Startups for Good
David Helene, Founder and CEO of Edquity
David Helene is the founder and CEO of Edquity (www.edquity.co), a provider of equitable and effective cash transfer administration technology for institutional and government partners. Under his leadership, Edquity has worked with over 30 innovative partners in postsecondary education to process over $85 million in emergency grants to over 90,000 students, 40% of whom have been student parents, as well municipalities that include the City of Baltimore. He has helped the organization attract over $8 million in support from some of the most innovation national postsecondary funding partners in the country, including ECMC Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, Strada Education Network, Imaginable Futures, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, Spring Point Partners, WGU Labs, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others. For his work at Edquity, David was named to 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Social Entrepreneurship.Prior to Edquity, David founded a non-profit college access organization called UniFi Scholars, where he worked with over 400 students around college financial planning, and spent nearly three years at The Clearing House, a financial trade association and payments company representing the interests of the nation's largest commercial banks. David joins me today to discuss changing demographics in students, the importance and purpose of higher ed, why college costs keep rising, taking policy risks as a startup, launching a second product and the role of business in politics. "About 75% of students are going to community colleges or open enrollment for your institutions. And that's really where we should be focusing our time and attention, because those are the institutions that are educating the vast majority of the next generation of our workforce." - David HeleneToday on Startups for Good we cover:Fighting structural inequalityRising college costsBalancing two customer basesPolicy risk and evaluationShould companies take political positions?Learn more about Edquity on their website and with David at david@edquity.coSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Ronnie Kwesi Coleman, Co-Founder and CEO of Meaningful Gigs
Ronnie Kwesi Coleman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Meaningful Gigs, a tech-enabled marketplace connecting skilled African designers with companies seeking high quality digital design. After dropping out of college at 20 to support his family in Ghana, Ronnie got a job at a tech startup in Washington, DC. Soon after, he helped launch the VC-backed startup StayNTouch, which grew to 100+ employees and was eventually acquired for $40M. Since co-founding Meaningful Gigs in 2019 Ronnie has led the company's financial efforts, raising over $1M in seed funding and creating jobs for and upskilling more than 300 African designers. A longtime advocate for Africa, Ronnie's own Ghanaian heritage inspired him to focus specifically on global equity. With a mission to help people reach their full potential, Meaningful Gigs is impacting people in Africa in real, tangible ways. In just under two years, the company has already placed designers in roles with Starbucks, Bloomberg, Facebook, and IDEO, and has a vision to create 100,000 skilled jobs in Africa by 2028.Ronnie is also a Co-Founder of the Black Exchange, an organization that helps black entrepreneurs connect with black investors. Ronnie lives in Washington, DC, where he oversees Meaningful Gigs' world-class team. In his spare time, he can be found playing chess—he's a nationally-ranked expert!—or playing basketball with friends.On today's episode I speak with Ronnie about his company which has about 12 full time people and has grown it's revenue four to five times in 2021. They are also out now to raise a Series A. We discussed finding investors, finding co-founders and how you match your values, the values of the company and how that really comes together. We talk about finding investors when you don't have a network, how to prioritize which investors you want to work with. And we also end up with his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs."How you do anything, is how you do everything. So pretty much if you can find a business or do whatever you need to do that harmonizes with your life, and it's not completely separate, it's not something new. Then try to do that." - Ronnie Kwesi ColemanToday on Startups for Good we cover:How chess is like building a startupProbabilistic thinkingFactors making someone reach their full potentialAddressing differences across national culturesOperating virtually The work force in AfricaResolving conflicts amongst foundersThe importance of mission when bringing in investorsConnect with Ronnie on LinkedIn or through the company's websiteSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Alex Mooradian, Founder and CEO of Resolve
