https://simplecast.com Pour Over Welcome to "Pour Over" - a new coffee chat style podcast from Fika Ventures, where we “pour over” (Fika pun intended) the remarkable journey of inspiring founders and CEOs. In each episode, we embark on a captivating exploration of the stories and insights behind the success of today's most innovative and influential leaders. We believe that every entrepreneur, every visionary, has a unique narrative, and it's these narratives that can inspire and transform the way we think about business, leadership, and success. 2023 Fika Podcast en Mon, 8 Sep 2025 17:30:00 +0000 Mon, 8 Sep 2025 17:30:10 +0000 https://fikapouroverpod.com Pour Over https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/4c9ff539-d70e-4d26-94d8-f6575bdb4466/3f8fec80-87b6-430d-9197-053b931604ab/3000x3000/fikavc-pour-over-podcast-thumbnail-cover-final-v1-production.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://fikapouroverpod.com episodic Welcome to "Pour Over" - a new coffee chat style podcast from Fika Ventures, where we “pour over” (Fika pun intended) the remarkable journey of inspiring founders and CEOs. In each episode, we embark on a captivating exploration of the stories and insights behind the success of today's most innovative and influential leaders. We believe that every entrepreneur, every visionary, has a unique narrative, and it's these narratives that can inspire and transform the way we think about business, leadership, and success. Fika Ventures false https://feeds.simplecast.com/_0Fmc1Y4 #ceo, #entrepreneur, #founder, #leadership, #startup, #vc, #venturecapital Fika Ventures judjuin@fika.vc 90ff0233-0da6-485c-9cb6-158f629bc8fe Deferred's Judd Schoenholtz on Scaling, Velocity as a Moat, and more Startup Truths for Today’s Founders Why Deferred Exists: Judd explains how he discovered the world of 1031 exchanges and why he and his co-founders saw an opportunity to modernize it.

Flipping the Revenue Model: Deferred chose a no-fee approach, shaking up the standard where legacy intermediaries charged fees and quietly profited on customer funds.

Building with Three Co-Founders: Hear how the trio now divides responsibilities. Each operates with autonomy in their lane, but with collaboration as a force multiplier rather than a bottleneck.

Startup Truths: Why questions centered heavily on acquisitions and exits, despite them being only a small part of startup life. Judd talks about how ironic this is, since acquisitions happen late and often involve stress, not just success stories.

Lessons from Exits: He unpacks why founders should not sell too quickly and why some sales are necessary or strategic, but the mindset should always be to continue the grinding.

Templates Over Shortcuts: Learn why there are no tricks or hacks to building a company and why Judd is in favor of structured processes that save time and drive decision-making.

Corporate VCs and Strategic Capital: Explore the pros and cons of corporate venture capital. Hear why, although today’s terms are cleaner, founders must time it carefully, tie investments to commercial relationships, and ensure rights do not restrict future options.

Evolving Capital Markets: How the funding environment has transitioned into smaller early rounds, larger late-stage bets, and changing revenue expectations, with AI and fintech sometimes raising earlier on technical merit.

Velocity as Moat: Reasons for Deferred’s approach to defensibility, which is built on speed and depth of customer understanding, and how the company creates a product experience and efficiency that are hard for others to replicate.

Scaling Growth: How Deferred provides commercial brokers with a scalable channel by running experiments to test growth strategies. He also breaks down why “peanut-buttering” efforts across too many marketing channels is a bad approach. 

Choosing Design Partners: The best design partners are not always the ones that look optimal on paper. They explain why partners who are collaborative, responsive, and willing to provide valuable feedback should be prioritized. 

Advice for Founders: Takeaways on building through rapid shifts and why founders should not chase shortcuts. Remember that companies usually fail by giving up, not because of competition.

 

QUOTES

“[The co-founders] all kind of have our own lanes, and what that does is allows us to go as fast as possible – and be incredibly productive.”

“There really are no hacks [for building a business]. You can’t really shortcut doing hard work and getting better at things over time.”

“Don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Follow best practices and try to create templates for these different things around recruiting and fundraising. You want to live your day with an open schedule and try to focus on the things that matter.”

“Make sure that the [marketing channel that] you go one-hundred percent in on is as scalable as you need it to be.” 

“The ability to know your customer and build for them quickly is a differentiator against the pace of everything else changing.”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deferred

Judd Schoenholtz on LinkedIn

Arteen Arabshahi on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Mon, 8 Sep 2025 17:30:00 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Judd Schoenholtz, Arteen Arabshahi) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/deferred-VE3KR2RT Why Deferred Exists: Judd explains how he discovered the world of 1031 exchanges and why he and his co-founders saw an opportunity to modernize it.

Flipping the Revenue Model: Deferred chose a no-fee approach, shaking up the standard where legacy intermediaries charged fees and quietly profited on customer funds.

Building with Three Co-Founders: Hear how the trio now divides responsibilities. Each operates with autonomy in their lane, but with collaboration as a force multiplier rather than a bottleneck.

Startup Truths: Why questions centered heavily on acquisitions and exits, despite them being only a small part of startup life. Judd talks about how ironic this is, since acquisitions happen late and often involve stress, not just success stories.

Lessons from Exits: He unpacks why founders should not sell too quickly and why some sales are necessary or strategic, but the mindset should always be to continue the grinding.

Templates Over Shortcuts: Learn why there are no tricks or hacks to building a company and why Judd is in favor of structured processes that save time and drive decision-making.

Corporate VCs and Strategic Capital: Explore the pros and cons of corporate venture capital. Hear why, although today’s terms are cleaner, founders must time it carefully, tie investments to commercial relationships, and ensure rights do not restrict future options.

Evolving Capital Markets: How the funding environment has transitioned into smaller early rounds, larger late-stage bets, and changing revenue expectations, with AI and fintech sometimes raising earlier on technical merit.

Velocity as Moat: Reasons for Deferred’s approach to defensibility, which is built on speed and depth of customer understanding, and how the company creates a product experience and efficiency that are hard for others to replicate.

Scaling Growth: How Deferred provides commercial brokers with a scalable channel by running experiments to test growth strategies. He also breaks down why “peanut-buttering” efforts across too many marketing channels is a bad approach. 

Choosing Design Partners: The best design partners are not always the ones that look optimal on paper. They explain why partners who are collaborative, responsive, and willing to provide valuable feedback should be prioritized. 

Advice for Founders: Takeaways on building through rapid shifts and why founders should not chase shortcuts. Remember that companies usually fail by giving up, not because of competition.

 

QUOTES

“[The co-founders] all kind of have our own lanes, and what that does is allows us to go as fast as possible – and be incredibly productive.”

“There really are no hacks [for building a business]. You can’t really shortcut doing hard work and getting better at things over time.”

“Don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Follow best practices and try to create templates for these different things around recruiting and fundraising. You want to live your day with an open schedule and try to focus on the things that matter.”

“Make sure that the [marketing channel that] you go one-hundred percent in on is as scalable as you need it to be.” 

“The ability to know your customer and build for them quickly is a differentiator against the pace of everything else changing.”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deferred

Judd Schoenholtz on LinkedIn

Arteen Arabshahi on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Deferred's Judd Schoenholtz on Scaling, Velocity as a Moat, and more Startup Truths for Today’s Founders Judd Schoenholtz, Arteen Arabshahi 00:46:56 Recorded live at Andreessen Horowitz’s Summer Speaker Series, Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures, sits down with longtime friend and portfolio founder Judd Schoenholtz, CEO of Deferred.com, to unpack how a “paper-era” corner of real estate became fertile ground for a modern fintech. A seasoned Los Angeles entrepreneur with multiple successful exits (Open Listings and Balance Homes), Judd is now modernizing a century-old tax strategy, making 1031 exchanges simpler and more accessible for all real estate investors. In this conversation, he shares how he stumbled into the world of qualified intermediaries, why he believes “velocity is the new moat,” and how Deferred is flipping a fee-based industry on its head. The discussion dives into co-founder dynamics, building and scaling growth channels, and navigating today’s capital markets in the AI era, while offering candid lessons on acquisitions and exits. The session wraps with a lively audience Q&A covering corporate VC, design partners, defensibility, and the operating principles that keep founders moving forward. Recorded live at Andreessen Horowitz’s Summer Speaker Series, Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures, sits down with longtime friend and portfolio founder Judd Schoenholtz, CEO of Deferred.com, to unpack how a “paper-era” corner of real estate became fertile ground for a modern fintech. A seasoned Los Angeles entrepreneur with multiple successful exits (Open Listings and Balance Homes), Judd is now modernizing a century-old tax strategy, making 1031 exchanges simpler and more accessible for all real estate investors. In this conversation, he shares how he stumbled into the world of qualified intermediaries, why he believes “velocity is the new moat,” and how Deferred is flipping a fee-based industry on its head. The discussion dives into co-founder dynamics, building and scaling growth channels, and navigating today’s capital markets in the AI era, while offering candid lessons on acquisitions and exits. The session wraps with a lively audience Q&A covering corporate VC, design partners, defensibility, and the operating principles that keep founders moving forward. #founder, #entrepreneur, #fikaventures, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #ceo, #venturecapital, #1031exchange false full 10 eafee4c0-998a-4690-a082-9b488f098b53 Altitude and Advertising: Building MNTN with a Pilot’s Precision and a Hollywood Twist with Mark Douglas From eHarmony to Advertising

Mark kicked off his career as a software engineer and unexpectedly made his way into advertising through a stint at eHarmony, where the focus was matching people with other people. Years later, it clicked for him that the same kind of logic could be applied to matching consumers with the right products. That insight ultimately became the foundation for MNTN.

