leaders by Latina Magazine; ALP'S most powerful Latina 2020 to 2022; Top Women in Retail and 2019 Top Leaders in Business, by Hispanic Executive Magazine. Highlights:Upbringing and entrepreneurial background (3:23)How Sandra was introduced to retail and fashion (5:20)Sandra's business mindset (7:44)Her first CEO role (8:44)Bringing together creative and business mindsets (10:18)Recent transformation in the retail industry (12:53)Sandra's partnership with Selena Gomez (15:13)Finding the right role in the fashion industry (17:50)Working on a Board of Directors (19:06)Sandra's experience working in a male-dominated and less culturally-diverse industry (23:16)Her new role with Fabric and Daniel's Jewelers (24:46)Latina visibility in the workforce (27:56) Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteSandra Campos on LinkedInFabric on LinkedInFabric Website Feedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Summary: Periods of transition often come with uncertainty, but they also offer a chance for businesses to innovate and refine their direction. Under the right leadership, companies can seize these opportunities to reevaluate objectives and implement fresh strategies, finding new alignment with the core values of their customers. At PetMed Express, that leadership takes the form of CEO Sandra Campos.Sandra is now a two-time guest on the podcast, and, as of this past April, the president and CEO of PetMed Express (Nasdaq: PETS).Already a three-time CEO prior to joining PetMeds, Sandra recently served in the role at DVF (Diane von Furstenberg) a global luxury fashion brand. She has held leadership roles at apparel companies Polo Ralph Lauren and Nautica International, and is the former co-president of women's apparel at Global Brands Group Holding Limited, a branded apparel, footwear, and brand management company that included labels like Juicy Couture, Bebe, and BCBG, among others. Sandra is the founder of Fashion Launchpad, a continuing education platform for retail and fashion professionals, and created Dream Out Loud in partnership with Selena Gomez, the first teen celebrity brand management company. Sandra is a board member for Big Lots, Daniel's Jewelers, Fabric (a modular commerce solution), and advertising services company PureRED since 2023. She has also served on the board of the national non-profit Girls, Inc. and is a Director of the Latino Corporate Directors Association. In this episode, Sandra talks us through the strategic decisions she's made since joining PetMeds Express as CEO, and where she anticipates the company heading.Highlights:How Sandra came to the opportunity at PedMed Express (3:39)PedMeds' mission and audience (4:34)How Sandra's previous work influences her role and personal goals for the company (6:02)Sandra's approach to realigning the business (7:14)How Sandra has organized senior management and company structure (8:44)What distinguishes PedMeds from their competition (11:10)PetMeds' customer base and economic model (12:15)How PedMeds balances their subscription service with private product development (13:00)Current product lines of focus (14:09)How the current macro environment is impacting pet owners and the pet industry (15:12)Sandra shares insights on customer retention strategies (16:50)PetMeds' approach to innovation and a look inside product development (18:09)Sandra discusses PetMeds' advisory board and collaboration with pet healthcare professionals (19:28)The role of technology at PedMeds and in the pet industry (21:28)Sandra describes the long-term goals for PedMeds (24:02)Links:Sandra Campos on LinkedInPetMeds on LinkedInPetMeds WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

A few weeks ago, Jared Isaacman became the first civilian in history to carry out a spacewalk during a mission aboard the SpaceX spacecraft. We decided to celebrate that by revisiting our two-part interview with him from earlier this year. Check out part two, now!If you've been to space and back, you're bound to have an amazing perspective about your own capabilities, and what humans can achieve. Our guest today knows all about that.On this episode, we're sharing part two of Morgan Brennan's interview with Jared Isaacman, recorded in January at ICR's 26th annual conference in Orlando, Florida. If you didn't catch part one last week, we highly recommend you do. Jared is an extraordinary business leader and on top of his incredible career as founder of Shift4, and Draken International, he's an accomplished pilot and an astronaut.  Jared has made significant contributions to financial technology, defense, and aerospace industries.  He is the founder of both Shift4 and Draken International. Jared founded Shift4 in 1999 at 16 years old, and under his leadership as CEO, Shift4 has consistently pushed boundaries.  Today, Shift4 employs over 2,500 people and processes $250 billion in payments annually for more than 200,000 customers across the US and Europe.Apart from his extraordinary success with Shift4, in 2021 Jared made history by commanding Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. That mission raised over 250 million dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And later this year, he's going to return to space as commander of the Polaris Dawn mission.  This is the first of three space flights under the Polaris program, which is a partnership with SpaceX, and we'll hear all about those missions in this next part of the interview. We're delighted to have Morgan Brennan as the guest host for this interview. Morgan is the co-anchor of CNBC's Closing Bell Overtime. Over the last 10 years, she's held various on-air roles with CNBC and was previously co-anchor of Squawk on the Street and Squawk Alley.  