Alex Mooradian, founder and CEO of Resolve, is a private equity investor turned entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of Resolve, a company which combines caring human experts with powerful technology to provide people with affordable and transparent debt relief solutions. Prior to founding Resolve, Alex was Entrepreneur In Residence at Expa and the founder of Readyforce, a company that helps people find jobs and get to work. He was also a Principal at Eos Partners, a growth equity investment fund in New York, and an Associate at First Atlantic Capital and Fremont Partners. Alex began his career as an Analyst in the Mergers and Acquisition Group at Merrill Lynch. A frequent public speaker and panelist on financial technology for good, Alex has spoken at Financial Health Network's Annual EMERGE Forum, Hope Global Forum, and CB Insights' Future of Fintech, among others.He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Columbia Business School, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and children."I was so excited about the story when I met Alex that I made an investment. Now, he has progressed quite a bit, and I'm excited to share the story with you. Just before having this conversation he closed another $5 million round. He tells a story of his intense pivot. He had 25 employees and was going in one direction, realized he had to change directions, given the market circumstances and he brought the team down to five people and then back up to eight. They've got eight open positions now and expect to continue to grow. It's a wonderful story of a turnaround in the middle of a startup. We also discuss direct and honest conversations. How this funding environment is actually working for entrepreneurs measuring progress along a mission. When do you persevere or pivot?"If you no longer are excited to solve that problem, even if it's a big problem, if you're not excited to solve it anymore, personally, it's probably time to move on as well. You know, this job is so much fun, I love doing what I do, I would not want to do anything else with my life" - Alex MooradianToday on Startups for Good we cover:Helping people in financial crisisProduct evolutionDeciding to change course and the emotional tollCommunicating to investors who are mission oriented and those that are profit-maximazing Building diversity on the teamMeasuring progress with metrics other than financesConnect with Alex by email alex@helloresolve.com and learn more about the company at Resolve's websiteSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Damola Ogundipe, CEO of Civic Eagle
Damola Ogundipe is the CEO of Civic Eagle, a public policy data and software company helping build a limitless world with intelligent and useful public policy data. Damola was born in Nigeria and grew up in Minnesota where he attended the University of Minnesota and later on founded Civic Eagle. I've been an investor in the company since 2018, they've been a remote only company, which we talked about in the episode. They've grown by three times in the last year, raised over $3 million and grown to 22 people in the company. We also discuss what makes a great founder, how to make decisions including a pivot, what building a remote only company is like and how to do it. So you're reaching for greatness, starting Employee Resource Groups early on, and how investors say no, and how they should keep the door open if they want to, and much more. "I think being a really good leader, being a strong leader, inspiring the people that are getting behind you, and I'm really actually holding your hand through this journey is by far the most important thing". - Damola OgundipeToday on Startups for Good we cover:Early signs of entrepreneurshipKnowing when to pivot the model of the companyMatching your customers to your product or serviceCreating a remote cultureHiring and firing best practicesSaying no to investorsConnect with Damola on Twitter or email him at Damola@civiceagle.comMiles mentioned the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Matt Spettel, Co-Founder & CEO, CoPilot
Matt Spettel is the co-founder and CEO of CoPilot, a Pittsburgh-based remote personal training startup. With an engineering background from Carnegie Mellon University, Matt specializes in designing and building innovation consumer products and experienced. Since its founding in 2019, CoPilot has raised $10M, grown to 50 full-time employees, and impacted thousands of lives across the globe. Matt joins me today to discuss his company CoPilot. I am a happy user and an investor. During this episode, we cover the evolution of the company vision, how to learn about new disciplines as a founder. Matt shares how he always wanted to build robots and how he ended up working on copilot building a team from five to over 50 In one year, and how to successfully fundraise."If you can't make it happen with two overworked, overtired people sitting in a garage with a dream, then you're probably not going to be able to make it happen with $3,000,000 and two people sitting in a garage overworked with a dream. I'd say there's very, very specific cases where capital is truly the limiting factor to move to the next step." - Matt SpettelToday on Startups for Good we cover:Realizing the larger missionCombining tech tools and human coachingConstantly iteratingChoosing your ideal customerLearning the marketing spaceBuilding a team with rapid growthTips on fundraisingConnect with Matt on LinkedIn and right now CoPilot is offering a free 14 day trial (no credit card needed) at mycopilot.com to try the service out for yourself.Miles mentioned the book: Lean Startup by Eric RiesSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Paul Niehaus, Co-Founder & Director of GiveDirectly
