Stay ConnectedEach week, I invite entrepreneurs, venture capitalists & industry professionals to share their experiences and insights on the journey to building a successful startup.
I try to explore the human side of the business, their successes, failures, stories, we talk about latest trends, and dive deep into whatever is going on in the startup world.
Copyright: © 2024 Prodcricle with Mudassir Mustafa
Dan provides an inside look at VC investing, explaining why it's like gambling and the brutal power law dynamics. He advises founders on crucial term sheet details, building their personal brand, raising the right amounts, and more.
Other topics include:
- The context behind Dan's diverse life and career
- Why working in startup sales is the best learning experience
- What Dan looks for in founders during fundraising
- His views on crypto, the metaverse, and overvalued startups
- How hands-on he is with portfolio companies
- Red flags when meeting founders for the first time
- Ideal pitch decks and what grabs his attention
- Why most founders make poor CEOs and get replaced
- His advice for people looking to start a VC firm
If you want an honest take on VC investing, don't miss this eye-opening discussion!
According to Dan, one of the biggest red flags is when customers don't seem to care about a product. He advocates for founders having self-awareness around their skills as not all great founders transition into great CEOs. Dan also unpacks why he steers away from "nonsense" areas like crypto, the metaverse and overhyped trends.
While he finds VC economics distasteful at times, Dan is motivated by meeting impressive founders, helping them grow, and hopefully making a positive impact. He shares advice for anyone looking to break into the VC world, stressing the importance of differentiation and niche themes.
🔗 CONNECT WITH DAN BOWYER
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowyer/
💻 Website - https://www.superseed.com/team/
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://www.prodcircle.com/podcast
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Funding is one of the biggest challenges facing startups and entrepreneurs. In this episode, serial entrepreneur Matt Watson shares his advice on bootstrapping vs raising venture capital based on his experience building and selling multiple companies.
Matt explains how he bootstrapped his first company VinSolutions to $35 million in revenue before selling it for $150 million. He discusses the pros and cons of bootstrapping and when it makes sense to seek outside funding.
Matt also shares what VCs look for in potential investments, how to know if your business is “investable,” and how much equity you may need to give up. He advises first-time founders to consider having a co-founder when starting out.
Some of the key topics covered include:
- Bootstrapping successfully vs raising VC money
- Validating your business before fundraising
- How much of your company you may need to give up
- Ideal criteria for venture capital investments
- Advice for technical founders who want to become CTOs
- Transitioning from coder to manager as your startup grows
- How to scale your startup and build a profitable business
If you’re an entrepreneur trying to figure out how to fund your early-stage startup, this episode is full of practical insights from someone who has built companies with and without external funding. Matt shares hard-earned lessons from his 20+ years of startup experience.
🔗 CONNECT WITH MATT
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Learn the keys to scaling your startup from $1 million to $100 million and beyond with investor and mentor Jeremy Barr. In this episode, Jeremy explains what it takes to build a $100M company, the major differences between running a $1M vs $100M vs $1B business, and what investors really look for in startup founders.
Jeremy shares proven strategies for attracting top talent, quantifying your purpose as a founder, acing investor pitch meetings, and maintaining control of your company through rapid growth. Discover how to develop the grit, leadership capabilities, and elite communication skills needed to turn your big idea into a billion dollar startup success story.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your company to the next level, Jeremy lays out an actionable playbook for dramatically increasing your startup’s value and achieving your biggest goals in business and in life. Don’t miss these tangible takeaways that can help unlock your full potential as an entrepreneur and founder.
🔗 CONNECT WITH JEREMY
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydbarr/
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Discover the fascinating journey of Miguel Fernandez, the co-founder of Capchase, as he shares his story and the lessons he learned from failed startups. From growing up in Madrid to working in investment banking and eventually founding Capchase, Miguel's entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity have driven him to success. Join us as we delve into the story of the next billion-dollar startup and gain valuable insights along the way. Don't forget to subscribe for more inspiring stories and entrepreneurial tips!
WHO IS MIGUEL?
Miguel Fernandez is the CEO and co-founder of Capchase, the revenue acceleration platform for SaaS companies. Before Capchase, Miguel earned a business degree and worked in mechanical and energy engineering. After working several engineering and R&D internships, he did consulting and worked with a Series A startup. While a consultant he tried starting two startups, both failed early, but learned a ton from the experience. Mostly about finding product market fit, about focus and about addressable markets. He applied the learnings from his background to identify an opportunity to help SaaS companies manage the friction between vendors and buyers to begin Capchase. Since it’s founding three years ago, Capchase has worked with more than 4,000 SaaS startups in almost a dozen countries, and made nearly $2 billion in funding available to the industry.
🔗 CONNECT WITH MIGUEL
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelfernandezlarrea/
🐦 Twitter / X - https://twitter.com/miguelflarrea?lang=en
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
In this unfiltered video interview, serial entrepreneur Seth Yakatan shares open and honest lessons from his 20+ year career starting, investing in, and exiting companies.