Today, MNTN helps small and mid-sized companies tap into streaming TV for performance marketing. TV used to be a playground for big-budget advertisers. MNTN has changed that by bringing digital-style targeting and measurement to the medium.

“I don’t think of it as advertising. I think of it as helping passionate founders get their product seen by the right people.”

Enter Ryan Reynolds

The Ryan Reynolds story is classic LA. Mark met Ryan from a mutual connection and gave him a demo of the platform. After a mutual introduction, Mark gave Ryan a demo of the platform. The very next day, Ryan called and asked if he could come onboard.

“He called me the day after we met and said, ‘Can I be your Chief Creative Officer?’ Of course I said yes.”

Since then, Ryan has been all in. He takes sales calls, leads creative efforts, and helps shape the brand’s direction. And it’s working. Today, 75 percent of MNTN’s revenue comes from inbound leads, compared to just 2 percent three years ago.

AI as a Flight Director, Not a Replacement

AI is fully embedded into how MNTN operates. It helps with everything from product matching and copywriting to press release generation. AI supports the team, but decisions still rest with the humans.

“Our goal is to build AI like a flight director. It suggests the best path, but people are still in control.”

This approach allows the company to grow efficiently. The sales team hasn’t expanded in three years, and engineering will soon make up half the company. AI gives the team extra lift without adding weight.

Building a Remote Culture That Actually Works

MNTN became fully remote during the pandemic and decided to stick with it. Team members now live all over, including cities like Miami, Napa, and Bend. Instead of having a central office, the company brings everyone together three times a year in cities like Aspen, Chicago, and New Orleans.

“It costs millions of dollars to bring 500 people together for a few days, but it’s worth every cent.”

To stay coordinated, everyone works on LA hours. MNTN also offers monthly three-day weekends and vacation stipends that increase with tenure. Mark emphasized that culture is not built on perks alone. It is about mutual respect and building a relationship that people want to be part of.

“Most jobs feel transactional. We want MNTN to feel like a relationship you actually want to be in.”

Flying High, Literally

A standout moment from the talk was Mark revealing that he flew himself to the retreat from Miami. He’s a licensed pilot and logs nearly 400 hours in the air each year, which is about the same as many commercial pilots.

“Flying clears my mind. At 40,000 feet, you’re fully present. It’s like a spa for the brain.”

That mindset has shaped how he approaches leadership. Just like with autopilot in a jet, he believes in setting smart systems that run the day-to-day while keeping leaders ready to step in when needed.

Eyes on the Horizon

As the session wrapped up, Arteen asked what many were wondering. Is an IPO on the way?

Mark shared that while MNTN initially filed an S-1 but held off due to market conditions, he couldn’t share more at the time of First Look. The company officially debuted on the NYSE on May 22nd, 2025, marking a significant milestone in its journey and for Los Angeles. In Q1, MNTN reported 47% year-over-year growth, making it the fastest-growing company in its category.

“We feel ready. And we’re just getting started.”

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Watch the live keynote video at First Look

MNTN

Mark Douglas on LinkedIn

Arteen Arabshahi on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:26:45 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Mark Douglas, Arteen Arabshahi) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/mntn-y9UGkklf From eHarmony to Advertising

Mark kicked off his career as a software engineer and unexpectedly made his way into advertising through a stint at eHarmony, where the focus was matching people with other people. Years later, it clicked for him that the same kind of logic could be applied to matching consumers with the right products. That insight ultimately became the foundation for MNTN.

Today, MNTN helps small and mid-sized companies tap into streaming TV for performance marketing. TV used to be a playground for big-budget advertisers. MNTN has changed that by bringing digital-style targeting and measurement to the medium.

“I don’t think of it as advertising. I think of it as helping passionate founders get their product seen by the right people.”

Enter Ryan Reynolds

The Ryan Reynolds story is classic LA. Mark met Ryan from a mutual connection and gave him a demo of the platform. After a mutual introduction, Mark gave Ryan a demo of the platform. The very next day, Ryan called and asked if he could come onboard.

“He called me the day after we met and said, ‘Can I be your Chief Creative Officer?’ Of course I said yes.”

Since then, Ryan has been all in. He takes sales calls, leads creative efforts, and helps shape the brand’s direction. And it’s working. Today, 75 percent of MNTN’s revenue comes from inbound leads, compared to just 2 percent three years ago.

AI as a Flight Director, Not a Replacement

AI is fully embedded into how MNTN operates. It helps with everything from product matching and copywriting to press release generation. AI supports the team, but decisions still rest with the humans.

“Our goal is to build AI like a flight director. It suggests the best path, but people are still in control.”

This approach allows the company to grow efficiently. The sales team hasn’t expanded in three years, and engineering will soon make up half the company. AI gives the team extra lift without adding weight.

Building a Remote Culture That Actually Works

MNTN became fully remote during the pandemic and decided to stick with it. Team members now live all over, including cities like Miami, Napa, and Bend. Instead of having a central office, the company brings everyone together three times a year in cities like Aspen, Chicago, and New Orleans.

“It costs millions of dollars to bring 500 people together for a few days, but it’s worth every cent.”

To stay coordinated, everyone works on LA hours. MNTN also offers monthly three-day weekends and vacation stipends that increase with tenure. Mark emphasized that culture is not built on perks alone. It is about mutual respect and building a relationship that people want to be part of.

“Most jobs feel transactional. We want MNTN to feel like a relationship you actually want to be in.”

Flying High, Literally

A standout moment from the talk was Mark revealing that he flew himself to the retreat from Miami. He’s a licensed pilot and logs nearly 400 hours in the air each year, which is about the same as many commercial pilots.

“Flying clears my mind. At 40,000 feet, you’re fully present. It’s like a spa for the brain.”

That mindset has shaped how he approaches leadership. Just like with autopilot in a jet, he believes in setting smart systems that run the day-to-day while keeping leaders ready to step in when needed.

Eyes on the Horizon

As the session wrapped up, Arteen asked what many were wondering. Is an IPO on the way?

Mark shared that while MNTN initially filed an S-1 but held off due to market conditions, he couldn’t share more at the time of First Look. The company officially debuted on the NYSE on May 22nd, 2025, marking a significant milestone in its journey and for Los Angeles. In Q1, MNTN reported 47% year-over-year growth, making it the fastest-growing company in its category.

“We feel ready. And we’re just getting started.”

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Watch the live keynote video at First Look

MNTN

Mark Douglas on LinkedIn

Arteen Arabshahi on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Altitude and Advertising: Building MNTN with a Pilot’s Precision and a Hollywood Twist with Mark Douglas Mark Douglas, Arteen Arabshahi 00:23:03 At this year’s 10th Annual LA First Look Retreat, Mark Douglas, President and CEO of MNTN, joined Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures, to talk through the journey of building MNTN, a streaming TV performance marketing platform, from the ground up. Their conversation was packed with insights, from partnering with Ryan Reynolds to running a remote-first team, weaving AI into operations, and navigating toward the public markets. At this year’s 10th Annual LA First Look Retreat, Mark Douglas, President and CEO of MNTN, joined Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures, to talk through the journey of building MNTN, a streaming TV performance marketing platform, from the ground up. Their conversation was packed with insights, from partnering with Ryan Reynolds to running a remote-first team, weaving AI into operations, and navigating toward the public markets. #mntn false full 9 cbee2079-e399-4e22-9829-f9d11bf3ad9e More Than a Fleet: Motive’s Mission to Redefine the Physical Economy with Shoaib Makani From KeepTruckin to Motive

Shoaib kicked things off with a story about the company’s original name, KeepTruckin. He admitted it might have captured the early energy of the team, but it quickly became clear that the name didn’t match the scope of what they were building. Even in the early days, customers were coming from industries beyond trucking, including oil and gas, field services, and passenger transit.

They eventually rebranded to Motive in 2022, aligning the name with their broader vision. Motive’s mission now spans the full spectrum of the physical economy serving over 100,000 customers. From construction and logistics to energy and public sector work, the company builds tools that help physical operations improve safety and productivity.