Paul is an economist and entrepreneur working to accelerate the end of extreme poverty. He is an associate professor of economics at UC San Diego. His research examines the design, implementation, and impact of anti-poverty programs at large scales.He is co-founder, former president, and current director at GiveDirectly, the leading international NGO specialized in digital cash transfers and consistently rated one of the most impactful ways to give. He subsequently co-founded and served as a director of the enterprise payments company Segovia (acquired) and the digital remittance company Taptap Send.Paul is a recipient of a Sloan Fellowship and has been named a "Top 100 Global Thinker" by Foreign Policy magazine. He holds a PhD in economics from Harvard University.Paul joins me and we talked about the opportunity to do so much good for just a little bit of money, how people living in extreme poverty choose to use their cash. We talk about the differences between for profit and nonprofit startups. We talk about the advantages to not being 100% committed into one thing, particularly when it's new or experimental, and he gives advice on a number of other issues."The point though, I think still holds that you'd like for there to be some of that accountability to the people that we're trying to help. And not only to the people that are putting the money upfront, on the donor side." Paul NiehausToday on Startups for Good we cover:Returns to quality in nonprofit vs. for profitEarn to giveMobile money providersSetting up teamsBalancing family, startups & academicsUniversal basic income experimentConnect with Paul on Twitter Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Charlie Olson, co-founder and CEO of Pando
Charlie Olson is the co-founder and CEO of Pando. Pando was founded after Charlie and his co-founder, Eric Lax, graduated from Stanford's Graduate School of Business in 2017. Since inception Pando has signed hundreds of professional athletes and entrepreneurs into income pools and has raised a Series A from top fintech investors. Prior to his time at Stanford, Charlie worked with Bob Grady at Cheyenne Capital, a private equity firm based out of Jackson, WY. Concurrently, Charlie worked in search fund investing for Professor David Dodson and was a speechwriter and policy analyst for two governors. Charlie also holds two other degrees from Stanford, including a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in US History. Charlie was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30.Charlie joins me today to discuss his income pooling company, Pando. He explains the concept and shares with us the higher than average results that the company has provided. He shares the type of client that Pando seeks. Charlie also vulnerably shares some of his early challenges as a founder. "When you're trying to overcome a challenge, a CEOs job is to be somewhat of the ballast and not allow the team to get too high or allow the team to get too low." - Charlie OlsonToday on Startups for Good we cover:Risk ToleranceChallenging limiting beliefs about success ratesConsumer protectionsBuilding new marketsLoss aversionConflict resolution between co-foundersConnect with Charlie on Twitter and Pando at pandopooling.comThe book that Miles mentioned is Lifecycle Investing by Ian Ayres & Barry J. NalebuffSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Happy Thanksgiving Message
Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Jeff Anderson, Co-CEO & Co-founder of Full Cycle Bioplastics
Jeff is a serial entrepreneur who brings a wealth of experience in the climate tech industry and has served in multiple executive roles in clean energy, waste repurposing, and venture capital. He also serves as an advisory board member to a Bay Area biotech company. Jeff completed his master's thesis on economics in PHA production, and is the co-inventor of Full Cycle technology. His zeal for tackling plastic pollution and food waste makes him a force for change.Jeff joins me today to discuss how he got into plastics and what drew him to applications for improving the environment. He shares with us how inspirational his parents were and how his desire to build things moved him to be a founder. Jeff talks about his fundraising efforts and the growth of his company. We are grateful to Jeff for also sharing with us some hardships and how the company tackled them."It depends on what you're good at. My magic is finding opportunity. And again, the reason we got here was finding out what people value and giving it to them, and finding creative ways to do that." - Jeff AndersonToday on Startups for Good we cover:Science risk vs. tech riskCompelling investors on the projectMaintaining the ownership of the intellectual propertyInvestors as plant-building partnersSymbiotic relationshipsEnd user cost trends for bioplasticsManaging a team with rapid growthCo-CEO/founding with a twinBalancing time between tasksRelying on your executive teamConnect with Full Cycle on their website and TwitterSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
David Booth, CEO of On Deck
David is the CEO of On Deck, a network of communities dedicated to unlocking human potential — helping founders start up and raise early capital, top talent connect with opportunities and explore "what's next" in their careers. David joins me today to discuss the Silicon Valley ecosystem and what is stands for. We discuss if a founder needs to have experienced the problem being solved as a requirement to start the company. David shares with us how he met his co-founder in On Deck. He talks about why we want more founders in the world. . I ask David how he imparts the Silicon Valley culture without bringing in the less desirable aspects. He also talks about OnDeck's newest initiative ODX.On picking a co-founder: "I encourage people to do is go out there and maybe find four or five different people to go on a series of "dates", maybe take on a project, do some consulting, work together, perhaps don't work on the the one thing that you want to get ultimately solve, because you want to build trust." - David BoothToday on Startups for Good we cover:Knowing if you are ready to start a companyThe necessary depth of familiarity in your co-founderLaunching a new programManaging team growth in a remote worldManaging change internallyFundraisingConnect with David on Twitter or the On Deck websiteThe Evolve Podcast that Miles mentioned is available hereSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Jason Wang, Founder and CEO of FreeWorld