He covers topics like:
- The role of luck and timing in startup success
- How repeated failures and mistakes inform future wins
- Fundraising tips for entrepreneurs
- Evaluating potential team members and co-founders
- Common mistakes startups make during M&A
- Launching and marketing consumer brands
Seth also tells crazy stories from his career, including hiring the disastrously wrong CEO and anti-climactic victories. His raw and authentic advice makes this a must-watch for any aspiring entrepreneur or founder. It's especially useful for those interested in biotech, cannabis, consumer products, fundraising, hiring, or marketing. Seth's unfiltered perspective sheds light on the messy reality of entrepreneurship and startup life.
🔗 CONNECT WITH SETH
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-yakatan/
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Subscribe to my newsletter https://newsletter.prodcircle.com/profile
In this episode I had the previlige of sitting down with a great mind of our century. Greg Larkin, founder of Punks & Pinstripes, shares his fascinating career journey from Wall Street finance executive to startup founder and community builder for midlife entrepreneurs.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Greg recounts his experience innovating within big corporations like Bloomberg, predicting the 2008 financial crisis while analyzing anomalous mortgage data, and eventually leaving finance to build his own startups.
He explores the difficulties founders face when the startup image promoted by media doesn’t match the gritty reality of successful entrepreneurship. Greg explains that while the media loves portraying young startup founders as glamorous, data shows the most successful founders are over 40, but they lack community support.
Greg provides hard-won insights on:
Why working at a corporation can provide invaluable entrepreneur training despite the challenges of innovating within bureaucratic environments
How to innovate within big companies without getting “fired” – Greg shares his framework for anticipating and navigating corporate obstructionists
Why community is absolutely critical for founder wellbeing and success, but is sorely lacking for older founders
How he predicted the 2008 financial crisis by digging into mortgage data showing a growing debt-to-income ratio trend
Why founders over 40 are statistically the most successful, yet are ignored by startup media images and lack tailored community support
Greg also shares the three most important lessons he wished he had known earlier as a founder:
1. Your success depends on what you say no to – rigorously focus only on the one or two things that matter
2. Feel good about yourself even if your big goals aren’t met yet – don’t tie your self-worth to external outcomes
3. Don't try to do this alone - find your tribe and community that understands your entrepreneurial struggles
If you’re a founder over 40, tune in to gain Greg’s hard-won wisdom on how to thrive and build something meaningful, rather than get caught up in pursuing glamorous media myths of entrepreneurship. This candid discussion provides an inside look at the realities of corporate innovation and startup struggles no one talks about.
🔗 CONNECT WITH GREG
💻 Website - https://www.thisisgreglarkin.com/
💌 Newsletter - https://www.punksandpinstripes.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregilarkin/
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Gregory_larkin
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
How do you build a billion dollar companies? How unicorns are build?
In this episode, Ihar Mahaniok shares his journey as an immigrant founder and investor. He moved from Belarus to Switzerland and then the US, overcoming challenges like culture shock and building a new network.
Ihar provides invaluable advice for immigrant founders looking to break into the US startup ecosystem. He explains how his fund GeekVentures helps founders become fully embedded by introducing them to investors and helping them communicate effectively.
Even if you're not an immigrant founder, Ihar shares tips all entrepreneurs can learn from. He discusses how to create pitch decks that attract investor attention, including articulating the problem, market size, and your vision.
Ihar also shares what VCs look for in founders, from founder-market fit to a dynamic approach and passion for their idea. He explains red flags like being non-coachable and founders who believe they have all the answers.
Additional topics include:
- Transitioning from engineering to angel investing to VC
- The realities of raising a VC fund
- Common founder mistakes and how to avoid them
- How to evaluate potential investments as a VC
- Managing a portfolio of 30+ startups as a VC
Ihar distills over a decade of experience into this episode. If you're a founder fundraising or want to better understand the investor perspective, you'll gain unique insights from his journey.
🔗 CONNECT WITH IHAR
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/akhmedov.co/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sardor-akhmedov/
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/akhmedovco?lang=ru
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Sardor Akhmedov's Life Story with Prodcircle!! What is the Fuel of Company Growth?
Subscribe to my newsletter https://newsletter.prodcircle.com/profile
Sardor shares how he was able to build an 8-figure agency business after starting businesses from a young age. A key factor was learning sales - he had no sales experience when he first joined his current agency, but taught himself and credits sales abilities for their growth. Outbound sales in particular allow him to target ideal customers.
He also emphasizes the importance of systematizing operations and processes to scale an agency profitably. When they rapidly grew their team, they later had to scale back because their systems couldn't support the bloat. Now they have strong operations to deliver profitably.
Sardor stresses staying lean when scaling up - rather than hiring new people when demand rises, pay existing employees more to take on more work until they reach capacity. This prevents over-hiring and high burn rates.
Overall, he provides valuable insights into building a successful, profitable agency business from the ground up. Key takeaways are:
- Learn sales skills, even if you have no experience - this will fuel company growth
- Implement systems and processes early on to enable scaling
- Use outbound sales to target ideal customers instead of waiting for inbound leads
- Stay lean by squeezing more out of current employees before hiring new ones
Sardor's story demonstrates that with the right mindset and skills like sales, you can build a highly successful agency even if you start with no capital. His lessons provide a blueprint for scalable, sustainable growth.