“Anybody who moves things or builds things in the real world can benefit from what we’re building.” — Shoaib Makani, co-founder and CEO, Motive

From One Product to a Platform

Motive’s early success came from its fleet management product. That momentum gave the team the confidence to expand into new problem spaces. But scaling into a true platform came with lessons. Shoaib shared that one of his biggest early mistakes was stepping too far away from product. Eventually, he came back in as head of product and pushed for a higher bar across the board.

“The CEO has to be the head of product for whatever is the leading edge of the platform. Otherwise, you will lose to the CEO who is.”

That renewed focus helped Motive go from good to great. The company’s driver safety product now leads the market and sets the bar for what’s possible with AI and camera-based monitoring.

Betting on Hardware

Motive didn’t set out to build hardware. Shoaib admitted they initially tried to integrate with third-party devices. That changed quickly. They realized that in order to deliver a truly differentiated product, they needed to control the full stack.

“If you want to be 10x better, you have to own the entire experience. That meant learning how to build hardware ourselves.”

Today, Motive designs and builds its own dash cams, asset trackers, and sensors. Shoaib sees hardware as a competitive advantage that will only grow more important as software becomes easier to build with AI. The hard-won skills around manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain are now giving Motive an edge in solving problems at the intersection of hardware, software, and AI.

Scaling with Focus

With more than 100,000 customers and over a million drivers using the platform, Shoaib reflected on how the company’s scale has changed how they operate. One of the biggest challenges now is focus. Customers request hundreds of new features, and it would be easy to build reactively. But Shoaib stressed the importance of making room for long-term bets.

“You have to solve today’s problems, but also plant the seeds for tomorrow. If you don’t, your growth will eventually stall.”

That forward-thinking mindset is what has enabled Motive to keep compounding, even at scale. Shoaib shared that he’s already thinking about product lines that could be generating hundreds of millions in a few years — and how to start building them now.

AI Done Right

AI has become a hot topic, but Shoaib made it clear that Motive has been investing in it long before it was trendy. Their AI-powered driver safety product is a standout example. The company trains models to detect unsafe behavior like drowsiness, phone use, and close following. That data translates into real outcomes, like an 80 percent reduction in accidents.

“We’ve been working on this since 2017. It’s not a feature. It’s a core part of what we do.”

He also emphasized that AI is only one piece of the puzzle. Selling into the enterprise still requires great go-to-market execution and thoughtful product marketing. It took years to build the muscle, but now the team is focused on using that foundation to bring new AI-driven products to market.

Leading from the Ground Floor

Shoaib talked openly about his leadership style and how it has evolved. Though he started his career in venture capital, he made a conscious decision to become a deeply hands-on operator. He stays close to the things that matter most and expects the same from his team.

“The best work happens when we shine a light on it together.”

He’s also created a culture where people are encouraged to push back. Motive, he said, is a place where you can tell the CEO he’s wrong — and be heard.

Surviving the Hardest Year

One of the most powerful moments came when Shoaib shared a near-death experience for the company. In early 2017, three years in and still pre-revenue, the team was out of cash and struggling to raise more. A regulatory shift in the trucking industry was about to create a wave of demand, but investors weren’t buying it.

At the last minute, Scale Venture Partners stepped up and funded the round. That year, Motive went from zero to $27 million in ARR.

“It was a real bet. But we knew what was coming. We just needed the runway to get there.”

What’s Next

Motive has since raised more than $560 million and continues to see rapid growth. But Shoaib is still energized by the problems ahead. The team is now working on how to shift from perception to control — moving from just monitoring behavior to taking real-time action in the physical world.

“Our customers want automation. They see us as their on-ramp to AI. That’s the future we’re building toward.”

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Watch the live keynote video at First Look

Motive

Shoaib Makani on LinkedIn

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:08:14 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Shoaib Makani, TX Zhuo) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/motive-7EbdPwYD From KeepTruckin to Motive

Shoaib kicked things off with a story about the company’s original name, KeepTruckin. He admitted it might have captured the early energy of the team, but it quickly became clear that the name didn’t match the scope of what they were building. Even in the early days, customers were coming from industries beyond trucking, including oil and gas, field services, and passenger transit.

They eventually rebranded to Motive in 2022, aligning the name with their broader vision. Motive’s mission now spans the full spectrum of the physical economy serving over 100,000 customers. From construction and logistics to energy and public sector work, the company builds tools that help physical operations improve safety and productivity.

“Anybody who moves things or builds things in the real world can benefit from what we’re building.” — Shoaib Makani, co-founder and CEO, Motive

From One Product to a Platform

Motive’s early success came from its fleet management product. That momentum gave the team the confidence to expand into new problem spaces. But scaling into a true platform came with lessons. Shoaib shared that one of his biggest early mistakes was stepping too far away from product. Eventually, he came back in as head of product and pushed for a higher bar across the board.

“The CEO has to be the head of product for whatever is the leading edge of the platform. Otherwise, you will lose to the CEO who is.”

That renewed focus helped Motive go from good to great. The company’s driver safety product now leads the market and sets the bar for what’s possible with AI and camera-based monitoring.

Betting on Hardware

Motive didn’t set out to build hardware. Shoaib admitted they initially tried to integrate with third-party devices. That changed quickly. They realized that in order to deliver a truly differentiated product, they needed to control the full stack.

“If you want to be 10x better, you have to own the entire experience. That meant learning how to build hardware ourselves.”

Today, Motive designs and builds its own dash cams, asset trackers, and sensors. Shoaib sees hardware as a competitive advantage that will only grow more important as software becomes easier to build with AI. The hard-won skills around manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain are now giving Motive an edge in solving problems at the intersection of hardware, software, and AI.

Scaling with Focus

With more than 100,000 customers and over a million drivers using the platform, Shoaib reflected on how the company’s scale has changed how they operate. One of the biggest challenges now is focus. Customers request hundreds of new features, and it would be easy to build reactively. But Shoaib stressed the importance of making room for long-term bets.

“You have to solve today’s problems, but also plant the seeds for tomorrow. If you don’t, your growth will eventually stall.”

That forward-thinking mindset is what has enabled Motive to keep compounding, even at scale. Shoaib shared that he’s already thinking about product lines that could be generating hundreds of millions in a few years — and how to start building them now.

AI Done Right

AI has become a hot topic, but Shoaib made it clear that Motive has been investing in it long before it was trendy. Their AI-powered driver safety product is a standout example. The company trains models to detect unsafe behavior like drowsiness, phone use, and close following. That data translates into real outcomes, like an 80 percent reduction in accidents.

“We’ve been working on this since 2017. It’s not a feature. It’s a core part of what we do.”

He also emphasized that AI is only one piece of the puzzle. Selling into the enterprise still requires great go-to-market execution and thoughtful product marketing. It took years to build the muscle, but now the team is focused on using that foundation to bring new AI-driven products to market.

Leading from the Ground Floor

Shoaib talked openly about his leadership style and how it has evolved. Though he started his career in venture capital, he made a conscious decision to become a deeply hands-on operator. He stays close to the things that matter most and expects the same from his team.

“The best work happens when we shine a light on it together.”

He’s also created a culture where people are encouraged to push back. Motive, he said, is a place where you can tell the CEO he’s wrong — and be heard.

Surviving the Hardest Year

One of the most powerful moments came when Shoaib shared a near-death experience for the company. In early 2017, three years in and still pre-revenue, the team was out of cash and struggling to raise more. A regulatory shift in the trucking industry was about to create a wave of demand, but investors weren’t buying it.

At the last minute, Scale Venture Partners stepped up and funded the round. That year, Motive went from zero to $27 million in ARR.

“It was a real bet. But we knew what was coming. We just needed the runway to get there.”

What’s Next

Motive has since raised more than $560 million and continues to see rapid growth. But Shoaib is still energized by the problems ahead. The team is now working on how to shift from perception to control — moving from just monitoring behavior to taking real-time action in the physical world.

“Our customers want automation. They see us as their on-ramp to AI. That’s the future we’re building toward.”

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Watch the live keynote video at First Look

Motive

Shoaib Makani on LinkedIn

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> More Than a Fleet: Motive’s Mission to Redefine the Physical Economy with Shoaib Makani Shoaib Makani, TX Zhuo 00:28:32 At this year’s 10th Annual LA First Look Retreat, Shoaib Makani, CEO and Co-Founder of Motive, sat down with TX Zhuo, General Partner at Fika Ventures, to reflect on a journey that started with electronic logs and grew into one of the most ambitious platforms serving the physical economy. The conversation covered everything from hardware bets and AI, to near-death startup moments, product obsession, and what it takes to scale a company that powers more than a million drivers across North America. At this year’s 10th Annual LA First Look Retreat, Shoaib Makani, CEO and Co-Founder of Motive, sat down with TX Zhuo, General Partner at Fika Ventures, to reflect on a journey that started with electronic logs and grew into one of the most ambitious platforms serving the physical economy. The conversation covered everything from hardware bets and AI, to near-death startup moments, product obsession, and what it takes to scale a company that powers more than a million drivers across North America. #founder, #entrepreneur, #fikaventures, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #ai, #ceo, #venturecapital false full 8 815094be-de4a-4e60-9775-78df025ba116 Reimagining Contracts and LegalTech with Min-Kyu Jung Founder Journey: Min-Kyu started as a corporate lawyer in New Zealand, drawn to deal-making over litigation. While he enjoyed the challenge, the manual nature of contract work frustrated him, sparking the idea for an AI-driven solution. He began coding Ivo himself before moving to Silicon Valley to scale the company in a faster-moving, high-growth environment.