Highlights:Jared talks about the differences between being a private and public company (3:45)Insight on new upcoming Shift4 projects (4:22)Jared tells us the best and worst parts of being in space (5:29)Common questions Jared gets about space (6:20)Jared gives us an inside look at the training process for astronauts leading up to launch (7:17)How seeing space has changed Jared's view of the world (9:28) Jared answers whether he ever felt nervous regret before a launch (12:58)How Jared talks to his family about space missions (15:35)Jared describes what it feels like to come back to Earth from space (16:43)How your height changes after going into space and coming back to Earth (18:37)More about SpaceX's new Starship project (20:27)Links:Morgan Brennan on LinkedInJared IsaacmanShift4 WebsiteDraken International on LinkedInICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

A few weeks ago, Jared Isaacman became the first civilian in history to carry out a spacewalk during a mission aboard the SpaceX spacecraft. We decided to celebrate that by revisiting our two-part interview with him from earlier this year. Look for part two next week.In business, there's success, and there's potential. Success is an achievement, but true greatness lies in tapping into untapped possibilities. Today's guest has harnessed their business's potential to make a lasting impact on a global scale.On this episode, we're featuring an interview recorded in January at ICR's annual conference in Orlando. It's a fireside chat hosted by Morgan Brennan, who was kind enough to step in to ask all the pressing questions. Morgan is co-anchor of CNBC's 4P.M. show Closing Bell Overtime. Over the last 10 years, she has held various on-air roles with CNBC and was previously co-anchor of Squawk on the Street and Squawk Alley. We're thrilled to feature her as our host today. Morgan sat down with Jared Isaacman. Jared is an entrepreneur, a business leader, an accomplished pilot, AND he's also an astronaut. He's the founder of both Shift4 and Draken International. Under his leadership as CEO, Shift4 has consistently pushed boundaries, developing cutting-edge payment technologies that empower businesses across countless sectors. Draken International is an aerospace defense company that provides tactical aviation services for all branches of the US military. In 2021, he made history by commanding Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. And later this year, he's going to return to space as commander of the Polaris Dawn mission, which is a partnership with SpaceX.Highlights:How Jared got his start in payment processing and technology (5:10)Jared tells the origin story and inspiration behind founding Shift4 (7:09)Jared describes Shift4's recent public listing accomplishment (8:41)Shift4's current verticals and growth opportunities in payment processing (10:32)How Jared transitioned from payment to piloting (12:26)How Jared got the opportunity to make space history (14:09) Jared describes the process of assembling the Inspiration 4 mission and crew (16:22)Jared's upcoming Polaris Dawn space mission (19:07)Jared discusses their partnership with SpaceX (21:09)More on Shift4's team and board members (23:38)Jared shares his biggest lessons in leadership (24:33)Links:Morgan Brennan on LinkedInJared IsaacmanShift4 WebsiteDraken International on LinkedInICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As travel trends shift, and young people drive demand for simple, integrated, experience-focused journeys, its critical to respond with innovative solutions that are ahead of the curve. That's where today's guest comes in. We're sitting down with Alex Ibrahim, the Corporate CFO at Yanolja. South Korea's top travel and accommodation booking platform. In this role, Alex leverages his expertise in the capital markets to strengthen the company's financial management and drive strategic initiatives, supporting its continued global expansion and growth.He brings over 20 years of experience from his distinguished career at the New York Stock Exchange, where he played a pivotal role in facilitating IPOs, Capital raises for numerous global enterprises across Asia, North America, and South America. We chatted about what excites him about Yanolja, and the bold moves the company is making to reimagine travel around the globe. Highlights:Alex explains Yanolja's background and founding story (2:50)Alex discusses his career at the NYSE, and why he made the leap to Yanolja (4:17)Yanolja's edge over its competitors (6:21)The B2C and B2B aspects of the business (7:07)Yanolja's data advantage (10:10)How Yanolja prioritizes which geographies they focus on (10:59)How Yanolja's data-driven services provide efficiency and profitability for their customers' businesses (12:12)How Alex sees AI shifting the industry in the next 5-10 years (13:06)Yanolja's strategy as its connected with their acquisition of Go Global Travel (14:36)The opportunities inherent in the fragmentation of the industry (15:21)The company's customer demographics and what Alex means by "democratizing" travel (16:34)Alex discusses how Yanolja prioritizes data privacy (18:36)How the company's Korean origins influence the business (19:23)Alex's advice for aspiring tech leaders, and his travel recommendations (20:27)Links:Alex Ibrahim on LinkedInYanolja on LinkedInYanolja WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