🔗 CONNECT WITH SARDOR
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/akhmedov.co/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sardor-akhmedov/
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/akhmedovco?lang=ru
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7MKODYGDeiWP4Y5xUpih31?si=7ce29a73d8724ac2
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMTg5ODA4LnJzcw
RSS - https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2189808.rss
🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
Subscribe to my newsletter to learn from the best entrepreneurs and VCs. https://newsletter.prodcircle.com/profile
Episode 16:
In this episode, Pete and I chatted about building great companies, starting out with just an idea, investing in the companies. what makes a great founder, and what investors look for in any business when they invest.
Pete Sena is a visionary entrepreneur with a rich background in creating businesses and shaping brands. Co-Founder of the global innovation and design experience consultancy, Digital Surgeons, Pete's career spans nearly two decades of building and leading cross-functional teams that delivered successful multi-channel programs and activations for both startups and Fortune 50 companies.
With a passion for innovation, Pete embodies a growth mindset and a forward-thinking approach. His areas of expertise range from marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship, to more progressive realms such as design thinking, Web3 technologies, AI, and the metaverse. This broad knowledge base has positioned him as an active thought leader, amassing over 4.2k followers on Medium and an impressive 33k followers on Twitter. Beyond his professional endeavors, Pete is known for his commitment to giving back to the academic community.
He serves as a Venture Mentor at Yale University and also acts as an entrepreneur-in-residence at his alma mater, the University of Connecticut, in the Technology Incubation Program. A dedicated creator, Pete shares his insights and experiences through his own podcast, "Forward Obsessed". Here, he engages in profound conversations with successful business leaders and entrepreneurs, further enriching his perspective on the ever-evolving world of business and technology. Pete's entrepreneurial journey started in his college dorm room, where he bootstrapped his branding and marketing company into an eight-figure business.
From there, he went on to become the visionary behind District, a tech and innovation campus and coworking facility located in New Haven, CT. His investments and strategic advisories have propelled numerous startups worldwide, many of which have achieved significant exits or liquidity events. Recently, Pete's focus has shifted towards the impact of AI on society, and how individuals and businesses can harness these technologies to spur growth. His narratives, shaped by a unique lens of creativity and human-centered design, make him a compelling figure in the world of entrepreneurship and technology. Given Pete's extensive accomplishments and his drive to unlock new possibilities, he continues to captivate audiences, offering valuable insights on various platforms, and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
If you are in entrepreneurial space, this is a mega episode for you. Enjoy :)
🔗 CONNECT WITH PETE
💻 Website - https://petesena.com
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersena/
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/petesena
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-forward-obsessed-with-pete-sena-founder-of/id1513418516?i=1000590188291
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-w
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
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Episode 14:
This is by far the most interesting episode we have recorded on the show. I had the previlige of sitting down with a great mind of this century, Alistair Croll. Alistair is a serial entrepreneur, event organizer, and bestselling author who works at the intersection of technology and society.
After an early career in product management and telecommunications at Eicon, Primary Access, and 3Com, Alistair built web performance pioneer Coradiant and sold it to BMC for $135M. He launched the Year One Labs incubator, chaired O'Reilly's Strata and UBM's Cloud Connect, founded FWD50, and taught at Harvard Business School.
He has co-written three books including Lean Analytics, widely considered required reading for startups, and is currently working on Just Evil Enough, the subversive marketing playbook.
In this episode, we talked about the important of building purpose driven startups, creating a network that you can rely on, why marketing is more important than your product, how to use venture capital, and how to build dream companies.
If you are in entrepreneurial space, this is a mega episode for you. Enjoy :)
🔗 CONNECT WITH ALISTAIR
💻 Website - https://alistaircroll.com
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistaircroll
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/acroll
🔗 CONNECT WITH MUDASSIR
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Lean Analytics - https://leananalyticsbook.com/
Just Evil Enough - https://justevilenough.com/
Year One Labs
Local Mind (Acquired by AirBnB) - https://www.airbnb.com/
Cordiant (Acquired by BMC software) - https://www.bmc.com/
O'Reilly Media - https://www.oreilly.com/
FWD50 -
Startup Fest - https://www.fwd50.com/
📄SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
Visit the website for the transcript and highlights from the conversation - https://prodcircle.com/podcasts/
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
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🙏 LEAVE A REVIEW
If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodcricle-with-mudassir-mustafa/id1688602416
👋🏼 GET IN TOUCH
You can also Tweet @prodcirclehq with any feedback, ideas, or thoughts about the lessons you've learned from the episodes and we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏
Looking to work with Mudassir, drop an email.
Connect with Mudassir
🎥 YouTube Channel - @prodcircleHQ
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/ProdcircleHQ
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/prodcirclehq
💻 Website - https://prodcircle.com/
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudassir-mustafa/
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