New Zealand vs. Silicon Valley Startup Culture: In New Zealand, calling yourself a founder felt equivalent to being unemployed—the startup scene lacked excitement. In contrast, Silicon Valley thrives on innovation. Min-Kyu found a community that embraces ambition, urgency, and big ideas, making it the perfect place to build Ivo.

Ivo’s Unique Offering: Unlike DocuSign, which focuses on signing contracts, Ivo tackles the hardest part—getting contracts ready to sign. The AI legal assistant redlines, reviews, and negotiates contracts directly in Microsoft Word, using customized playbooks to align with each legal team’s preferences.

Inspiration Behind Ivo: Ivo is named after Saint Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of lawyers, reflecting the company’s mission to serve legal professionals with intelligence and precision.

AI Applications, GPT Wrappers, and Frontier Models: Min-Kyu pushes back on the idea that AI legal tools are just thin GPT wrappers. Ivo is deeply integrated into legal workflows, offering more than AI-generated text by embedding customization, domain expertise, and adaptability into the product.

Technological Advancements and Adaptability: With models like DeepSeek emerging, startups must stay agile. Ivo is designed to be model-agnostic, ensuring it evolves with AI advancements rather than being tied to a single model like GPT.

Ivo’s Roadmap: Ivo takes a forward-looking approach, anticipating where AI will be in 6-12 months. As models become faster, smarter, and cheaper, Ivo positions itself to lead the evolution of AI-powered contract negotiation.

The Future of Ivo and Contract Law: Min-Kyu predicts that contracts will move beyond lawyers, allowing business professionals to negotiate agreements themselves. AI will streamline legal work, shifting lawyers’ roles from manual reviewers to strategic overseers.

Key Values at Ivo: Ivo hires people who are intelligent, fast-moving, conscientious, and deeply invested in their craft. The team prioritizes execution over perfection, embraces problem-solving, and takes pride in building a transformative product.

Hiring Generalists vs. Specialists: While lawyers bring industry expertise, generalists add fresh perspectives. Ivo blends specialists who understand legal pain points with generalists who drive innovation.

Leadership Style: Min-Kyu is hands-on, high-expectation-driven, and values ownership. As Ivo scales, he aims to foster a culture of speed, adaptability, and high standards while empowering his team to lead.

 

QUOTES

“[In New Zealand] I was almost too embarrassed to tell people that I was founding a startup because I knew people wouldn't really understand what I mean by that.”

“In the Bay Area, I feel like everyone has this very keen sense of excitement about building and creating new things, and people don't get bored when I go on long rants about my opinion on some tech thing.”

“The hard part about signing a contract is getting the contract to a point where it's ready to sign in the first place.”

“I think founders in the space do have to be willing to really rip everything up as technology improves.”

“I think it's important to not be too tied to a single model, and be willing to make the product fixable enough to accommodate different ones.”

“I like to hire people who are who are intelligent, who value speed, who are conscientious, who have the quality of being – ‘relentlessly resourceful.’”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Ivo

Min-Kyu Jung on LinkedIn

Min-Kyu’s Blog Post - 'You Should Move to San Francisco'

John Chen on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Wed, 5 Feb 2025 14:37:14 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Min-Kyu Jung, John Chen) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/ivo-kqj5MKwR Founder Journey: Min-Kyu started as a corporate lawyer in New Zealand, drawn to deal-making over litigation. While he enjoyed the challenge, the manual nature of contract work frustrated him, sparking the idea for an AI-driven solution. He began coding Ivo himself before moving to Silicon Valley to scale the company in a faster-moving, high-growth environment.

New Zealand vs. Silicon Valley Startup Culture: In New Zealand, calling yourself a founder felt equivalent to being unemployed—the startup scene lacked excitement. In contrast, Silicon Valley thrives on innovation. Min-Kyu found a community that embraces ambition, urgency, and big ideas, making it the perfect place to build Ivo.

Ivo’s Unique Offering: Unlike DocuSign, which focuses on signing contracts, Ivo tackles the hardest part—getting contracts ready to sign. The AI legal assistant redlines, reviews, and negotiates contracts directly in Microsoft Word, using customized playbooks to align with each legal team’s preferences.

Inspiration Behind Ivo: Ivo is named after Saint Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of lawyers, reflecting the company’s mission to serve legal professionals with intelligence and precision.

AI Applications, GPT Wrappers, and Frontier Models: Min-Kyu pushes back on the idea that AI legal tools are just thin GPT wrappers. Ivo is deeply integrated into legal workflows, offering more than AI-generated text by embedding customization, domain expertise, and adaptability into the product.

Technological Advancements and Adaptability: With models like DeepSeek emerging, startups must stay agile. Ivo is designed to be model-agnostic, ensuring it evolves with AI advancements rather than being tied to a single model like GPT.

Ivo’s Roadmap: Ivo takes a forward-looking approach, anticipating where AI will be in 6-12 months. As models become faster, smarter, and cheaper, Ivo positions itself to lead the evolution of AI-powered contract negotiation.

The Future of Ivo and Contract Law: Min-Kyu predicts that contracts will move beyond lawyers, allowing business professionals to negotiate agreements themselves. AI will streamline legal work, shifting lawyers’ roles from manual reviewers to strategic overseers.

Key Values at Ivo: Ivo hires people who are intelligent, fast-moving, conscientious, and deeply invested in their craft. The team prioritizes execution over perfection, embraces problem-solving, and takes pride in building a transformative product.

Hiring Generalists vs. Specialists: While lawyers bring industry expertise, generalists add fresh perspectives. Ivo blends specialists who understand legal pain points with generalists who drive innovation.

Leadership Style: Min-Kyu is hands-on, high-expectation-driven, and values ownership. As Ivo scales, he aims to foster a culture of speed, adaptability, and high standards while empowering his team to lead.

 

QUOTES

“[In New Zealand] I was almost too embarrassed to tell people that I was founding a startup because I knew people wouldn't really understand what I mean by that.”

“In the Bay Area, I feel like everyone has this very keen sense of excitement about building and creating new things, and people don't get bored when I go on long rants about my opinion on some tech thing.”

“The hard part about signing a contract is getting the contract to a point where it's ready to sign in the first place.”

“I think founders in the space do have to be willing to really rip everything up as technology improves.”

“I think it's important to not be too tied to a single model, and be willing to make the product fixable enough to accommodate different ones.”

“I like to hire people who are who are intelligent, who value speed, who are conscientious, who have the quality of being – ‘relentlessly resourceful.’”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Ivo

Min-Kyu Jung on LinkedIn

Min-Kyu’s Blog Post - 'You Should Move to San Francisco'

John Chen on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Reimagining Contracts and LegalTech with Min-Kyu Jung Min-Kyu Jung, John Chen 00:19:50 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Min-Kyu Jung, CEO and Co-founder of Ivo, an AI legal assistant transforming contract review and negotiation. In conversation with host John Chen, General Partner at Fika Ventures, Min-Kyu shares his founder journey from corporate law in New Zealand to building a cutting-edge AI-driven startup in Silicon Valley. He reflects on the cultural differences between the two ecosystems and why he felt compelled to relocate to the Bay Area to build his company. Min-Kyu also provides an inside look at Ivo’s core offering, explaining how it optimizes the redlining process, helping legal and business teams negotiate contracts more efficiently. Zooming out, he also dives into broader AI industry shifts, discussing the impact of developments like DeepSeek, and why startups must remain agile, adaptable, and not overly reliant on any single AI model. The discussion further explores Ivo’s strategic roadmap, predictions for the future of contract law, and the evolving role of lawyers as AI becomes more sophisticated. Towards the end of their conversation, Min-Kyu shares insights into his leadership philosophy, hiring approach, and the key values that define an exceptional team member at Ivo. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Min-Kyu Jung, CEO and Co-founder of Ivo, an AI legal assistant transforming contract review and negotiation. In conversation with host John Chen, General Partner at Fika Ventures, Min-Kyu shares his founder journey from corporate law in New Zealand to building a cutting-edge AI-driven startup in Silicon Valley. He reflects on the cultural differences between the two ecosystems and why he felt compelled to relocate to the Bay Area to build his company. Min-Kyu also provides an inside look at Ivo’s core offering, explaining how it optimizes the redlining process, helping legal and business teams negotiate contracts more efficiently. Zooming out, he also dives into broader AI industry shifts, discussing the impact of developments like DeepSeek, and why startups must remain agile, adaptable, and not overly reliant on any single AI model. The discussion further explores Ivo’s strategic roadmap, predictions for the future of contract law, and the evolving role of lawyers as AI becomes more sophisticated. Towards the end of their conversation, Min-Kyu shares insights into his leadership philosophy, hiring approach, and the key values that define an exceptional team member at Ivo. #legaltech, #ivo, #founder, #entrepreneur, #fikaventures, #contracts, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #ai, #ceo, #venturecapital false full 7 37f156da-5604-4aab-83c2-b3968c986cc7 Revolutionizing the Employee Experience in the Age of Connected Benefits with Shannon Goggin Early Lessons & Shannon’s Motivations: How far you can get if you have a high level of ambition and are willing to challenge what is commonly accepted as impossible. Working at Zenefits, Shannon was able to see the blockers behind accessibility before landing on the need for new infrastructure. 