At the age of 15 Jason Wang was given a 12-year sentence at a maximum security prison in Texas. Upon release he earned two master's degrees and was still unable to find a job due to his criminal history. Jason decided to become an agent for change. He started FreeWorld. FreeWorld empowers people who have been in prison with educational support and technical skills to enter into high wage, high demand careers so they can live fulfilling lives, prison-free. Freeworld aims to break the cycle of recidivism and generational poverty by demonstrating the potential of reentering citizens creating meaningful career pathways and providing critical support services for the individuals and their families to overcome significant barriers.Jason joins me today to discuss his non-profit and the life path that brought him to start it. He shares with us the three benefits to society of former inmates finding jobs and not only the economic motivations but other social benefits. Jason tells us about the lessons that he has learned on his way to becoming a founder and CEO of a non-profit. Though Jason shares some roadblocks and obstacles he is optimistic of the change that can be made by moving obstacles and giving these former inmates a chance to provide for their families and change their lives."If former prisoners get jobs, what that ends up meaning is that we have safer communities, we are saving taxpayers a lot of money on re-incarnation costs. And we're also helping a population that normally is excluded from the economy actually participate into the economy by paying taxes." - Jason WangToday on Startups for Good we cover:The role of personal responsibility of inmatesSome of the causes of recidivism Technical parole violationsRadical transparencyBuilding trust in othersThe role identity plays on leading othersThe opportunities within trucking companiesReal problems in the real worldLegitimate first chancesResources from this episode:The Sounds Good podcast featuring Jason WangConnect with Jason at joinfreeworld.comThe Great CEO Within by Matt Mocharyventurepatterns.comSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Amanda DoAmaral, Co-Founder & CEO of Fivable
Amanda DoAmaral is an educator, activist, and co-founder of Fiveable - a social learning network for students. She spent a half a decade teaching high school history in Oakland, CA, where her passion for creating equitable educational opportunities was ignited. Amanda has been a vocal advocate for inclusive history curriculum and is active within the Milwaukee tech community.Amanda joins me today to discuss how teaching differs from being a tech startup CEO. She shares what skills she pulled from teaching to help her excel in the tech ed space. Amanda also tells her founder's story. Even as a young company, Fiveable has already acquired another company and Amanda takes us through that process and what made that company desirable. "I hope that this is a moment where people shoot for the moon, rebuild, start, try something new, it doesn't have to be the way that it used to be." - Amanda DoAmaralToday on Startups for Good we cover:Important learnings from an acceleratorWhen to bring on the engineering teamThings to remember when hiring for equity rather than salaryBringing in a co-founderCriteria when choosing headquarter locationThe value of student employees at FiveablePremium pricing vs. free contentHow to deal with a seasonal businessConsidering non-profit vs. for profitConnect with Amanda on Twitter or at fiveable.meSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Andrew Yang, Founder of Forward
Andrew Yang is an American businessman, lawyer, book author and philanthropist, as well as a former 2020 Democratic US presidential and New York City mayoral candidate. He is the founder of Venture for America which connects young professionals to innovative companies in economically challenged cities. As the first repeat guest on Startups for Good, Andrew joins me to discuss his new book Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy and his new political party Forward.We discuss how starting a startup is similar to starting a political campaign. He also shares his insights on why he felt compelled to start a new party and why he believes in a multi-party political climate. We also discuss the role of a startup founder in mitigating societies issues. And we discuss the best way for the government to support small businesses. "We built a very, very fragile, corruptible system that also will not deliver results for the American people. It's like if you looked at it as a startup operator, you'd be like, wow, this stuff's really broken." - Andrew YangToday on Startups for Good we cover:Long form discussions like podcasts vs. short form like social mediaPolitical monopolies Rank voting - histories and outcomesDigital Social CreditsThe benefits of charter citiesSkinny CarsResources discussed in the episode:Forward by Andrew YangForward Podcast hosted by Andrew YangWhy We're Polarized by Ezra KleinConnect with Andrew at forwardparty.comSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Paul Gross, Co-Founder & CEO, Remora Carbon