As the world embraces cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and deregulated finance, there's a massive transformation on the horizon. But if you're going to invest in these innovations, you need to be incredibly diligent and have a deep understanding of the tech. Today's guest has both.We're sitting down with Pete Najarian, who is the Managing Partner of RW3 Ventures. RW3 is a digital asset venture firm built in partnership with The Raptor Group. The Raptor Group is a multi-sector venture firm with significant investments across fintech, sports and gaming, healthcare, and digital assets.Pete has significant dedicated digital asset experience, having previously served in senior leadership roles for two leading digital asset operating businesses: Zappo, which was ultimately acquired by Coinbase in 2019, and BitGo, the leader in digital asset security, custody, and liquidity. They provide the operational backbone for more than 1, 500 institutional clients and over 50 companies. They also process 20 percent of all the global Bitcoin transactions by value.Prior to that, Pete spent 20 years plus building and leading the global emerging markets businesses for some of the world's largest banks, UBS and RBS in particular.Highlights:Pete's experience in finance, discovering cryptocurrency, and founding RW3 (3:11)Pete's approach to investing at RW3 (6:25)Bitcoin, and Pete's outlook on when to invest in crypto (7:19)Analyzing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies' place in the market (8:54)Pete breaks down the opportunities opened up by blockchain innovation (10:31)The use and value of cryptocurrency technology in the world economy (12:36) How Pete makes decisions on blockchain investments (15:04)How RW3 assists clients (17:47)Pete breaks down the relationship between traditional finance and cryptocurrency (20:07)Pete's predictions on the future of blockchain technology and finance field (23:12)Understanding decentralized finance (24:03)Government involvement in cryptocurrency (25:39)Some of Pete's current investments at RW3 (29:01)Qualifications for an investment at RW3 (32:11)Links:Pete Najarian on LinkedInRW3 Ventures on LinkedInRW3 Ventures WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Longevity in any business is something to celebrate, but when a media company can successfully evolve through several decades of seismic shifts, it's also a huge lesson in the art of pivoting. Today's guest has navigated through 41 years of change and his company has come through stronger than ever.We're sitting down with Andy Goldberg, CEO of PCH Media. Andy is leading PCH's multi-year transformation as the company continues to pivot from direct-to-consumer retail towards an identity and data-driven advertising business. This includes a concerted effort to attract and hire top media talent to align with the company's new focus. The company is aimed at creating incremental shareholder value based on PCH's unique value exchange and unparalleled ability to generate peer audience authentication, permission first-party data, and tremendous user engagement.Andy has led the company through several successful evolutions via acquisitions in the online search, casual games, and mobile advertising markets. In addition to being CEO, he's also Chairman of the Board of Directors and a past member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Direct Marketing Association.Recognized for excellence in the industry, Andy has been honored with the Silver Apple Award from the Direct Marketing Club of New York. He earned a BS in Marketing from the Wharton School at UPenn.Highlights:PCH's background and history (3:16)How Andy got involved at PCH and his path to leading transformation initiatives (4:43)User base and engagement at PCH (7:50)The value of PCH's audience and engagement data to marketers and advertisers (9:02)How PCH partners with clients to help them build their databases (13:24)The differences between zero, first, and third-party data (14:47)Andy's take on the discussion around depreciating third-party cookies (16:39)PCH's marketing collaborations with third-party players (19:12)The role of AI in the evolution of PCH (20:39)Andy's outlook on future goals and opportunities for PCH (22:31)Links:Andy Goldberg on LinkedInPublishers Clearing House on LinkedInPublishers Clearing House WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].

Breaking away from the norm will always attract skepticism, especially from industry veterans. But these risks often lead to the most significant rewards. Our guest today has not only challenged the status quo in business but did so with fearless commitment and a willingness to be the newcomer in any field.In this episode, we're diving into part two of our conversation with Larry Connor—a trailblazer in business and beyond. Larry is an entrepreneur, nonprofit activist investor, and adventurist, known for founding The Connor Group, a real estate investment firm that thrives on doing things differently.Last week, we explored Larry's unique approach to leading The Connor Group. Today, we shift our focus to his remarkable journey outside of the business world, beginning with his impactful philanthropic efforts.Highlights:Larry discusses Kids & Community Partners, and the importance of investing in the future (2:33)How Larry started The Greater Dayton School, and its approach to education (4:51)Larry tells the story behind his space mission (7:30)Diving to the Mariana Trench (10:44)Building, and jumping off of the world's largest hot air balloon (12:40)Larry's advice to businesses that want to solidify a culture of accountability in the workplace (14:57)What excites Larry about the future of The Connor Group and Kids & Community Partners (17:00)Links:Larry Connor on LinkedInThe Connor Group on LinkedInThe Connor Group WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, [email protected].