Early Challenges & Building a Trusted Brand: Noyo Aims to demystify the world of benefits to empower everyday people through a data-based approach. Earning trust and building relationships in an environment with a high volume of sensitive and private information isn’t as easy as it looks in retrospect.

Scaling a Team: Growing from three employees to 80, the highest performers take ownership of what they are hired to solve for. They are hyper-collaborative, hyper-creative, and work to form a point of view. 

Finding Identity & Character of Leadership: A personal identity rooted in the company’s evolution propels Shannon to commit fully to her team, partners, and the mission of the country. Her passion for understanding the details to shape the path forward where the data is so clear and reliable that users can easily benefit. 

Sources of Inspiration: Identifies that no one person can be your model for success, but rather believes that different styles are necessary in different moments. 

Changes in Data: A surge in investment for those building in the tech startup space, with a broader set of companies playing in the space. Insurance companies investing in APIs and considering the future to a new extent. 

Long-Term Vision: Now supporting the biggest insurance companies in the world, a future focus is on helping to transform their own systems. Using technology to scale, not people, and working to support the customer base. 

Bridging the Gap to the End User: Everyone who works at Noyo is an end customer with their own insurance, which enables them to fully understand the experience.

 

QUOTES

“That heightened level of ambition and just being a little stubborn, you get a lot farther than most people think is possible.”

“We’re not trying to burn down the industry; we’re not trying to blow it up and start it over. We’re trying to really work with people who are already in the industry to make it dramatically better.”

“For me, understanding the details is what helps me shape how we get the path forward.”

“The challenge for us is, how much good data can we get from the insurance companies to help them improve? So we are investing a ton to add new software tools to improve the quality of data and visibility.”

“[It] always surprises the partners we work with for the level of scale and service we provide them, which is a testament to the software that we have built.”

“When you’re building something; when you’re shipping something, think about yourself as the end user because you are.”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Shannon Goggin on LinkedIn 

Noyo

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:30:00 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Shannon Goggin, TX Zhuo) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/noyo-fG5iAecM Early Lessons & Shannon’s Motivations: How far you can get if you have a high level of ambition and are willing to challenge what is commonly accepted as impossible. Working at Zenefits, Shannon was able to see the blockers behind accessibility before landing on the need for new infrastructure. 

Early Challenges & Building a Trusted Brand: Noyo Aims to demystify the world of benefits to empower everyday people through a data-based approach. Earning trust and building relationships in an environment with a high volume of sensitive and private information isn’t as easy as it looks in retrospect.

Scaling a Team: Growing from three employees to 80, the highest performers take ownership of what they are hired to solve for. They are hyper-collaborative, hyper-creative, and work to form a point of view. 

Finding Identity & Character of Leadership: A personal identity rooted in the company’s evolution propels Shannon to commit fully to her team, partners, and the mission of the country. Her passion for understanding the details to shape the path forward where the data is so clear and reliable that users can easily benefit. 

Sources of Inspiration: Identifies that no one person can be your model for success, but rather believes that different styles are necessary in different moments. 

Changes in Data: A surge in investment for those building in the tech startup space, with a broader set of companies playing in the space. Insurance companies investing in APIs and considering the future to a new extent. 

Long-Term Vision: Now supporting the biggest insurance companies in the world, a future focus is on helping to transform their own systems. Using technology to scale, not people, and working to support the customer base. 

Bridging the Gap to the End User: Everyone who works at Noyo is an end customer with their own insurance, which enables them to fully understand the experience.

 

QUOTES

“That heightened level of ambition and just being a little stubborn, you get a lot farther than most people think is possible.”

“We’re not trying to burn down the industry; we’re not trying to blow it up and start it over. We’re trying to really work with people who are already in the industry to make it dramatically better.”

“For me, understanding the details is what helps me shape how we get the path forward.”

“The challenge for us is, how much good data can we get from the insurance companies to help them improve? So we are investing a ton to add new software tools to improve the quality of data and visibility.”

“[It] always surprises the partners we work with for the level of scale and service we provide them, which is a testament to the software that we have built.”

“When you’re building something; when you’re shipping something, think about yourself as the end user because you are.”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Shannon Goggin on LinkedIn 

Noyo

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Revolutionizing the Employee Experience in the Age of Connected Benefits with Shannon Goggin Shannon Goggin, TX Zhuo 00:26:52 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Shannon Goggin, the Co-founder and CEO of Noyo, a benefits data platform powering next-generation benefits experiences. Shannon's journey to founding Noyo spans diverse roles, from management consulting to product management at the HR tech startup, Zenefits. Shannon shares key insights from her early career experiences, describing how she has learned to challenge the status quo in environments that are often rigidly stuck in old systems and processes. While working at Zenefits, she gained insights that highlighted the need for a supportive framework. This is how Noyo was first designed. Shannon shares some of the early challenges of finding collaborative partners, describing what makes Noyo’s mission attractive for those who come from a tech background and others who know the benefits ecosystem. We discuss the common traits of high performers in her scaling team, and why she considers it an advantage, rather than a liability, that her identity is tied to that of the company. Hear why Shannon doesn’t have one role model in particular but rather embodies different styles. Sharing the future vision and challenges, Shannon highlights the efficacy of Noyo’s software and the small team behind it. She also shares the important principle of thinking of yourself as the end user of your product and the double-edged sword of taking everything personally. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Shannon Goggin, the Co-founder and CEO of Noyo, a benefits data platform powering next-generation benefits experiences. Shannon's journey to founding Noyo spans diverse roles, from management consulting to product management at the HR tech startup, Zenefits. Shannon shares key insights from her early career experiences, describing how she has learned to challenge the status quo in environments that are often rigidly stuck in old systems and processes. While working at Zenefits, she gained insights that highlighted the need for a supportive framework. This is how Noyo was first designed. Shannon shares some of the early challenges of finding collaborative partners, describing what makes Noyo’s mission attractive for those who come from a tech background and others who know the benefits ecosystem. We discuss the common traits of high performers in her scaling team, and why she considers it an advantage, rather than a liability, that her identity is tied to that of the company. Hear why Shannon doesn’t have one role model in particular but rather embodies different styles. Sharing the future vision and challenges, Shannon highlights the efficacy of Noyo’s software and the small team behind it. She also shares the important principle of thinking of yourself as the end user of your product and the double-edged sword of taking everything personally. #noyo, #healthcare, #founder, #entrepreneur, #fika ventures, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #ceo, #venturecapital, #benefits, #benefits data, #benefits platform false full 6 c10dc796-f8a0-442a-8abc-3004745d0e44 Bootstrap to Breakthrough: Building a Culture of Execution and Shared Values with Joseph Elias Phillips and William Corbera First Impressions: Jo and Will met through friends at a club in Miami and instantly connected before finding a parallel path and co-founding Payabli together.

Jo’s Entrepreneurial Experiences: Growing up around entrepreneurs before working alongside influential leaders at Seamless, GrubHub, and ServiceTitan taught Jo what he needs to know about leadership. 

Will’s Core Team Value: A bootstrapper at heart, Will’s biggest learning at Payabli has been hiring people he describes as being a lot better than himself. 

Jo’s Complementary Style: Focuses on hiring the best talent and creating opportunities to make them successful. Exposed to many different people and cultures from a young age, he can empathize and relate to anyone. 

High-Performance Leadership: With a successful exit under his belt, Will defines a successful team as one with a culture of execution. Will reflects on the idea that when you truly love what you do, you will have the ammunition to keep going and put in the extra hours. 

Business and Identity: The company is entwined in every aspect of the co-founders’ lives. Entrepreneurship is in their DNA, and their identities are painted all over Payabli. 