Paul Gross is the co-founder and CEO at Remora. While at Yale, he conducted experimental research that uncovered solutions to collective action problems like political polarization and the climate crisis. Remora got started when he read a dissertation on mobile carbon capture written by his co-founder, Christina, and convinced her to quit her job as a scientist at the EPA. Then, he recruited his co-founder, Eric, a mechanic-turned-engineer who built hydrogen and electric semi-trucks for some of the world's largest automotive companies.Paul joins me today to discuss how he convinced his co-founder to quit her government job to join a two person startup. We also talk about the various reasons that the environmental industry is seeing growth as of late. Paul shares his opinion on the future of carbon capture devices regarding size and standards."I don't think everyone needs to do that science, because I've already come across so many scientists who are blocked at that point of having an idea, but not being able to start a company around it." - Paul GrossToday on Startups for Good we cover:Developing judgement for good science when reading thesesCreating a systematic approach when seeking new idea Carbon capture vs. catalytic converterFinding first adopters of the technologyWhen investors share your missionHow to build culture within an organizationTheir first round capital raise with investors like Lower Carbon Capital and Union Square VenturesWorking with major fleet companies like RyderBooks and podcasts discussed in this episode: Startup SchoolConnect with Paul at Remora Carbon, on Twitter or send him an email at hello@remoracarbon.comSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Ethan Davidoff, Founder and CEO of Atlas Health
Ethan Davidoff founded Atlas in 2017 and serves as CEO. Prior to Atlas, Ethan was a founding member of RiskIQ, where he took on a variety of individual contributor and management responsibilities resulting in exponential revenue growth and ultimately an acquisition by Microsoft. Prior to RiskIQ, Ethan owned and operated a software development firm that built smartphone applications for fortune 500 brands. Ethan earned his business degree from UC Berkeley and attended the London School of Economics. Ethan joins me today to discuss how his company helps patients pay for their healthcare. He shares his personal story that brought him to his company's mission. He explains how they found initial customers and how to convince them to work with a startup. "Making sure we continue to hire the right people into the right roles, setting the right structure, giving everybody an amazing career path. Making sure we're generous and thoughtful with compensation structures. Making sure we're thoughtful human beings, and we're good to each other and that we don't we find the balance of the intensity and the passion and the killer instinct and the end the long hours of work with, being there to support each other's families, and time off, and mental health and balance." - Ethan DavidoffToday on Startups for Good we cover:Medical financial aidSelecting the right co-founderChanging leadership while keeping the company strongChallenges to fast growthCOVID's impact on the companyThe role of a startup founderHow concept market fit differs from product market fitEthically promoting the companyNurturing the relationship with the early adoptersThe book that Ethan mentioned was: The New Great DepressionConnect with Ethan through LinkedInSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Tinsley Galyean, Founder, Curious Learning
Tinsley Galyean is a Co-founder and Executive Director of Curious Learning. Curious Learning with partners has curated thousands of free and open source interactive literacy learning experiences reaching over 3.5 million users. Tinsley holds a PhD from the MIT Media Lab and a ScM in computer graphics from Brown University. He has developed interactive technology driven projects for museums around the world. He's also developed media experiences through Disney, Warner Brothers, and an Emmy-nominated program for Discovery Kids.Tinsley joins me today to share how he came to literacy and its impact on the world. We discuss how people learn and why some of them struggle to learn how to read. He tells us the importance of curiosity in learning. We discuss how to approach building a team in dealing with being a non-profit and a tech company. We get into the difference between the academic research orientation and the tech startup AB testing orientation.As Chair of the Board of Curious Learning, I'm excited to share this story with you.."You earn 40% more over the course of your lifetime you live 26 years longer if you're literate, there's direct impacts on your health, your ability to access resources of understand how to take care of yourself and your health, how subject you are to being radicalized and its impact on world peace or or human trafficking or child labor." - Tinsley GalyeanToday on Startups for Good we cover:Can reading be taught on a smartphone?Learning from past tech "failures" and incorporating them into the softwareLimiting beliefs and its effect on the organizationHow funding is different as a non-profitHow to reach more peopleProtecting the learner's privacyConnect with Tinsley by email or on the Curious Learning websiteSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Madison Campbell, Co-Founder and CEO of Leda Health
Madison Campbell is a trailblazer and sexual assault advocate. After going to college to study epidemiology in space populations, Madison has become a well-seasoned entrepreneur. She led a company prior to Leda Health called "Iyanu," which was a software development shop based in Lagos, Nigeria. Today, she is working hard to promote the autonomy and self-actualization of sexual assault survivors through Leda Health by developing and providing resources to help them overcome their difficult trauma.Madison joins me today to discuss her company and her thoughts on transformative justice through the use of the at home evidence collection kits. We kick off the episode with a question about why so few sexual assault cases are resolved by the legal system. We also discuss the proper role of the legal system and the cost to the victim following a sexual assault. Madison shares her opinion on ways of ending the cycle of abuse. She also tells us about the other service offerings of Leda Health. "I think we will be not only like the market creator for this space, but I do think there is a possibility of being a winner take all and I want to be the winner." - Madison CampbellToday on Startups for Good we cover:Transformative JusticeAt home self collection evidence kitsHow to build a strong relationship with your co-founderThe Nigerian business ecosystemHow improv can improve business skillsUsing Excel spreadsheets with ideationHow to take the news when investors say noHow the mission can help in dealing with controversyConnect with Madison on Twitter: @martyrdison IG: martyrdison: Books mentioned in this episode:48 Laws of Power by Robert GreenBlitzscaling by Reid HoffmanSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Slava Solonitsyn, CEO & Co-Founder of Mighty Buildings
Slava Solonitsyn is an accomplished investor, entrepreneur, inventor, co-founder, and CEO of Mighty Buildings, a construction technology company creating beautiful, affordable, and sustainable homes using 3D-printing, advanced materials, and robotic automation. Mighty Buildings is based in Oakland, CA and is backed by several notable International and Silicon Valley tech investors, including Khosla Ventures, Zeno Ventures, and Y Combinator.Mighty Buildings has a near-zero waste production process, preventing 1,100 - 2,000 kg of CO2 emission per 3D-printed home. We are committed to achieving Net-Zero by 2028 - making our company 22 years ahead of the construction industry.Not only are we certified under California's Factory Built Housing program to build units using 3D-printing, but we are also the first company to achieve certification under the UL 3401 standard for evaluating building structures and assemblies."Tolerance to risk in Silicon Valley is absolutely one of the key advantages" - Slava SolonitsynToday on Startups for Good we cover:New innovations in 3D printing homesHow to select the first market to enter with an new inventionManaging former founders differently than start up employeesThe difference between the Silicon Valley ecosystem and other ecosystemsCultivating innovation is a regulated industryHow to level up as a founderAdmitting you're wrongLean cultureDiscussing mission internallyBuilding partnershipsThe books that were discussed on today's episode were:No Rules Rule by Reed Hastings and Erin MeyerRadical Candor by Kim ScottBooks by Jim CollinsConnect with Slava at mightybuildings.comSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle
Anna de Paula Hanika, CEO and Founder Uno Health
Anna de Paula Hanika is the Co-Founder and CEO of Uno Health. Uno Health unlocks financial equity for low-income seniors so millions can afford better health. Uno enrolls and re-certifies the Medicare members in all state and federal programs they are eligible for - putting thousands of dollars in their pockets and creating direct revenue and savings for their insurance company. Anna has raised a successful seed round from Floodgate and Cowboy Ventures. She also worked in product and operations and product and marketing at places like Google, Clover, mHealth, and Sum. She has also been a fellow at HITLAB Healthcare Innovation Lab. Bachelors from University of Oxford in Psychology & Neuroscience.On knowing when to expand your team - "So it's a combination of, data driven, but also a good amount of gut that gets you to identify when you need to actually hire someone and give your hat to them." - Anna de Paula HanikaToday on Startups for Good we cover:Helping consumers on the enrollment sideHow company ideas evolve throughout the startup processDiffering CEO roles for product based business vs service basedKnowing when to expand your teamTesting your hypothesis How to create a good relationship with your co-founderVulnerabilitiesSome of the books that Anna discussed were:Never Split the Difference by Chris VossTeam of Teams by Gen. Stanley McChrystalGetting More by Stuart DiamondAnd Chris Voss does have a MasterclassConnect with Anna: LinkedIN and on the UnoHealth WebsiteSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website startupsforgood.com/, connect with Miles on Twitter https://twitter.com/Startups4Good or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mileslasater/, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle https://www.startupsforgood.com/giving-circle/
Summer Break Message 2021
We are taking a short break here at Startups For Good. Miles will return in September with new guests to inspire. In the meantime please revisit some of our earlier guests that you may have missed and check out our website and other links found below for more information. Thank you for listening.Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about The Giving Circle