Role Models: Jo’s grandfather imparted many important lessons in his life, including the philosophy of taking action. Will attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to his father, his hardworking nature to his mom, and his leadership ethic to his brother. 

Defining Success: Both are grateful to be able to work day in and day out with such an incredible, hardworking team and are constantly asking themselves – “Are we doing well with our [customer] love letters?” – as an indicator of the company’s health and success. 

Advice For Entrepreneurs: Jump in as soon as possible, and don’t be deterred by a lack of funding in the beginning as many incredible businesses start and remain bootstrapped. The founder journey will test you so always remember your strong ethical foundation, exhibit the values that you want represented across your company, and build a strong team to help get you there. 

 

QUOTES

“I’ve learned to hire people that are a lot better than myself.” — Will

“Whether it’s [with] our team members or our partners, being a chameleon has helped me a lot.” — Jo

“If you're an entrepreneur, your building something [and] your artistry is all over the canvas of whatever you're building.” — Will

“There are a lot of reasons to not start a business. But I knew if I didn't do this, at 90, I would have been really disappointed in myself. And it's not for everybody, but for me personally, I really would have had a lot of regret.”  — Jo

“Great leaders do what they say they are going to do.” — Will

“You can’t do it alone. You need a team to help get you there.” — Jo

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Joseph Elias Phillips on LinkedIn

William Corbera on LinkedIn

Payabli

Payabli on LinkedIn

Gabriella Brignardello on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Joseph Elias Phillips, William Corbera, Gabriella Brignardello, Fika Ventures) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/payabli-AfrLMCpO First Impressions: Jo and Will met through friends at a club in Miami and instantly connected before finding a parallel path and co-founding Payabli together.

Jo’s Entrepreneurial Experiences: Growing up around entrepreneurs before working alongside influential leaders at Seamless, GrubHub, and ServiceTitan taught Jo what he needs to know about leadership. 

Will’s Core Team Value: A bootstrapper at heart, Will’s biggest learning at Payabli has been hiring people he describes as being a lot better than himself. 

Jo’s Complementary Style: Focuses on hiring the best talent and creating opportunities to make them successful. Exposed to many different people and cultures from a young age, he can empathize and relate to anyone. 

High-Performance Leadership: With a successful exit under his belt, Will defines a successful team as one with a culture of execution. Will reflects on the idea that when you truly love what you do, you will have the ammunition to keep going and put in the extra hours. 

Business and Identity: The company is entwined in every aspect of the co-founders’ lives. Entrepreneurship is in their DNA, and their identities are painted all over Payabli. 

Role Models: Jo’s grandfather imparted many important lessons in his life, including the philosophy of taking action. Will attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to his father, his hardworking nature to his mom, and his leadership ethic to his brother. 

Defining Success: Both are grateful to be able to work day in and day out with such an incredible, hardworking team and are constantly asking themselves – “Are we doing well with our [customer] love letters?” – as an indicator of the company’s health and success. 

Advice For Entrepreneurs: Jump in as soon as possible, and don’t be deterred by a lack of funding in the beginning as many incredible businesses start and remain bootstrapped. The founder journey will test you so always remember your strong ethical foundation, exhibit the values that you want represented across your company, and build a strong team to help get you there. 

 

QUOTES

“I’ve learned to hire people that are a lot better than myself.” — Will

“Whether it’s [with] our team members or our partners, being a chameleon has helped me a lot.” — Jo

“If you're an entrepreneur, your building something [and] your artistry is all over the canvas of whatever you're building.” — Will

“There are a lot of reasons to not start a business. But I knew if I didn't do this, at 90, I would have been really disappointed in myself. And it's not for everybody, but for me personally, I really would have had a lot of regret.”  — Jo

“Great leaders do what they say they are going to do.” — Will

“You can’t do it alone. You need a team to help get you there.” — Jo

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Joseph Elias Phillips on LinkedIn

William Corbera on LinkedIn

Payabli

Payabli on LinkedIn

Gabriella Brignardello on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Bootstrap to Breakthrough: Building a Culture of Execution and Shared Values with Joseph Elias Phillips and William Corbera Joseph Elias Phillips, William Corbera, Gabriella Brignardello, Fika Ventures 00:34:29 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Joseph Elias Phillips and William Corbera, the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Payabli, a payments infrastructure and monetization platform changing the world of software. Jo and Will describe their coming together as serendipitous, having met through friends on the dancefloor of a Miami club. During our conversation, they delve into the genesis story of Payabli, as well as their unique stories that drive their founder-market resonance. Describing their complementary leadership styles, Jo and Will share a vision to hire all-stars and foster an environment of continuous learning and development within the team. Jo cites his ability to connect meaningfully with people from all walks of life as a secret ingredient to his team-building and client-relationship success. Will, having successfully exited his first entrepreneurial endeavor at RevoPay, shares his take on high-performance leadership, emphasizing a culture of execution as a key contributor to success. We discuss the co-founders’ upbringing with respect to business exposure, highlighting inspiring family members whose virtues and early influence still shine through in the Co-CEOs' work today. The conversation also covers the future vision for Payabli, infused with a deep sense of gratitude for their success. We wrap up with Will and Jo offering invaluable advice for aspiring young entrepreneurs. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Joseph Elias Phillips and William Corbera, the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Payabli, a payments infrastructure and monetization platform changing the world of software. Jo and Will describe their coming together as serendipitous, having met through friends on the dancefloor of a Miami club. During our conversation, they delve into the genesis story of Payabli, as well as their unique stories that drive their founder-market resonance. Describing their complementary leadership styles, Jo and Will share a vision to hire all-stars and foster an environment of continuous learning and development within the team. Jo cites his ability to connect meaningfully with people from all walks of life as a secret ingredient to his team-building and client-relationship success. Will, having successfully exited his first entrepreneurial endeavor at RevoPay, shares his take on high-performance leadership, emphasizing a culture of execution as a key contributor to success. We discuss the co-founders’ upbringing with respect to business exposure, highlighting inspiring family members whose virtues and early influence still shine through in the Co-CEOs' work today. The conversation also covers the future vision for Payabli, infused with a deep sense of gratitude for their success. We wrap up with Will and Jo offering invaluable advice for aspiring young entrepreneurs. #founder, #entrepreneur, #fika ventures, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #ceo, #venturecapital, payabli, #fintech, #softwware, #payments false full 5 17cd3a9d-ac6c-4c54-8112-7a8b3cee0a15 Unveiling the Power of Company Vision with Laura Foti Leadership journey: Went from working as a consultant at Deloitte Digital to becoming CMO at Fika portfolio company, Specright.  

Personal Values: Learned to take pride in her work as the child of immigrants who worked in a factory. 

Learned by Example: Watched her father embody the principle of dreaming big, finding courage, and rejecting the limits applied by others. 

Specright Premise: Pioneering specification management, packaging, and category creation.

Vision and Values: On a mission to contribute to a world without waste where the right thing is made every time.

Growth Model: Three main levers include thought leadership, ecosystem, and network.

Core Motivation: Believes in the vision and buys into the Founder’s approach to making Specright successful.

Role Models: Admires her first boss, Linda Boff, Deloitte CTO, Christy Levy, and Lumen President and CEO, Kate Johnson, who taught her to be herself in business.

Advice for Future CMOs: Advocates for immersing yourself in all the areas of marketing in order to understand it.

 

QUOTES

“One of the greatest joys of my life has been being able to take my passion for storytelling and apply it in the business setting to help people do things differently.”

“You have to show people, not just tell them.” 

“The vision is to live in a world where the right thing is made every time.” 

“We all want a sense of belonging and community in our lives as human beings, and we want to align with people who are trying to achieve the same things we are.” 

“Even though specs may not feel very sexy, the outcomes are really sexy.”

“The biggest gift you can give to others is to be yourself and showing them that they have permission to do the same.” 

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Laura Foti on LinkedIn

Specright

Eva Ho on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Laura Foti, Specright, Eva Ho, Fika Ventures) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/specright-RatIZQH2 Leadership journey: Went from working as a consultant at Deloitte Digital to becoming CMO at Fika portfolio company, Specright.  

Personal Values: Learned to take pride in her work as the child of immigrants who worked in a factory. 

Learned by Example: Watched her father embody the principle of dreaming big, finding courage, and rejecting the limits applied by others. 

Specright Premise: Pioneering specification management, packaging, and category creation.

Vision and Values: On a mission to contribute to a world without waste where the right thing is made every time.

Growth Model: Three main levers include thought leadership, ecosystem, and network.

Core Motivation: Believes in the vision and buys into the Founder’s approach to making Specright successful.

Role Models: Admires her first boss, Linda Boff, Deloitte CTO, Christy Levy, and Lumen President and CEO, Kate Johnson, who taught her to be herself in business.

Advice for Future CMOs: Advocates for immersing yourself in all the areas of marketing in order to understand it.

 

QUOTES

“One of the greatest joys of my life has been being able to take my passion for storytelling and apply it in the business setting to help people do things differently.”

“You have to show people, not just tell them.” 

“The vision is to live in a world where the right thing is made every time.” 

“We all want a sense of belonging and community in our lives as human beings, and we want to align with people who are trying to achieve the same things we are.” 

“Even though specs may not feel very sexy, the outcomes are really sexy.”

“The biggest gift you can give to others is to be yourself and showing them that they have permission to do the same.” 

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Laura Foti on LinkedIn

Specright

Eva Ho on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Unveiling the Power of Company Vision with Laura Foti Laura Foti, Specright, Eva Ho, Fika Ventures 00:31:31 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Laura Foti, the CMO and Founding Executive of Specright, the #1 platform for specification and supply chain data management. Laura believes that buying into your company’s vision is paramount to succeeding in any leadership role and shares the highlights of her leadership journey, the personal values she infuses in her work, and the vision and values that power Specright. She shares her perspective on the ins and outs of specification and data across industries and why, although the mechanics of specification might not be sexy, the end result certainly is. Laura talks about her unique strategy for generating excitement around this category, and the philosophy behind the three main levers underpinning Specright’s ultimate success across industries. She also dives into her personal reasons for believing in her company’s vision and the role models that shaped her professional and personal identity. Laura delves deep into the basis for her leadership ethic, core motivations, along with offering some true nuggets of wisdom for anyone pursuing a path to CMO. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Laura Foti, the CMO and Founding Executive of Specright, the #1 platform for specification and supply chain data management. Laura believes that buying into your company’s vision is paramount to succeeding in any leadership role and shares the highlights of her leadership journey, the personal values she infuses in her work, and the vision and values that power Specright. She shares her perspective on the ins and outs of specification and data across industries and why, although the mechanics of specification might not be sexy, the end result certainly is. Laura talks about her unique strategy for generating excitement around this category, and the philosophy behind the three main levers underpinning Specright’s ultimate success across industries. She also dives into her personal reasons for believing in her company’s vision and the role models that shaped her professional and personal identity. Laura delves deep into the basis for her leadership ethic, core motivations, along with offering some true nuggets of wisdom for anyone pursuing a path to CMO. #founder, #entrepreneur, #packaging, #fikaventures, #cmo, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #venturecapital, #specs, #specificationmanagement false full 4 3270e784-43b5-4a57-8470-d5c29516faae Mastering the Art of Selling with Humility and a Growth Mindset with Jake Cronin Jake's Journey: Started in kitchen knife sales at Cutco where he learned to cold call for the first time.

Siro Co-Founder: Co-founded Siro, a platform aiming to provide an AI coach for field sales.

Future Vision: Envisions an AI coach like Siro inspiring salespeople, pushing them to set ambitious goals and providing targeted information for success.

Universal Sales Skills: Asserts the universal relevance of sales skills in any career, emphasizing that those who embrace the sales aspect tend to thrive in their careers.

Hiring Philosophy: Looks for low ego and autonomy, believing these traits contribute to a strong team culture.

Team Culture: Values individuals who can aim themselves, execute great work, and exhibit passion.

Leadership Lessons: Stresses the importance of humility, authenticity, and a growth mindset in leadership.

Role Models: Admires Elon Musk for his bold decision-making and his girlfriend, who is recognized for fostering a culture of bringing one's full self to the team.

Habits and Rituals: Maintaining stability outside of work, investing in executive coaches, and keeping a healthy network of other founders.

 

QUOTES

"Everyone, if they reach the peak of their career, becomes a salesperson”

"Low ego is one of the strongest threads through our culture right now, connecting all our Siro employees”

“A great salesperson is providing a service and building trust”

“I was constantly humbled in my sales career with just how tough the job is”

“Anyone can be successful in sales and have a life-changing outcome if they’re willing to put in the work”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Siro

Jake Cronin on LinkedIn

Joe Jordan on LinkedIn

John Chen on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:04:33 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Jake Cronin, Siro, John Chen, Fika Ventures) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/siro-EROozRM_ Jake's Journey: Started in kitchen knife sales at Cutco where he learned to cold call for the first time.

Siro Co-Founder: Co-founded Siro, a platform aiming to provide an AI coach for field sales.

Future Vision: Envisions an AI coach like Siro inspiring salespeople, pushing them to set ambitious goals and providing targeted information for success.

Universal Sales Skills: Asserts the universal relevance of sales skills in any career, emphasizing that those who embrace the sales aspect tend to thrive in their careers.

Hiring Philosophy: Looks for low ego and autonomy, believing these traits contribute to a strong team culture.

Team Culture: Values individuals who can aim themselves, execute great work, and exhibit passion.

Leadership Lessons: Stresses the importance of humility, authenticity, and a growth mindset in leadership.

Role Models: Admires Elon Musk for his bold decision-making and his girlfriend, who is recognized for fostering a culture of bringing one's full self to the team.

Habits and Rituals: Maintaining stability outside of work, investing in executive coaches, and keeping a healthy network of other founders.

 

QUOTES

"Everyone, if they reach the peak of their career, becomes a salesperson”

"Low ego is one of the strongest threads through our culture right now, connecting all our Siro employees”

“A great salesperson is providing a service and building trust”

“I was constantly humbled in my sales career with just how tough the job is”

“Anyone can be successful in sales and have a life-changing outcome if they’re willing to put in the work”

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Siro

Jake Cronin on LinkedIn

Joe Jordan on LinkedIn

John Chen on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Mastering the Art of Selling with Humility and a Growth Mindset with Jake Cronin Jake Cronin, Siro, John Chen, Fika Ventures 00:15:43 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Jake Cronin, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Siro, a company building an AI coach for field sales. Our conversation with Jake unpacks the inspiring journey through his career, beginning with his role in field sales, when, at 18, he joined Cutco selling kitchen knives door to door. Jake describes founding Siro and the vision he has for the company’s future. He discusses how developing fundamental sales skills at Cutco was critical in his ability to launch and scale the company, and how mastering the art of selling is universally relevant for any career progression. We dive deeper into the broader importance of sales and discuss the development of and future vision for Siro. Jake shares with us how the importance of humility, authenticity, and a growth mindset have shaped his leadership journey, as well as his hiring philosophy. He then details the traits that set the foundation for a successful team culture: low ego and high autonomy. The conversation concludes with Jake discussing his role models, as well as the habits and rituals that help him maintain his edge as a leader. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Jake Cronin, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Siro, a company building an AI coach for field sales. Our conversation with Jake unpacks the inspiring journey through his career, beginning with his role in field sales, when, at 18, he joined Cutco selling kitchen knives door to door. Jake describes founding Siro and the vision he has for the company’s future. He discusses how developing fundamental sales skills at Cutco was critical in his ability to launch and scale the company, and how mastering the art of selling is universally relevant for any career progression. We dive deeper into the broader importance of sales and discuss the development of and future vision for Siro. Jake shares with us how the importance of humility, authenticity, and a growth mindset have shaped his leadership journey, as well as his hiring philosophy. He then details the traits that set the foundation for a successful team culture: low ego and high autonomy. The conversation concludes with Jake discussing his role models, as well as the habits and rituals that help him maintain his edge as a leader. #founder, #salesai, #entrepreneur, #fikaventures, #leadership, #vc, #startup, #fieldsales, #ceo, #venturecapital, #jakecronin, #johnchen, #sales, #siro, #aicoaching, #salesleadership false full 3 dd1019ae-23ab-4d61-add8-3b4e9145ecab Leading with Purpose, Individual Authenticity, and Community Impact with Alok Chanani Alok’s Journey: Insights into his unique leadership style shaped by his founder journey.

Leadership Principles: Emphasizes leading by example, cultivating trust, and setting the pace.

Team Building: Highlights the significance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity, and attention to detail in building the right team.

Pitfalls of Arrogance: Warnings against arrogance, emphasizing the importance of disciplined, mission-driven employees.

Authenticity and Individuality: Advocates for making decisions based on underlying causal factors, rejecting crowd mentality.

Entrepreneurial Journey: Reflects on the critical role of early hires in shaping organizational culture and scalability.

Inspiration and Roots: Traces inspiration to serve the blue-collar community back to military service and collaboration with contractors.

Definition of Success: Defines success beyond traditional metrics, emphasizing community impact and career-defining moments for team members.

 

QUOTES

“It is really important to lead from the front and set the pace and the tone of your organization.” 

“Don't be compelled to take popular positions. Be comfortable taking difficult positions and embracing your own unique path.”

"Be adaptable and really flexible, but still drive towards a vision and be somewhat unrelenting in that vision and communicate that vision to your team."

"There's nothing more important than building a high performing, highly motivated team.”

 "Be super real. Don't try to say the right thing.”

"Don't do it for the money. Life is too short. Do it because you love it and do it because you're passionate and excited about it."

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

BuildOps

Alok Chanani on LinkedIn

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Alok Chanani, BuildOps, TX Zhuo, Fika Ventures) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/buildops-9QlhvoNi Alok’s Journey: Insights into his unique leadership style shaped by his founder journey.

Leadership Principles: Emphasizes leading by example, cultivating trust, and setting the pace.

Team Building: Highlights the significance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity, and attention to detail in building the right team.

Pitfalls of Arrogance: Warnings against arrogance, emphasizing the importance of disciplined, mission-driven employees.

Authenticity and Individuality: Advocates for making decisions based on underlying causal factors, rejecting crowd mentality.

Entrepreneurial Journey: Reflects on the critical role of early hires in shaping organizational culture and scalability.

Inspiration and Roots: Traces inspiration to serve the blue-collar community back to military service and collaboration with contractors.

Definition of Success: Defines success beyond traditional metrics, emphasizing community impact and career-defining moments for team members.

 

QUOTES

“It is really important to lead from the front and set the pace and the tone of your organization.” 

“Don't be compelled to take popular positions. Be comfortable taking difficult positions and embracing your own unique path.”

"Be adaptable and really flexible, but still drive towards a vision and be somewhat unrelenting in that vision and communicate that vision to your team."

"There's nothing more important than building a high performing, highly motivated team.”

 "Be super real. Don't try to say the right thing.”

"Don't do it for the money. Life is too short. Do it because you love it and do it because you're passionate and excited about it."

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

BuildOps

Alok Chanani on LinkedIn

TX Zhuo on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Leading with Purpose, Individual Authenticity, and Community Impact with Alok Chanani Alok Chanani, BuildOps, TX Zhuo, Fika Ventures 00:18:08 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Alok Chanani, CEO and Co-founder of BuildOps, a comprehensive solution dedicated to empowering commercial contractors to operate profitable and efficient businesses. In our conversation with Alok, we explore the unique characteristics of his leadership style, which were shaped by his time serving in the military. Alok discusses his inspiration for venturing into the realm of commercial contractors and shares valuable lessons learned as a startup founder, as well as the specific traits he seeks in team members to foster a successful working dynamic. The significance of mentorship emerges as a key theme, as Alok emphasizes its pivotal role in his personal and professional growth. The episode concludes with Alok offering advice for individuals embarking on their journey as founders, encapsulating the wisdom garnered from his own entrepreneurial endeavors and making it an essential listen for both aspiring founders and business enthusiasts. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Alok Chanani, CEO and Co-founder of BuildOps, a comprehensive solution dedicated to empowering commercial contractors to operate profitable and efficient businesses. In our conversation with Alok, we explore the unique characteristics of his leadership style, which were shaped by his time serving in the military. Alok discusses his inspiration for venturing into the realm of commercial contractors and shares valuable lessons learned as a startup founder, as well as the specific traits he seeks in team members to foster a successful working dynamic. The significance of mentorship emerges as a key theme, as Alok emphasizes its pivotal role in his personal and professional growth. The episode concludes with Alok offering advice for individuals embarking on their journey as founders, encapsulating the wisdom garnered from his own entrepreneurial endeavors and making it an essential listen for both aspiring founders and business enthusiasts. #founder, #entrepreneur, #fika ventures, #buildops, #alok chanani, #vc, #startup, #ceo, #venturecapital, #tx zhuo, #commercial contractor false full 2 4909a3e5-6e49-4549-80a0-07d57450ce96 Navigating Childcare Entrepreneurship, Leadership Evolution, and Breaking Norms with Jessica Chang Jessica’s Journey into Childcare: Her transition from a personal struggle with childcare to becoming a preschool owner and co-founder of Upwards.

Entrepreneurial Challenges: Challenges and insights in establishing Upwards, offering a comprehensive view of childcare entrepreneurship.

COVID-19 Impact: The profound impact of the pandemic on Upwards and the industry, highlighting the shared responsibility for childcare issues among employers, government, families, and providers.

Leadership Evolution: Jessica's shift from a hands-on approach to focusing on vision creation and building a skilled execution team.

Distinctive Leadership Style: Jessica's unique leadership style influenced by past experiences, along with the culture and qualities sought in Upwards' team members.

Entrepreneurial Success Factors: The importance of personal experience, passion, risk-taking, and breaking norms for successful entrepreneurship.

Working Smart: Applies the 80-20 rule for optimizing efforts, adding a practical dimension to her leadership philosophy.

Role Model and Motivation: Jessica's grandmother is her greatest role model, inspiring innovation and breaking norms.

Views on Leadership and Success: Insightful views on leadership and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

 

QUOTES

"A good leader also wants to constantly learn. They want to be surrounded by people that are better than them.”

“I think it would be the worst situation for me if I am the smartest person in the room. I never want to be the smartest person in the room.”

"When I decided to start a family, I was put in a position that it really wasn't up to me when it should be the happiest moment in my life. That choice was taken from me. And that led me to becoming a preschool owner and operator,"

"It's not how you score yourself, but how others will score you."

"To be an entrepreneur, you really need to be passionate about what you do. What's going to get you to the next day? What's going to get you out of bed and say, this is what I want to work on."

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Upwards

Jessica Chang on LinkedIn

Eva Ho on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

 

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Tue, 12 Dec 2023 21:53:37 +0000 judjuin@fika.vc (Jessica Chang, Upwards, Eva Ho, Fika Ventures) https://fikapouroverpod.com/episodes/upwards-bIssZL__ Jessica’s Journey into Childcare: Her transition from a personal struggle with childcare to becoming a preschool owner and co-founder of Upwards.

Entrepreneurial Challenges: Challenges and insights in establishing Upwards, offering a comprehensive view of childcare entrepreneurship.

COVID-19 Impact: The profound impact of the pandemic on Upwards and the industry, highlighting the shared responsibility for childcare issues among employers, government, families, and providers.

Leadership Evolution: Jessica's shift from a hands-on approach to focusing on vision creation and building a skilled execution team.

Distinctive Leadership Style: Jessica's unique leadership style influenced by past experiences, along with the culture and qualities sought in Upwards' team members.

Entrepreneurial Success Factors: The importance of personal experience, passion, risk-taking, and breaking norms for successful entrepreneurship.

Working Smart: Applies the 80-20 rule for optimizing efforts, adding a practical dimension to her leadership philosophy.

Role Model and Motivation: Jessica's grandmother is her greatest role model, inspiring innovation and breaking norms.

Views on Leadership and Success: Insightful views on leadership and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

 

QUOTES

"A good leader also wants to constantly learn. They want to be surrounded by people that are better than them.”

“I think it would be the worst situation for me if I am the smartest person in the room. I never want to be the smartest person in the room.”

"When I decided to start a family, I was put in a position that it really wasn't up to me when it should be the happiest moment in my life. That choice was taken from me. And that led me to becoming a preschool owner and operator,"

"It's not how you score yourself, but how others will score you."

"To be an entrepreneur, you really need to be passionate about what you do. What's going to get you to the next day? What's going to get you out of bed and say, this is what I want to work on."

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Upwards

Jessica Chang on LinkedIn

Eva Ho on LinkedIn

Fika Ventures

Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes

 

You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc. Thanks for listening.

]]> Navigating Childcare Entrepreneurship, Leadership Evolution, and Breaking Norms with Jessica Chang Jessica Chang, Upwards, Eva Ho, Fika Ventures 00:20:04 This episode of Pour Over spotlights Jessica Chang, CEO and Co-founder of Upwards, a B2B2C child care marketplace. In our conversation with Jessica, we examine her journey to building Upwards and the challenges she faced from various stakeholders including employers, government, families, and childcare providers. We also explore the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company’s growth, and the childcare industry broadly, and Jessica’s personal motivations and experiences that shaped her leadership style and led her to being the visionary founder she is today. In emphasizing the need to find inspiration in real-life role models and instilling the importance of passion in maintaining motivation, this episode provides a rich tapestry of experiences, challenges, and lessons, appealing to both childcare industry enthusiasts and emerging business leaders. This episode of Pour Over spotlights Jessica Chang, CEO and Co-founder of Upwards, a B2B2C child care marketplace. In our conversation with Jessica, we examine her journey to building Upwards and the challenges she faced from various stakeholders including employers, government, families, and childcare providers. We also explore the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company’s growth, and the childcare industry broadly, and Jessica’s personal motivations and experiences that shaped her leadership style and led her to being the visionary founder she is today. In emphasizing the need to find inspiration in real-life role models and instilling the importance of passion in maintaining motivation, this episode provides a rich tapestry of experiences, challenges, and lessons, appealing to both childcare industry enthusiasts and emerging business leaders. #founder, #entrepreneur, #jessica chang, #fika ventures, #leadership, #eva ho, #vc, #startup, #ceo, #venturecapital, #upwards, #childcare false full 1